Humphrey Lyttelton Bad Penny Blues

[edbuckhunter]

wish i could still play....:)

[throovest]

The hit was produced by Joe Meek. Humph hated what he heard, but by the time he (Humph) came back off holiday and heard the heavily compressed mix, it was too late. Released and a monster hit. And, yes... it was the inspiration behind 'Lady Madonna'

[KTignanelli]

¿Cómo se llama el pianista? ¡es estupendo!

[gzornenplat]

Sorry if this post gets repeated: Humph, you are missed - Acton Town to Woodside Park, there was no-one better. You weren't too bad at the trumpet either. I hope you are looking down on us, Samantha on your right hand, and smiling indulgently. Yep. Missed.

[noahtogg]

Brilliant! but very sadly missed; Jack Dee simply isn't quite as good and as for humph's music...well it's irreplaceable!

[gnomely1]

@noahtogg He began those outrageous jokes about Lionel Blair's sexuality and I have to admit that Jack Dee does a good job in upholding that tradition. The funniest long running joke I've ever heard. Lionel Blair and his wife were quite vituperative when Humph died. In any event, I wish you peace and well-being.

[1bighug]

One cool senior citizen and a killer riff to boot  RIP Hump never forgotten!

[iwasagasman]

WOW ! what a pianist, What a solo. I can remember being captivated by this recording when it first came out . Was it really 1955 ? My god, where did those years go.

[catchsight]

fantastic!!!!!!!! This is new to me-I think Paul had this upstairs -reminds me of Lady Madonna-no rip off-it's all good'Thanks for post!!!

[oneoneone5]

@catchsight Was definitely an inspiration for Lady Madonna. But anyone (like anonUK) who thinks the Beatles ripped off the song is ignorant. Every musician draws inspiration from someone. Unless you can find the first person ever to make music, everyone has been ripping off someone I guess.

[jasperwoods]

@oneoneone5 Fuck off, this is a rip off

[WormYourHonor64]

I'm sorry, I haven't got a clue how 6 people could dislike this video.

[firestartertwistedfi]

@WormYourHonor64 I see what you did there :)

[Blinkinsheep]

Whole piece is terrific thanks. Humph really makes his instrument talk to us and uncannily predicts what we are craving to hear. I will always be one of his greatest fans ( forgetting his"modern" period). Pianist deserves an allocade too.

[chettle265]

what is that little mute he has underneath the plunger?

[anonUK]

The Beatles ripped this off with Lady Madonna.

Made a change from ripping off Chuck Berry.

[colindaleradiosutch]

THEEE BAD PENNY BLUES, AS ONLY HUMP CAN PLAY IT, MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE.. RIP HUMPH. colindaleradiosutch

[draskill1]

Wonderful piece of music from the late great man. His only singles success. This track is available on an EMI compilation called Greatest Hits Of The Fifties.

[benjik1980]

sweet



[trdsf]

You only need two words to describe this performance: "Oh, *yes*."

[RickmalR]

Brilliant ! Thanks for posting.

[johnj1940]

Yes, in West London at the Rugby Club, a good Friday night Trad Jazz venue in the 1960's

[johnj1940]

Saw Humph live at Osterley Jazz Club in 1963 the day JFK was killed. Met him in York some 40 years later and he still remembered the gig. A real hero.

[firestartertwistedfi]

@johnj1940 Osterley as in West London?

[johnj1940]

Saw Humph live at Osterley Jazz Club in 1963 the day JFK was killed. Met him in York some 40 years later and he still remembered the gig. A real hero

[toyne38]

I saw him in concert at the town hall in Birmingham, England back in 1954.. loved humph's music.

[nitwit2008]

Ditto absolutely superb Humphs trumpet and that fantastic piano who was that?

I remember this as one of my very top favourites 100 Oxford St)

Lost John

[nitwit2008]

Ditto absolutely superb Humphs trumpet and that fantastic piano who was that?

I remember this as one of my very top favourites (!)) Oxfordt St)

Lost John

[MrStabby]

Sir Robert Winston's piano is great, you wouldn't think he had the time to play jazz with all that IVF going on.........

[QuiteHotBros]

hmm sonds like lady madonna?

[effyleven]

@QuiteHotBros That's right. This was the inspiration for Lady Madonna. Sir Paul M was happy to admit it.... But hey. Classical composers borrowed each others themes and stuff all the time.. (shrugs)

[BryanMRoland]

Hi one and all!!! I just want to share with you all that if you read the Times newspaper today 25th JUNE 2010 you will see in the obituaries page that the brilliant pianist of this unforgettable recording Johnny Parker passed away on the 24th JUNE . my total regards for his memory will be acknowledged every time I watch this unforgettable performance!!!!!!!

