[Dixielandjazz] The blue horn of Humph

[Marek Boym]

Hello folks,
Whenever the name of Art Hodes comes up, it is usually added, as a
compliment, that he made everything sound like a blues.
Unfortunately, I have never seen any reference to Lyttelton's blue
feeling.
I was reminded of that while listening, yet again (thrice in a row) to
that excellent CD "Delving Back and Forth with Humph," originally
issued on Stomp Off, then reissued by the British Lake Records.  The
opening number, "Miss Otis Regrets," recorded in 1948 by Humph with
rhythm, made me pinch myself to make sure it was not a blues;
nevertheless, Humph certainly made it sound like one!  Out of the six
Lyttelton originals three are blues, and at least one more has a blues
aura.

Listenig to that CD caused me to put "Humph's Blues," an old
Parlophone EP and my introduction to Lyttelton, one of the better
blues records I've ever heard (another one is "Back to Back: Duke
Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues'); that EP includes one
Lyttelton original - "Low Down Dirty Shame Blues" (1950; an earlier
version is on the abovementioned CD), and one spiritual arranged by
Humph as a blues.

Cheers