Bobbi Humphrey

Bobbi Humphrey (born April 25, 1950) is an American jazz-funk flutist from Marlin, Tex.

Bobbi was born Barbara Ann Humphrey on April 25, 1950, in Marlin, Texas, and raised in Dallas. She studied classical and jazz flute at Lincoln High School, then continued her studies at Texas Southern University, Houston.

During her subsequent enrollment at Southern Methodist University, Dizzy Gillespie saw her perform in a school talent contest and encouraged her to go pro in New York City. On his advice, she moved there in June 1971 and got her big break almost immediately on an amateur night at the Apollo Theater.

Within weeks of landing in NYC, Humphrey signed to Blue Note. She gigged regularly throughout the city. Notably, she joined Herbie Mann on stage at Central Park and played an impromptu break with the Tonight Show Band on NBC.

Trumpeter Lee Morgan enlisted her for a session on September 17–18 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. The session produced what would ultimately be his final album (released as The Last Session in May 1972). Two weeks later, Morgan returned the favor on the Sept. 30–Oct. 1 Van Gelder sessions that yielded Humphrey’s first album, Flute In.

Discography:

• Flute-In (1972)
• Dig This! (1972)
• Blacks and Blues (1973)
• Satin Doll (1974)
• Live at Montreux (1974)
• Fancy Dancer (1975)
• Tailor Made (1977)
• Freestyle (1978)
• The Good Life (1979)
• “Baby Don’t You Know” (1982)
• “No Way”/”Mixes” (1986)
• City Beat (1989)
• Passion Flute (1994)

Sources:

• Discogs: Bobbi Humphrey