Birth name Willie James Humphrey Role Musician Name Willie Humphrey | Genres Dixieland Siblings Percy Humphrey | |
 | ||
Born December 29, 1900 ( 1900-12-29 ) Died June 7, 1994, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States Music group Preservation Hall Jazz Band (1994) Similar People Percy Humphrey, Frank Demond, Allan Jaffe, Jim Robinson, Kid Thomas Valentine | ||
Bye and bye maryland jazz band and willie humphrey at sagewerk 1993
Willie James Humphrey (December 29, 1900 – June 7, 1994) was a New Orleans jazz clarinetist. Willie Humphrey was born in a musical family, the son of prominent local clarinetist and music teacher Willie Eli Humphrey; his brothers Earl Humphrey and Percy Humphrey also became well known professional musicians.
Contents
- Bye and bye maryland jazz band and willie humphrey at sagewerk 1993
- Maryland jazz band of cologne early days 1982 feat willie humphrey high society
- Selected discography
- References
After establishing himself with such New Orleans bands as the Excelsior and George McCullum's band, Humphrey traveled up north, playing with such other New Orleans musicians as Lawrence Duhé, and King Oliver in Chicago (Photos show Humphrey with Duhé's band playing in the stands for the infamous 1919 World Series). In Saint Louis, Missouri in the 1920s he made his first recordings.
Back in New Orleans, he played for many years with the Eureka and Young Tuxedo Brass bands, the bands of Paul Barbarin and Sweet Emma Barrett, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Humphrey's clarinet playing remained vigorous and continued to grow more inventive in his old age.