Early
New Orleans jazzman,
1897-
1959. Bechet played the
clarinet and the
soprano saxophone. According to legend, his talent was discovered when he was six. His family had hired
Freddie Keppard's
jazz band to perform at a birthday party, but their clarenetist didn't show up. Halfway through a number, a clarinet was heard improvising in the background. It turned out to be Sidney, using an older brother's instrument. Bechet was a strong soloist, but hard to play with. He collaborated with
Louis Armstrong in
1924-
1925, making a masterpiece recording of "
Cake Walkin' Babies From Home", but a
1945 concert suffered from their competition. He moved to
France in 1951, where he found great fame.
Paraphrased from Jazz: From its Origins to the Present, Porter & Ullman