Pete Fountain

One of the most famous of all New Orleans jazz clarinetists, Pete Fountain had the ability to play songs that he performed countless times (such as "Basin Street Blues") with so much enthusiasm that one would swear he had just discovered them. His style and most of his repertoire remained unchanged from the late '50s into the new millennium, yet he never sounded bored. In 1948, Fountain (who was heavily influenced by Benny Goodman and Irving Fazola) was a member of the Junior Dixieland Band and this was followed by a stint with Phil Zito and an important association with the B...