One of the great unrecorded New Orleans legends (along with Buddy Bolden, Chris Kelly and Manuel Perez), Buddy Petit (who was supposed to have had a beautiful tone) was very highly rated by his contemporaries. Petit was a professional as a teenager, playing with the Young Olympia Band and co-leading a group with Jimmie Noone. In 1917, Petit traveled to California to play with Jelly Roll Morton but he soon returned home. During the remainder of his life, Petit primarily played in New Orleans, other Louisiana towns and occasionally Florida, often leading either the Young Olympians or his Black and Tan Orchestra. He visited California again in 1922 as a member of Frankie Dusen's group but otherwise stayed in the South. Excessive drinking led to his early demise, although he played a job the day before his death. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi