HUMPHREY LYTTLETON 1921 – 2008

A tribute by David Fenn, presenter of 'Gateway to Jazz' on Gateway FM.

Jazz fans the world over will be greatly saddened by the death of Humphrey Lyttleton. Humph was widely regarded as the father of British jazz. Father figure or not, he was unquestionably one of Britain's most important and beloved jazz musicians, with a voice known to millions through his work as a broadcaster on BBC radio.

He hosted the UK's most successful and longest running jazz programme 'The Sound of jazz', which began in October 1967. He was also compere of the long running 'I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue', a brilliantly funny panel game that relied in no small measure on his unique brand of humour. His radio celebrity was such that it makes it easy to overlook the central role he occupied in British jazz.

Lyttelton figuratively towered over the UK jazz scene. Literally too, for he was a tall man. An old Etonian, he had seen war service as an Acting-Captain in the Brigade of Guards, but decided after demob. To become a jazz trumpeter rather than follow in his father's footsdteps to become a master at Eton.

His first concert appearance was on 18th. February 1947 at the Hot Club of London, leading in an ad hoc ensemble. After eight months with George Webb's Dixielanders he left to form his own band and, while performing at the Nice Jazz Festival in 1948, was complimented by Louis Armstrong who called him “the top trumpet man in England”.

During the 1950s a trad boom,which Humph had played no small part in triggering, swept the nation. In 1953 Lyttleton turned his back on revivalist New Orleans jazz in favour of a sleek, modern mainstream style. There was something of an uproar at the time as it was the height of the trad boom. His fanbase became divided between modernists and traditionalists and the music press grappled with the implications for British jazz.

By the mid 50s, if he was not already, Humph certainly became a household name with release of the single 'Bad Penny Blues' that reached number 19 in the 'Top Twenty'. In the 1960s as his career expanded with writing, broadcasting and television work, his band continued to grow, adding a variety of new names and influences. From 1970 he had a productive contract with Black Lion Records. The momentum was maintained into the 1980s and Humph's group made many fine records on his own Calligraph label that displayed a stimulating variety of creative influences.

The turn of the century brought no sign that Humph was slowing down or looking back. In 2003 he was busy touring with his band and singer Stacey Kent.

Humph made a vital contribution to jazz as a communicator. His successive volumes of autobiography were arguably the first well considered reflections from a jazz musician and helped to establish the significance of jazz as an art form and to underline its musical importance.

He was Britain's senior jazz ambassador and always demonstrated an admirably open ear for new developments in the music. As a bandleader he consistently kept an eye out for new young players, offering them a platform to display their developing talents.

His death at the grand old age of 86 leaves us all with a sense of losing an old friend. Humph was a one off who, during his lifetime brought much pleasure to his audiences, whether it was through his music, his writing or his humour.

On a very personal note, his recording of 'Coffee Grinder', a Sidney Bechet composition, is the theme tune for 'Gateway to Jazz', the programme dedicated to jazz on Gateway FM. Thus with every edition, we can together enjoy hearing again one of the greats of jazz.

We'll all miss you Humph --- thanks for the memories.
For more information about Humph and his band, please see http://www.humphreylyttelton.com/about