[Dixielandjazz] More on Humph

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

There was of course the revolutionary side of Humph,
speculating as regards what some purists of 1949 would
have made of a recording on which his solo on one
performance of around that time was in truth modelled
on a Roy Eldridge recording of 1937.

And there was his rejoinder to the statement that
Teddy Wilson played a gentlemanly style of piano: 
Humph supposed that this meant Wilson always lifted
the lid before performing. 

Then there was a certain sort of electronic organ, 
which Humph referred to as 'the electric stomach'.

Leo Watson was 'one of my favourite madmen'.

I did tape Johnny Guarnieri's "Stealin Apples" from
Humph's show, the version replaced by a different take
when the rare set it belonged to got on to CD.  Those
who relish this delightful madness (played again by
Humph in one of his last shows with the rather
repetitive beginning choruses omitted)  may recall the
whirlwind stride riot --flight of the bumble bee flung
in for luck -- and the slamming down of the piano lid
-- immediately after which Humph cut in with "and then
they shot him."  I have this phrase also on tape.  

I also as it happened taped Humph's tribute to Yank
Lawson, with acute observations on the King Oliver
influence on Yank, and so magnificent a selection and
presentation of the best of Yank's recordings as to
suggest that someday somebody might just bring out the
whole show as a CD.  

He was the very opposite of an instrumentalist who
could hear only his own playing. 









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