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Buddy Collette was born into a family of musicians in Los Angeles. He grew up dreaming of a career in jazz; he got that and much more. Collette played the saxophone, the clarinet and the flute, but he was also a jazz educator.

Collette was a key figure in the thriving Los Angeles music scene on Central Avenue in the 1950s. He helped keep Bebop alive, and he played a key role in the development of the Cool Jazz movement.

He was also a pioneer and a civil rights activist in the fight against segregation in the music industry. Collette was the first African American musician to play live on television.

Frank Potenza performed with Collette. He is now the chair of the studio/guitar jazz program at the University of Southern California. He said Collette is an iconic figure in Los Angeles and in the history of jazz.

Collette will always be remembered for his great music. One of his favorites was Blues for Torrance, a song he wrote as a tribute to California.

Image courtesy of BuddyCollette.com