Willie Humphrey

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Willie Humphrey (1993)

William James "Willie" Humphrey (born December 29, 1900 in New Orleans ; † June 7, 1994 there ) was an American clarinetist of traditional jazz .

Live and act

Humphrey comes from a family of musicians; his father was the clarinetist Willie Eli Humphrey; his younger brothers Earl Humphrey and Percy Humphrey also became professional musicians. He received violin and clarinet lessons from his grandfather, "Professor" Jim Humphrey, and initially worked in the Excelsior Brass Band ; he also played in his father's band and with Jack Carey . In 1919 and 1920 he worked in Chicago in the groups of Freddie Keppard and King Oliver . Then he worked again in New Orleans with Kid Rena to appear in 1925 with the band of Fate Marable in St. Louis. There he took part in the first recordings.

Back in New Orleans in 1932, he continued to work for Fate Marable and Dewey Jackson to tour with Lucky Millinder in 1935/36 . He then worked as a music teacher. He spent his military service in the Second World War in orchestras of the Kriegsmarine in order to later belong to the Eureka Brass Band and the Young Tuxedo Brass Band . For a short time he worked with Thomas Jefferson with the bebop .

In the 1950s he played in Paul Barbarin's groups and made recordings with him, as well as with Sweet Emma Barrett , and then played in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band . In 1967 he went on a European tour with Billie and Dee Dee Pierce . In 1974 he presented his first album under his own name. During further stays in Europe there were recordings with the Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne . In 1991 he recorded with Chris Barber in New Orleans.

Discographic notes

  • New Orleans Clarinet (Smokey Mary 1974, with Frank Sing Miller, Frank Demond, Frank Prevost, Josiah Cie Frazier , Betty Carter)
  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band Best of Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Columbia, 1989; rec. 1976–1988)
  • Willie Humphrey with Brian O'Connell Two Clarinets on the Porch (GHB 1991)
  • Willie Humphrey with Norbert Susemihl In New Orleans (GHB 1991)
  • Willie Humphrey & Maryland Jazzband of Cologne A Kiss to Build a Dream on (GHB, 1999)
  • Meets the Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne (GHB, 1999, rec. 1990)

Lexical entry

Web links

Commons : Willie Humphrey  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Obituary (Independent)
personal data
SURNAME Humphrey, Willie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Humphrey, William James
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz musician (clarinet)
DATE OF BIRTH December 29, 1900
PLACE OF BIRTH New Orleans
DATE OF DEATH June 7, 1994
Place of death New Orleans