[Urbino237]

The crowd should have jumped to its feet on this magisterial performance! Such a great musician who left a treasure trove of material.

[eddiemac303]

good stuff! poor humph.!

[toughillhagzxz]

thank you love it it was my intro to jazz

[kasterborous]

That piano riff is timeless.

[cwocwoc]

@kasterborous

It is now - Lady Madonna by the Beatles

[frankenstrudel]

@cwocwoc In Wikipedia and elsewhere it's said that LM lifts BPB's piano, but that's an overstatement. Tune sounds great, but it's not the Lady Madonna riff. I'd be surprised if most boogie woogie pianists don't consider LM more impressive. Besides the notes of the bass riff being different, the chord structure is quite different. BPB stays on 1, and keeps basic blues structure throughout. LM goes back and forth from 1 to 4 (yielding the riff), adds minor 6 and 7, and then even changes keys.

[eifibaby]

My favourate Jazz number..just love it

[BryanMRoland]

who was the pianist!!??? can anyone assist!!????

[ThatHideousMan]

The pianist looks uncannily like Kurt Vonnegut

[fg6838]

One of my all time favourites. The best British jazz number ever.

[bremen93]

first time I've heard this guy, just...fascinating.. I need to get into jazz more...probably the BRAIN of music

[owenjmaxx]

Paul McCartney stated that this songs was an influence for him when he was composing the Beatles hit "Lady Madonna"-- you can hear the similarities

[bertbretherton]

This bad penny can keep on turning up forever for me.

[0ldblueslover]

Fabulous - I've got a cut down version, but not as good as this. What a pianist.

[leatherface98764]

Lady Madonna, children at your feet... (8)

[KammasAnMont]

The pianist is amazing.

[sturdle]

@KammasAnMont the pianist on the original 78 I have is brill too K

[BritishTwili09]

@sturdle that pianist in the original video was my great uncle! :)

[jane8fred]

@BritishTwili09 He could certainly swing that thing.

[effyleven]

@BritishTwili09 Hey! That's interesting. Thanks for letting us know. :-)

[BryanMRoland]

Oh thank you for posting this.... I had forgotten how much I loved this music when I was 11 years old - 54 years later i still love it!!!!

[ziomekjakzloto]

amazing ;]

[ecaepevolhturt]

About a year or two ago I heard "steam whistle jump" by Earl Bostic on "the best of Jazz" radio 2 show. I know this is a long shot but can anyone tell me what the details of the recording are (year/album/anything)?

I have heard other versions of the song but they are not as good as the recording Humph played on his show.

[tigerboy1966]

on bass, David Blunkett!

[bu11monkey]

lol

[Soupdragon55]

with Dr Robert Winston on piano! What a line up!

[9mej]

i like your thought but im not shore if you are right

[TootingBec9]

Great fun to be sure!! Have an attack of nostalgia...took me back to smokey London Club in the '50's. A close friend of mine (Collin Thompson) who played clarinet and soprano. took me along as he sat in with Humph. NO amplifiers needed back then.

Afterthought: Anyone know what happend to Colin ?

[whisfoxvictor]

McCartney acknowledges that this was his inspiration for Lady Madonna

[waitwhatareyoudiong]

does anyone kbow where i could get the music for the turmpet part, just an idle thought

[johnnyinparadise]

Lady Madonna?????

This is only a classic rock'nroll E, A, B7

:)

[BooksMusic]

But The Beatled nicked it for "Lady Madonna", and admitted this.

[itzcolotl]

Very Catchy!

[perochupamelapijaa]

LADY MADONNA!!!!

[eventist]

Humph was a leg end.

[VariedInterest]

A foot?

[VariedInterest]

Or a bullock?

[aarandir]

I think this is 'eventist's' grand and extremely successful attempt at humour.

[BriSparks]

WONDERFUL! A gent anad a huge talent. Can't be beaten and hugely missed.

[Monnington Crescent!]

[Skeptician]

Absolutely superb.

Any details of the event or broadcast?

Any more recordings from the same event?

[klikonojazz]

the recording is from a session held for a jubilee of the Old Merry Tale Jazzband in Germany:

[sooskanolan]

@klikonojazz Do you know the name of the pianist on this recording? And the year the recording was made?

Much thanks.

[sooskanolan]

@klikonojazz Do you know the name of the pianist on this recording? And the year the recording was made? Is it with the Old Merry Tale Jazz Band or Lyttleton's band playing in honour of their jubilee?

Much thanks.

[klikonojazz]

@sooskanolan 10. Januar 1981 with Humph's own band

[sooskanolan]

@klikonojazz - thanks for the information and also for where we can get the DVD - much appreciated.

