Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was a Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.

He was natural within New Orleans, Louisiana.

From either the immature age Bechet quickly mastered any musical instrument he picked up. (Occasionally Up to date Orleanians remembered him as a cornet hot-shot within his youth. Inside a 1941 early experiment within above-dubbing at RCA Studios, he recorded in Sixer different instruments - the clarinet, treble sax, tenor sax, piano, bass, & drums. This recording may be heard under a title of the "Sheik of Araby.") Initially he decided on the clarinet as his main instrument, & Bechet remained one of jazz's greatest clarinettist for decades. Nevertheless he is better remembered when the master of the soprano saxophone. Bechet was mayhap a foremost notable jazz saxist of any sort. Emphatic delivery, swell conceived, improvised ideas, & the distinctive wide vibrato characterized Bechet's swimming.

Bechet got own household budget swimming around itinerant shows possibly prior to he left Future Orleans at a age of Xx. Never hanker content inside a single place, he alternated applying Chicago, New York, and Europe as his base of operations until finally settling inside France in 1950.

Inside Antibes, France Bechet married his wife Elisabeth Ziegler inside 1951.

Bechet with success composed inside jazz, pop-tune, & extended concert operate forms. His recordings stand typically been reissued. A select few of the highlights include 1924 sides by owning Louis Armstrong in "Clarence Williams Blue Five", a 1932, 1940, 1941 "New Orleans Feetwarmers" sides, the 1938 "Tommy Ladnier Orchestra" session ("Weary Blues", "Really the Blues"), & various versions of his have composition "Petite Fleur". A power & individualism of Bechet's musical personality come evident altogether of his recordings. Existentialists in France called him 'lupus erythematosus dieu'.

Bechet was an crucial influence to altoist Johnny Hodges, who exposed sustaining Bechet as a stripling.

Shortly prior to his demise within Paris, Bechet dictated his autobiography, Treat It Gentle, one of a virtually all poetic of musical life.

Bechet is besides said to use served as a image for the saxist Pablo in the novel Steppenwolf, since it was almost sure enough across listening to his swimming inside Europe in the Twenties that Hermann Hesse became acquainted with the world of jazz music.

"Bechet to me was the very epitome of jazz... everything he played in his whole life was completely original. I honestly think he was the most unique man to ever be in this music." -- Duke Ellington.

Philip Larkin wrote an ode to Bechet in The Whitsun Weddings.