Buddy DeFranco

Buddy DeFranco’s clarinet style helped to legitimize the instrument in the post-swing era as a modern jazz instrument and his techniques have been a major influence on performers ever since the late 1940s. Buddy’s powerful tone and unique approach to phrasing gave rise to the clarinet’s strong presence in the modern and post-modern jazz eras. His popularity led to a long time endorsement relationship with G. Leblanc and a close relationship with some of the industry’s leaders such as Danny Henkin and Vito Pascucci. In later years several models were made for Buddy, each of which had his own design ideas and suggestions. For the last forty years of his playing career, Buddy endorsed the Yamaha clarinet.