[klikonojazz]

@sooskanolan  order@pinorrekk.de here you can buy the DVD ot this event

[Skeptician]

@klikonojazz It is also available with much other good stuff from Amazon, search for 'HOT JAZZ MEETING'

[effyleven]

Hey! What a restrained audience being reserved and British all over the place. After that I would have been on my feet shouting.."Yeahhh..!"

PS. As it happens, I AM British! ;-)

[klikonojazz]

this video was recorded in Germany !! with a German audience !!

[aarandir]

Ah, that expains the absence of laughing.

[karmavictim98]

This guy was incredible. I first heard him on radio 4 in "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" and then learnt he was a brilliant jazz player and got into these videos and the video he was in with Radiohead

[eldorado62]

As good as it gets. There are no other words. First class musicians, first class performance.

[538921]

Hearing Humph blow that horn on this tune brings me out in goosbumps. first saw him play this at Swansea about 40 years ago. Love it.

[whatsmylogin]

The piano playing grooves so much that I can't stop listening to this. Who is the pianist, and has he been knighted yet?

[eddiemac303]

well woth lisening to, many times!!

[Skeptician]

This is my favourite version of Bad Penny Blues so far. Thanks for posting.

Is this version available on DVD etc?

[9mej]

ive forgot how brilliant this track is that straight and plunger mute sound is superb

[XjennydontbehastyX]

i could listen to Humph any time, any day. i'm 18 and liberated my grandparents record player in my early teens and would love rooting about for vinyl. by pure chance i found a record by Humph and haven't looked back. i'm deeply upset that this lovely and talented man is no longer here, breaks my heart. three cheers for Humph!

[wookie72]

The only trad jazz player to jam with Radiohead. (true. look it up). And yes, Paul acknowledged that he "borrowed" it for Lady Madonna.

[prodigalsounds]

big up humph.

[anthonyjohn41]

I'm 71 and it still is, if not exactly mind blowing, it is still very good.

[MAGICO240]

This sounds like Lady Madonna. Probably Paul took the idea from this song.

[timddeb]

Bang On

[justicejayant]

100% correct, they had stole this..

[blibet]

I think as Paul acknowledged this as his influence for Lady Madonna at the time i don't think it quite counts as stealing.

Although who could blame him really, Humph was a great man, the last 2 minutes of this song blows my mind every time I listen to it.

[justicejayant]

What ever.. Keep listening to great music!

[jondavis1234]

Yes, but the Beatles didn't rip it off or anything. They sound alike, but there are definitely differences between the pieces.

[sturdle]

love that man........

[9jem]

thank you for the piano players name

[Riffleruk]

I suspect, given his politics, if he had been offered a knighthood he'd have refused it. And I'd be amazed if he was never offered some kind of honour.

[pistopenny]

My signature tune - from a long time ago. Great to hear it again.

[sturdle]

is it ok to say mind blowing if one is 70? well it is....

[jbSoR]

I came to check this out after reading that the tune, and especially the piano style, are similar to (and perhaps influenced) Paul McCartney's Lady Madonna. I can buy that. Great tune and performance.

[MOGGRJ9]

The original pianist on "Bad Penny Blues" was Johny Parker but on this recording it was the late, great Mick (Mike) Pyne. John Rees-Jones (Humph's last bass player!).

[9jem]

the piano solo is superb

[9jem]

fantastic a hit of his i only herd later in my life and he will be a sadley misst gentelman one that cant and wont be replaced

[sturdle]

Ta, B.....this is evocative in a lovely long gone far away time... thanks again....

[sturdle]

who played piano on the original 78rpm I have? this version is great but probably not as ??

[bassisto1947]

sorry,sturdle, i misled you over the pianist- it was in fact Johnny Parker -many apologies!

[sturdle]

ta B....

[LODGER1941]

Great version, thank you for posting!

[effyleven]

Oh dear. Still get terribly upset that he isn't around anymore... Humph was very special {dabs eyes}

[drmegabite]

Apparently The Beatles cited Humphrey Littleton as an influence, which they say you can hear in 'Lady Madonna'.

[throovest]

That's undoubtedly true. Also, must pay great tribute to Joe Meek who produced this. His thundering, highly compressed piano bass end was revolutionary - to the extent that Humph was mad that it didn't represent what the band sounded like. In this live gig, it's interesting that the same bass end thunders away like Joe's recording!

[sasukeisthemoprince]

R.I.P Humph, a comic and jazz legend!

[johny85]

Great music! Great musician!

REST IN PEACE [*]

[Naunaud128]

Rest in peace.

