a widely distributed label, but I even- ís not RAY - Helen Humes, H -U -M -E -S. Brown, Al Casey, Roland Lobligeois, Paul tually found the album together with two Gunther, Michael Silva. sequels at Sam Goody's in New York. (The DJ - Sorry-never heard of her. three are still listed in the Schwann cata- RAY- She's my all-time favorite vo- In his liner notes, Lucien Dreyfus exclaims: log as being available.) calist-got her start as lead singer "Helen Humes est l'une des plus grandes

Basie in chanteuses . . . Songs I Like To Sing! (1961) CONTEMPO- for Count his heyday-has de l'Histoire du Jazz Sa RARY S7582. Highly recommended. three marvelous records on Contem- voix est belle, puissante, chaude, claire, porary. éclatante. Son enthousiasme, son attaque, The songs: "If I Could Be With You," "Don't sa parfaite mise en place, ses inflexions DJ don't say? Worry 'Bout Me," "Mean To Me," "Every -Ya comblent constamment l'auditeur. Son tem- And Then," "I Want A Roof Over My Now RAY -(sigh) pérament généreux la pousse à interpréter Head," "St. Louis ," "You're Driving ses morceaux avec un maximum de swing." Me Crazy," "My Old Flame," "Million Dollar Secret," "Love Me Or Leave Me," "Imagina- I began to think that Helen only existed in Helen's classiest accolade appears in the tion," "Please Don't Talk About Me When my imagination. February 24, 1975 issue of The New Yorker. I'm Gone." Then, in late November of 1974, my eyes, In a feature entitled "Just A Singer," Whit- The artists: Marty Paich, Al Porcino, Ray wide in disbelief, joyously focused upon a ney Balliett expounds: "Helen Humes .. . Triscari, Stu Williamson, Jack Sheldon, postage -stamp -size photo of Helen in The it is now plain, bears easy comparison with Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, , Washington Post. She was to headline for a and . But Bai- , , Bill Hood, week at Georgetown's Blues Alley. Hallelu- ley and Holiday and most of their compeers , , Leroy Vinne- jah! My personal jazz heroine was about to are dead or retired or poking around in the gar, , James Getzoff, Joseph materialize. ruins of their voices, while Helen Humes Stepansky, Alvin Dinkin, Eleanor Slatkin. is singing better than ever. That is a suf- She me. As received did not disappoint she ficient kindness, but she is also invaluably the warmth of her audience, she loosened In his liner notes, Lester Koenig analyzes: sharing with us a style of singing and of up and them pearly gates swung fully open. "What is Helen's special quality that makes perfoming that is almost gone. It was a the most knowledgeable people in the jazz I was enraptured. Helen Humes is one kind of singing that we can barely imagine field consider her great? For one thing, she beautiful human being. learning now. It preceded the microphone has that almost indefinable essential-'jazz and by necessity demanded a strong voice, feeling': she swings naturally and effort- Ciceronian diction, and an outsize presence. lessly. For another, she has a warm voice, "Helen Humes makes love The singer was ALONE onstage. It was also which has grown richer and more vibrant in a kind of singing that relied on embellish- recent years. She also sings in tune, not to the mind." ment and improvisation, on an adroit use of always the case with jazz vocalists. Her dynamics, and on rhythmac inventiveness. time is faultless, and she has a true jazz The singer jazzed his songs. Only a hand- musician's ability to improvise melodically ful of such singers are left, and none is She me a recent, and harmonically. No two performances of told of relatively but better than Helen Humes. a song by Helen are the same: nothing is somewhat obscrure, recording. I finally ran worked out in a set routine; everything hap- across it at Washington's Discount Records. "... there is nothing deliberate or contrived pens spontaneously. And finally, there is her in her style, which has a hewn, handmade Helen Comes Back (1973) BLACK AND BLUE emotional maturity and depth. When she texture. It is elegant primitivism, and it has 33.050, a French import. Highly recom- sings a song she tells a story; on ballads, a sunny, declarative quality that lights every mended. particularly, she brings a passionate quality song she sings." to the most banal set of lyrics, touching The songs: "They Raided The Joint," "That Balliett quotes Helen as volunteering: "I'm and moving her listeners." Old Feeling," "Ooo Baba Leba," "For Now happiest when I'm singing ... I just sing And So Long," "Let The Good Times Roll," Swingin' With Humes (1961) CONTEMPO- the way I feel ... I've been called a blues "He May Be Your Man," "Million Dollar RARY S7598. Recommended. singer and a jazz singer and a ballad singer Secret," "My Handy Man," "Guess Who's In -well, I'm all three, which means I'm just Town," "Prisoner Of Love." The songs: "When Day Is Done," "Home a singer. And I've always been myself." (When Shadows Fall)," "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "Some Day My Prince Will The artists: Milt Buckner, Jay McShann, RAY - So long, people. Always be yourself. Come," "I'm Confessin'," "S'posin'," "Pen- Arnett Cobb, Candy Johnson, Clarence (smile). nies From Heaven," "The Very Thought Of You," "Baby Won't You Please Come Home," "Solitude," "I Surrender Dear," "My Blue Heaven." ADDENDUM

The artists: , Teddy Edwards, Since the above article was set in print, The songs: "Be Ba Ba Le Ba Boogie," Wynton Kelly, Al Viola, , there has been a significant and happy "Married Man Blues," "Be Bop Bounce," development. Helen now has an album on . "If I Could Be With You," "I Don't Know a major label. Believe it or not, at age 62, His Name," "Drive Me Daddy." In his liner notes, Leonard Feather cate- stardom is within Hume's grasp! No one could The artists: Buck gorizes: "The definitive virtues of the hand - be more deserving. Clayton, E. Hale, W. full of other great feminine Woodman, 'Wild Bill' Moore, Charlie Beal, jazz singers The Talk Of The Town (1975) during the past quarter -century COLUMBIA Meade Lux Lewis, Irving Ashby, Red Cal- have been PC33488. Highly recommended. brilliance and depth of timbre (Sarah), lender, Chico Hamilton. bitter, mordant nakedness of emotion The songs: "I Don't Know His Name," (Billie), and superb musical control (Ella). "Good For Nothin' Joe," "He May Be Night after night for months, Helen has If Helen's personality can be synthesized, Your Man," "Every Now And Then," "Ain't been singing to a packed house at The be Cookery in . When Blues it must individual phrasing and melodic She Sweet," "If I Could Be With You," Alley re-engages her, as seems inevitable, inventiveness such as only the great jazz "Deed I Do," "It's The Talk Of The Town," take instrumentalists possess." "Blues For Jimmy," "You've Changed." your ears and your head and your heart. You, too, will change the appellation Years went by and I noticed no mention of The artists: , George Benson, Helen's name. I once called a respected Major Holley, Oliver Jackson, Buddy Tate. jazz -DJ who was soliciting requests. It went HELEN (WHO?) HUMES something like: I also chanced upon a perspective -providing reissue at Discount Records. to a reverential RAY - How about playing some Helen Humes? !vie Anderson/Helen Humes (1946, BLACK HELEN * * * *. AND WHITE) STORYVILLE SLP804, a Danish DJ - Helen who? import. Recommended. -RAY BOBO FORECAST! 35

www.americanradiohistory.com