Trumpeter Percy Humphrey To Have Jazz Funeral Saturday
07-26-1995 Times Picayune

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A jazz funeral will be held Saturday for Percy Humphrey, the
world-renowned New Orleans trumpeter who died last week.

Visitation will be from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Union Bethel
A.M.E. Church, 2321 Thalia St. A funeral will begin at 11 a.m.,
followed by a jazz procession.

Burial will be private.

Mr. Humphrey died Saturday at his home on Robert Street of
congestive heart failure. He was 90.

Mr. Humphrey, a fixture at Preservation Hall since it opened in
1961, was born into a New Orleans jazz family.

His father, Willie Eli Humphrey, was a jazz clarinetist. His
grandfather taught such early jazz luminaries as Kid Ory, Papa
Celestin and Chris Kelly.

Mr. Humphrey toured occasionally, but unlike King Oliver and
Louis Armstrong, who found fame by following the music to
Chicago and New York, Humphrey mostly stayed in New Orleans.

Mr. Humphrey started organizing his own dance bands in 1925. In
the 1930s, he toured with blues singer Bessie Smith. In the
1940s and '50s, he played in clarinetist George Lewis' band.

Along the way, he joined the Eureka Brass Band and was made
leader of the group in 1947.

Mr. Humphrey's major contribution to jazz was preservation. He
considered it important to carry the torch of traditional jazz
long enough for younger players to take it.

Mr. Humphrey helped establish Preservation Hall in 1961 and
performed there until last year. He was a top attraction at the
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival since its inception.

After his brother Willie's death in June at age 94, Mr. Humphrey
became the oldest active jazz musician in New Orleans, other
than pianist Sadie Goodson Colar.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be
made to the Percy G. Humphrey Sr. Music Scholarship Fund at
Dillard University, 2601 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70122.