Bechet << buh SHAY >>, Sidney (1897-1959), was an American jazz clarinetist and soprano saxophone player. Bechet’s driving, passionate playing, primarily in the New Orleans style, was widely influential.
Bechet was born in New Orleans on May 14, 1897. He began his career as a teenager, playing clarinet during the early years of jazz. In 1919, he traveled to Europe. While in London, Bechet adopted the soprano saxophone as his principal solo instrument. In the 1920’s, Bechet performed in both Europe and the United States. He played with the day’s top jazz musicians, including Duke Ellington and James P. Johnson. Bechet’s recordings with Louis Armstrong in 1924 and 1925, including “Cake Walking Babies,” are some of the most important jazz statements of the period. During the 1930’s, Bechet’s career faded as jazz tastes turned away from the New Orleans style. He regained his popularity about 1939 with the revival of interest in New Orleans jazz. In 1951, he became a permanent resident of France, where he was treated as a national celebrity. He died on May 14, 1959.
