We say Goodbye to the great Humphrey Lyttelton who died yesterday, Jazz Musician and host of the I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue radio show, one of the Great British institutions, and something which during my time in Southampton made by commute just about bearable.
Humph was a great institution in himself, with a wicked sense of humour in addition to his skills with the trumpet, I was lucky to see him play at the Bull Head in Barnes a few years ago which was quite brilliant.
But it is for ISIHAC which Humph will be best remembered, some of my favourite lines (remember this went out at 6.30 pm on national radio);
“Samantha’s going out now for an ice cream with her new Italian gentleman friend. She says she’s looking forward to licking the nuts off a large Neapolitan.”
“Dear Mrs McCartney: My, what a terrible mess. You must be kicking yourself.”
And of course Lionel Blair, may now sleep soundly without nightmares of Sound Charades, for which his expertise was rightly famous..
“…miming the titles…against a strict time limit. The most highly skilled of all was Lionel Blair — but how the tears of frustration welled up in his eyes during their Italian tour at not being allowed the use of his mouth to finish off Two Gentlemen of Verona?”.
..And so, ladies and gentlemen, as the 4×4 of destiny on the level crossing of fate stalls in the path of the speeding freight train of doom, and the signalman of time rushes to fetch his camera… we say farewell and thanks for the memories Humph
Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network.