The two contemporaries joyously recall the bebop era of the 1940s and 50s, sharing the gift of spontaneous performance on stage, while reflecting on coming up through the jazz ranks. The clarinet was one of the original jazz band instruments. In traditional New Orleans jazz, it held a prominent place in what were usually three horn front lines, right alongside the trumpet or cornet and the trombone. When big bands became prominent in the 1930s, the clarinet continued to hold its own as an instrument of solo expression in jazz, with such beacons as Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw leading the way. In the 1940s, the bebop era ushered in several important changes in the make-up of modern jazz bands.
Smaller ensembles become more common, and the saxophone became the dominant solo instrument.
Consequently, the clarinet temporarily fell from favor with early bebop ensembles. Despite these challenges, DeFranco successfully made the transition from swing to become a pioneer of the bebop style on clarinet. At one point, Billy and Buddy discuss the inherent technical difficulties of playing the clarinet, comparing it with the saxophone. You've got to cover those with your fingers, and just a fraction of an inch off, it'll squeak, or do something wrong. Plus the fact that the clarinet is three, actually four, separate registers.