Percy Humphrey

From the 1960s onward Percy Humphrey and his brother, clarinetist Willie Humphrey, earned recognition through their work in the unpredictable yet engaging Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Although his other sibling, trombonist Earl Humphrey (1902-1971), followed a parallel path, Percy never ranked among leading players yet delivered his plain melodic lines with honest conviction. Early notice arrived via engagements with New Orleans brass ensembles, among them the Eureka Brass Band. He appeared with George Lewis from 1951 to 1953, afterward confining most activity to local settings until becoming a steady presence at Preservation Hall once the venue opened in 1961; thereafter he circled the globe with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and kept performing until shortly before his death at age 90. His finest work surfaced on a 1961 date with Sweet Emma Barrett, while sessions under his own name appeared on Riverside, Pearl, GHB, Storyville, and Smoky Mary as well as additional imprints.