Roger Humphries

[Sundog]

Just got the latest reissue of The Cape Verdean Blues. Never heard the album before now. As you all know this is a great album. I'm especially impressed with the drumming of Roger Humphries. He has a real knack for creating a lively, multi-layered, accompaniment without detracting at all from the song. That guys alright in my book!

[jazzbo]

I really love his playing too! He is very different from but reminds me somewhat of Frankie Dunlop, just a little bit in the way he creates melody from his toms. And he fits very well in that Silver band, playing the role that drummers such as Hayes and Brooks did so well for Silver too.

[JSngry]

So let's see...

There's Roger Humphries, Lex Humphries, Roger Lee Humphrey, Ralph Humphrey, Paul Humphries, and Paul Humphrey, drummers all, and all good ones.

Kinda makes you wonder what Hubert Humprey might have accomplished if he'd gone into music instead of politics...

[mikeweil]

One not to be icluded in this list is Les Humphries, a leader of forgettable pop chorusses in 1970's - 80's Germany.

[mikeweil]

Name games notwithstanding, this is a fine, heavily under-recorded drummer. There is, of course, part of Silver's Song For My Father and a nice Prestige album by Carmell Jones, Jay Hawk talk, with him participating. But he is still active - there was a mention somewhere on this board on occasion of a new release with younger musicians.

[mikeweil]

Inspired compositions by Horace (and Joe) abound, and how about some props for drummer Roger Humphries? When I was living in the Cleveland area I got to play with him a couple times in Pittsburgh (at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, where several jazz releases have been recorded) and he still sounds great (he's originally from Pittsburgh).

From this post.

[Sundog]

Thanks for the link Mike.

Roger's Bio from AMG is below. Apparently he gigged with Stantley T. & Shirley Scott for a while. Also Brother Ray!

AMG BIO

Although hardly as well-known as Buddy Rich, the jazz drummer Roger Humphries began playing at just an early age. Humphries came from a family of ten children and, his uncles were a pair of professional horn players, Frank Humphries and Hildred Humphries. Roger Humphries' knack for percussion as a toddler even got him admitted into school early. He was first asked to play a gig at the ripe age of four — that was a Christmas program with the Mary J. Cowley Band. The little drummer began winning prizes in amateur contests; at four-and-a-half, he sat in with the hard-swinging Tab Smith band under pressure from Uncle Frank. By 14, the drummer had become a professional, and two years later led his own group at the Carnegie Music Hall.

Humphries began gigging on the road with major jazz performers in the early '60s. Naturally, he gravitated toward artists from his Pittsburgh base, backing up both tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and organist Shirley Scott in a legendary trio.

By 1964 Humphries had made it to New York City to join up with the Horace Silver Quintet, touring Europe with this popular group twice. He is the drummer on some of Silver's most popular albums, including the superb Song for My Father. Next the drummer built up his big band chops working with Ray Charles. Humphries' career continued with a long list of jazzmen who found his drumming to their taste, including Lee Morgan, Grant Green, Billy Taylor, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry, Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Griffin, and many others.

The drummer's own bandleading bug got to take a few bites in the early '70s with the organization of a Humphries band entitled the R.H. Factor. He would continue leading bands such as the Roger Humphries' Big Band in 1996. Albums under his own name were released in both 1993 and a decade later. The latter effort, Don't Give Up, sports a wonderful photo of the drummer as a child on the front cover. As a teacher, Humphries is considered to have had a major impact on young players through his teaching at the University of Pittsburgh. Additional family members who play music include cousin Teddy Humphries, a professional pianist, and brothers Lawrence Humphries Jr. and Norman Humphries, musical hobbyists. Following in the family tradition, Roger Humphries Jr. and nephew Gregory Humphries have become drummers.

[Big Al]

Yeah he's good! Heck, the first time I heard him, which was "Song for My Father," for some reason I mistook him for Elvni Jones! Go figure!

[cannonball-addict]

He is rather old now, but still active in his native Pittsburgh. He was leading jam sessions for the past few years at James Street Tavern and Dowe's on 9th, both lame Burgh jazz clubs, in terms of talent they bring in from outside this region, but the latter a beautiful club nevertheless.

Now that James Street is closed, Dowe's and Manchester are the only remaining true jazz venues and the latter is a performing arts center - so not really a nightly spot.

Besides having Roger and new trumpet semistar Sean Jones, Pittsburgh's jazz scene is really dead. Though there are some other good local guys.

P.S. Anybody who reads big band arrangements (or conducts them), should know the names of trumpeter/composer/arranger Dr. John Wilson (no relation to the NYTimes critic) and a newer name in arranging - Mike Tomaro - but neither of these guys gigs regularly.

[Rabshakeh]

Resurrecting an old thread for exactly the same reason as the Original Poster: I'm listening to The Cape Verdean Blues and I'm struck by how colourful the drumming is.

Apart from the two Silvers and the one Carmell Jones record, are any of his other performances notable? Did he record with Stanley Turrentine and Shirley Scott? Are any of his leader dates any good?