Humphrey Lyttleton – one of the British jazz scene’s greatest figures – has passed away aged 86, it has been announced.
The trumpet is perhaps best known to the public as the acerbic host of the radio quiz show “I’m Sorry, I Haven’t A Clue”, becoming a household name due to his gentle wit. Lyttleton began playing the trumpet in 1936 and was once described by none other than Louis Armstrong as the best in the UK.
He remained active as a recording artist until virtually the end of his life. Lyttleton appeared on the Radiohead album “Amnesiac”, lending his golden horn to the track “Life In A Glasshouse”. His 1956 hit “Bad Penny Blues” became the first homegrown jazz single on the UK charts. Listening intently to their wireless were the formative Beatles – “Bad Penny Blues” bears a close resemblance to “Lady Madonna”.
Humphrey Lyttleton died on April 25th, aged 86.
