clarinets

Jeanne Bundy-Morrow was only married to Frank Bundy a few months when her father-in-law, the pioneering instrument designer George Bundy, passed away. Because Jeanne had known George for many years it was a blow to her and her entire family when he died in 1951. At the time, George Bundy was president of Selmer, a position his son Frank would later hold. Jeanne spoke of her husband’s long and productive career in the industry following in his father’s footsteps when she was interviewed in 2004
 

Buddy Collette changed music in more than one way. As a noted reed man, he played jazz along some of the greatest players in history including his boyhood friend, Charlie Mingus. Buddy was instrumental in the birth of the Los Angeles jazz scene. Beginning in the late 1940s, Buddy set out to break the color line within the American musicians’ union, which at the time separated the black performers from the whites within their directories. Thanks to Buddy’s efforts the Los Angeles chapter of the union was among the first to classify all members as equal.

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.
 

Don Getzen sure knows the history of the band instruments made in the mid-west! Don’s father was the plant manager for the Holton Company in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, his oldest uncle was the plant manager for the York Band Instrument Company in Michigan and at the same time his other uncle was the plant manager for the CG Conn Company in Elkhart, Indiana. In 1939 Don’s father formed the Getzen Company where he and his brother Bob worked growing up. Don later established DEG Musical in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for which he designed several innovative products, two of which he holds patents.  

Bobby Gordon, the jazz clarinetist who helped expand the New Orleans traditions to audiences around the world, was interviewed alongside his long time friend Bob Greene. The two men reunited for an interview and to play together at the Museum of Making Music in 2007. For decades, Bobby perfected his style while touring the globe. His recordings and performances have been praised for invoking the early innovative sounds of traditional jazz from New Orleans, Chicago and Kansas City. Living in La Jolla for many years, Bobby also played a vital role in creating the San Diego Dixieland Jazz Festival, which takes place each Thanksgiving Day weekend. 

Bob Malone is one of the leading experts of band and orchestra instruments in the United States who is currently working as Director of the Ateliers in Los Angeles for Yamaha Corporation of America. Bob became one of the most noted band instrument repairmen in Southern Californian, where he opened a repair shop that later became a retail outlet as well. His deep passion for the trumpet led to several product designs –and even a patent for the clarinet barrel. His designs helped many noted musicians create custom instruments that matched their needs and helped them to create their own sound.  

John McCrea was born and raised in Billings, Montana, where he first discovered his passion for music. He played the clarinet and was inspired by his band director to teach music in public schools, which John did for 35 years. By the time he retired from teaching, he and his family were living in La Mesa, California where he and his wife opened McCrea Music. One of John’s sources of pride is the fact that he brought music to the lives of so many students and customers over the years. Another source of pride comes from the fact that his son Gentry is following in his footsteps by running the store.

Vito Pascucci was assigned to band instrument repair during World War II for Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Band. Although Miller was much older, the world-famous bandleader and Vito became fast friends and, in fact, outlined a plan to establish a chain of music retail stores after the war. Miller’s disappearance in 1944 ended that dream, and Vito took some time after the war to study musical instruments while still in France. He met Leon Leblanc and within a few years opened the American branch of G. Leblanc. The tremendous success of the company and its strong and innovative product line led to Vito’s well-respected reputation.  

Himie Voxman was a band director nearly all his life. He studied chemistry in college but fell into music because jobs were hard for chemists to find in the days of the Great Depression. Since he had studied clarinet beginning when he was eight, he felt he could teach. Over his extensive musical career, Himie earned a doctorate in music, was given countless awards and taught thousands of people to play music. His impact reached beyond those he taught in his classrooms. He wrote several method books because he felt more teaching materials were needed. Among his publications were a series of books designed to have the teacher interact and play more with their students such as his duet books.
 

Ralph Zumpano worked in the Kenosha, Wisconsin, LeBlanc plant most of his professional career. Ralph married Vito Pascucci’s sister and was alongside Vito from the very beginning of the opening of LeBlanc in the United States in 1947. Over his long career Ralph held many positions, becoming Vito’s right-hand man, overseeing production within the factory and helping to establish new products. Ralph’s friendship with Vito goes back to the years before World War II when Vito’s brothers ran a music store, which is where Vito learned to repair musical instruments.