You deserve peace for the work you achieved in your life.

Thank you!

[pulsefinge]

The man, the ,maveric!

[Meazum]

Hah, I'm also here because of what Jonny suggested, I wouldn't call myself an indie kid though.

[eusepia]

been sent here by jonny too

[marokokisetter]

Thanks Jonny for diversifying us indie kids into deeper depths of music.. allowing us to spread the love.

Hymphrey Lyttleton, what a guy.

[horohorosrin]

Glad I'm not the only one who ran to listen because of Jonny's suggestion x)

[stillsmallsound]

also here because of johnny. what a great song!

[fabiomr2]

I would like very much to see some of his cartoons from the time he worked for The Daily Mail.

May God Bless his soul

[johngalantini]

wonderful song. yes, i am here on the suggestion of Johnny Greenwood. Of course, I am a radiohead fan. Lets not forget his fantastic contribution to the radiohead back catalogue - the stand out track from their 5th studio album, Amnesiac, Life in a glass house. The song remains the most extraordinary radiohead song, seperated from the majority, only by Humph's contribution/direction. Those of you, who have no idea what i'm talking about can no doubt find "Life in a glass house" on here. Peace. x

[whitelephantmusic]

ya man same with me. that is one of my favourite songs from radiohead and i really wanted to hear how Humphrey Lyttleton sounds.. and i'm quite impressed. it would have been amazing working with him

[Jamiesus]

RIP Humph. A legend on radio and the music scene, he's never going to be forgotten.

[mickeybritton]

That was amazing! I felt I had to log in just to pay my respects to a legend.

Thank you for the music

[Nem01000]

A few people are irreplaceable, Humph is one of them.

[supercinematt]

Sad!, Bless em! A great musician, broadcaster and an all round LOVELY MAN and Human Being, very instrumental in British music. Miss em already!

[DADRENO]

So sad he's left us - I will be uploading a tribute asap. Good lad Humph!

[DADRENO]

See video - Humphrey Littleton - 1921-2008

[progrocer]

this guy got me into some amazing jazz tunes, R.I.P. Humph.

[mainmanmuso]

Great ending - real class... RIP

[greyhairedgal]

There will never be another you. You made me laugh a lot and I loved your music. RIP 'Humph'.

[Irondave5110]

I saw Humph in a club in Ilford in about 74 /75. The Baron Club, which seemed to be inside someones house for some reason.he just came in got out his trumpet and played all night. A true proffesional and a very funny man.We won't see his like again.

[43copella]

Yes, RIP Humph - a talented and very funny man.

[DKD81]

I had never heard of Humphrey Lyttleton. Hats off and may he rest in peace. Thank you for posting this, it is bookmarked. I will be watching for the pianist too, he is going places.

[cambsgeezer]

RIP Humph - and thank you..

[no131075]

Tear-jerkingly good.

RIP Humph.

[blindpugh12]

As all of Humph's fans will know, he passed away yesterday (25th April 2008). He will be missed, but the music he made will always be there. So will the recordings of "I'm Sorry I Havn't a Clue". R.I.P. Humph, and thank you for bringing so much pleasure to our lives.

[jotogo]

The inspiration behind Lady Madonna - fantastic stuff. Keep rocking, Humph.

[AndreaElizabeth100]

why was behind Lady Madonna??

[jotogo]

The rhythm of the intro to Lady Madonna is inspired by Johnny Parker's piano line in Bad Penny Blues, which was itself based on a riff by Chicago skiffle musician Dan Burley. According to Ian MacDonald, George Martin produced Bad Penny Blues, but other sources say the producer was Joe Meek. No matter - all great songs, musicians and producers.

[Lansola]

One of the great and the good. We will miss you Humph.

[tchai62]

Nice man. Great dry British wit, vast knowledge of Jazz. Unique. will be greatly missed RIP Humph.

[edastrong]

The man was a legend.

[damatt8]

This Man is an absolute hero in everyway, the way he has affected jazz, as well as the popular music charts, with his music and the genious he applied to I'm Sorry I Havn't a Clue will make this man one of the greatest figures in British History

Rest in Peace Humphrey Lyttleton

[DesmonJones]

Ya know, teh Beatles used this Piano rhythym as a bit of a model for "Lady Modonna"

[Skeptician]

Truly stunnning, thanks, he's up there with the all time greats.

[SockItToMeBABI]

i wish this stuff was in the charts now, nothing better

[vincentutopia]

Got your ex-Royal Navy duffle coats on for this one?

Only Brits of a certain age would get this!!

[Warmwell08]

W9onderful nostalgia

[tamla1942domino]

great stuff thanks,klikonojazz