Jazz master lent name, talent to Missoula festival
This year’s Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, March 26-27 at the University of Montana, pays tribute to “Our Buddy,” the jazz legend and festival namesake, who died Dec. 24. Expect fresh new arrangements of classic jazz tunes, original pieces, a guest appearance by jazz clarinetist Eddie Daniels on Friday, and other surprises.
Lance Boyd, former director of the UM Jazz Program, describes the pioneering bebop clarinetist as “a jazz giant.”
Boyd hired DeFranco to perform at the UM Jazz Festival in 1998, and afterward, the artist – who had a summer home in Whitefish for many years – inquired about becoming permanently associated with the festival and using his name in the festival title.
The Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival debuted in April 2000, and according to Boyd, it was a very fertile alliance.
“His legendary name attached to the jazz festival put the University of Montana on the ‘map’ in jazz circles around the world,” says Boyd. “The visibility and prestige from his association opened doors and created opportunities that would not otherwise have been available.”
World-class jazz artists were suddenly eager to come to UM and perform with DeFranco, “often for much less than their usual fees,” notes Boyd.
In addition to benefiting UM students, DeFranco’s annual appearance “became an annual attraction that Missoulians came out to see and hear in great numbers,” says Boyd. Even his son, Chad, played a role as sound engineer for the evening concerts, “so at one point during Buddy’s tenure, the whole DeFranco family was involved.”
DeFranco started playing bebop clarinet during the ’30s and ’40s, when most jazz clarinetists were playing swing. “Buddy was more comfortable performing with artists like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and wanted to play the kind of music they were playing,” says Boyd. “He wanted to be on the cutting edge of jazz.”
“Jazz artists and jazz historians have already acknowledged his importance to the advancement of jazz clarinet,” adds Boyd. “And as time passes, the world will also come to a greater appreciation of that as well.”
This year’s Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival offers two evening concerts at 7:30 p.m. March 26-27 in the UM Dennison Theatre. The UM Jazz Ensemble performs nightly, sharing the stage with guest artists Paul McKee, trombone, Brent Edstrom, piano, and Chris Smith, drums, on Thursday; and featuring Barry Long, trumpet, Steve Kovalcheck, guitar, and Jon Hamar, bass, on Friday (as well as Eddie Daniels, clarinet). Evening concerts also showcase the Best Section High School Big Band, outstanding high school soloists and the UM Festival Artist Sextet. Tickets are $10-$18 nightly or $15-$30 for both; call 243-4581 or visit griztix.com.
– Kristi Niemeyer