ralph humphrey
ralph humphrey
i have a friend who studied at git (guitar institute of technology, i think),
three years ago. he told me that ralph was teaching drumming at pit (percussion
institute of technology), and referred to him as a "short, very kind guy
with a big beard. ralph's specialty obviously was polyrythmics (which it should
be if you've played with fz). he also had a band with other guys at the school,
called outside men, who played "interesting, experimental music".
my friend also told me that ralph played with michael ruff, an american fm-rock
guitarist.
drums on manhatten transfer's "the christmas album" (1992).
i saw ralph humphrey 2 years ago at the namm show (national association of music merchants) demoing drums for some drum manufacturer. i knew of his work on apostrophe so when his demo was finished i asked him about it. he rolled his eyes as if he had forgotten the recording and then it came to him and he smiled as he nodded and confirmed that it was he who beat the skins on 'st. alphonzo's pancake breakfast'.
if you want to find out where ralph got the class that he brought to zappa's stuff, check him out with the don ellis big band from the early '70's. a very young humphrey shows where he got the polyrythmic chops to work with frank. ellis never did anything in common time, and humphrey's work in this monster big band was amazing.
"don ellis at fillmore" (columbia: g30243);
"tears of joy" (columbia: g30927),
and "autumn" (columbia: cs9721 - produced by al kooper, by the way).
from:
konrad (konradfs@netcom.com)
subject: star
trek, sinatra, and zappa
i heard an album last night called "ol' yellow eyes is back" or something like that. it was brent spiner (data) singing sinatra era standards, and guess who was the drummer for the sessions: ralph humphrey.
from:
xnarfeoj (jf503spamsux@cyberhighway.net)
i know that ralph humphrey is a department head at lama.
from: patrick neve (splat@darkwing.uoregon.edu)
last seen playing with banned from utopia! (8/29/99)
discography:
(all credits are for drums unless otherwise specified)
1941 big band renaissance- big band renaissance
1947 atlantic jazz: singers
1947 atlantic jazz: 12 volume box set
1965 great moments in jazz
1969 ellis, don- new don ellis band goes underground (percussion, drums, vibraphone)
1970 ellis, don- don ellis at fillmore
1971 ellis, don- tears of joy
1973 ellis, don- soaring
the
mothers: over-nite sensation
(17)
(1973, lp, usa,
discreet)
1973 various artists- all singing - all talking - all rocking
frank
zappa: apostrophe (') (18)
(1974, lp, usa,
discreet)
1974 various artists- hard goods
zappa / mothers: roxy & elsewhere (19)
(1974, 2lp, usa,
discreet)
1976 seals & crofts- sudan village
1977 caldera- sky islands
1978 alexander, karen- voyager
1978 england dan & john ford- dr. heckle & mr. jive
1978 mangione, gap- suite lady
1978 seals & crofts- takin' it easy
1978 carter, lynda- portrait
1978 joseph, marcus- things i meant to say (percussion, drums)
1978 pages- pages
1979 wright, gary- heading home (percussion)
1979 pizzi, ray- love letter (percussion, drums)
1979 parrish, paul- song for a young girl [picture disc)
1979 subramaniam, l.- fantasy without limits
1979 starr, richard- holiday in hollywood
1979 manhattan transfer- extensions
1980 crawford, randy- everything must change
1980 in transit- in transit (percussion, drums)
1980 jarreau, al- this time (percussion, drums)
1980 allen, peter- bi-coastal
1981 redbone, leon- from branch to branch
1982 feliciano, jose- escenas de amor
1983 subramaniam, l.- spanish wave
1984 free flight- beyond the clouds (percussion, drums)
1985 manhattan transfer- vocalese
1985 shorter, wayne- atlantis
1986 frank zappa- apostrophe/over-nite sensation
1986 free flight- illumination (percussion, drums)
1986 wired- wired (keyboards)
1987 hoenig, michael- xcept one (synthesizer, percussion)
1988 frank zappa- you can't do that on stage anymore (sampler)
1988 frank zappa- you can't do that on stage anymore, vol. 1
1989 taylor, martin- sarabanda
1989 frank zappa- you can't do that on stage anymore, vol. 3
1991 subramaniam, l.- blossom
1991 frank zappa- piquantique
1991 frank zappa- you can't do that on stage anymore, vol. 4
1991 marrying man- marrying man
1991 frank zappa- unmitigated audacity
tom fowler:
heartscapes
(1992, cd, usa, fossil records) - feat. lots of zappa alumni
1992 frank zappa- you can't do that on stage anymore, vol. 6
1992 dinosaurs [3]- big songs
1992 league of their own- league of their own
1992 manhattan transfer- anthology: down in birdland
1992 garson, mike- oxnard sessions, vol. 2
1993 jazz at the movies band- man & a woman, sax at the movies
1993 kelley, ray- oasis (arranger, drums)
1993 schuur, diane- love songs
1993 sharon lois & bram- candles, snow & mistletoe
1995 swing kids- swing kids
1995 frank zappa- strictly commercial
1996 frank zappa- the lost episodes
1996 frank zappa- läther
1996 mike miller/the outsidemen band- overboard
1996 kelley, ray- windy city (percussion, drums)
1997 fantastic television: great tv musi
1997 frank zappa- have i offended someone?
1997 manhattan transfer- swing (drums, washboard)
1997 garfield, david- tribute to jeff porcaro (drums)
1997 jazz at the movies band- sax on broadway
1997 ranier, tom- in the still of the night
1998 various artists- rykodisc 15th anniversary sampler
1999 barbra streisand- a love like ours
wright, lorna- circle of love
mancini, henry- mancini's angels
c.o.d.- tears
fill your head with jazz
carlos, roberto- roberto carlos [#1]
carlos, roberto- from brazil with love
denver, john- earth songs
shorter, wayne- this is jazz, vol. 19
jarreau,
al- best of al jarreau
brent spiner- ol' yellow eyes is back
ellis, don- autumn
jeff richman- the blue heart
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