James Brown Humphrey

James Brown Humphrey, also known as "Professor Jim" Humphrey (1859–1937) was an American classical musician, dance band leader, and music instructor in New Orleans, Louisiana, and central figure in the formation of jazz as a contemporary musical art form. Humphrey predates the jazz genre as an active performer and is not himself considered a jazz musician. However, his involvement in the formal training of large numbers of musicians along the southern plantation belt of the Mississippi River delta during the immediate years following the reconstruction era resulted in many virtuoso performers who would go on to originate jazz as a distinct musical genre. Consequently, he is regarded by some in the jazz aficionado community to be "the grandfather of jazz". in Sellers, Louisiana, a former town northwest of New Orleans in St. Charles Parish that is now part of Norco, Louisiana. The son of a slaveholder and a slave, he was sent away by his father to live with a free black family. Although exiled from his original birthplace, his father continued to support him financially. This support included a monetary allocation for music lessons. Due to this exposure, Humphrey became a proficient classically trained musician.

Career In adulthood, Humphrey would go on to find work as classical musician, playing cornet in the Bloom Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans. He also performed in the Pelican Brass Band, most often playing trumpet. Visiting weekly, he would schedule brass band rehearsals at each location, often sleeping overnight before moving on to the next location. Humphrey also taught at New Orleans University on Saturdays.

Humphrey's clientele on the plantations was primarily composed of field laborers. From the 1880s to around 1915, many large slave-era plantations along the Mississippi River delta still existed; only now with African-American laborers as paid field hands. There was heavy labor competition at the time. At many of the plantations on which Humphrey offered his services as a music instructor, he was contracted by plantation owners to do so as an added incentive to lure the most eligible laborers.

Willie Humphrey Jr. once recalled in an interview, "He had his system -- he branded us if we didn’t do right, he would put it, well, we could better understand on our backs," he chuckled fondly.

Late career Humphrey remained active as a performer, band leader, and music teacher well into his autumn years before dying in 1937. Despite his talent and high reputation, Humphrey, like most black musicians of his time, was unable to make a good living through music alone. Humphrey had several non-musical sources of income. At one time he had a job turning gaslights on and off on Canal Street, the main business street which divided the old French Quarter from the newer Uptown section. He sold flags from his garden, and made money in real estate.