Kennebunk, ME
Chris Humphrey
Chris is Director of Music at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine. Cheverus is a private catholic high
school with a vibrant, award-winning music program. Mr. Humphrey also has held the position as Director
of Vocal Jazz at the University of Southern Maine, where he taught two vocal jazz ensembles, jazz combos,
and vocal jazz lessons. He taught jazz voice at Bowdoin College. He has been the director of bands at
Bonny Eagle High School, in Standish, Maine. He has been coordinator of music for the Portland, Maine
public schools. He has been a faculty member at the University of New Hampshire, and his ensembles
have performed in New York City, Germany, Italy, and France. At the University, Mr. Humphrey conducted
the Bratton Hall Jazz Band, and was director of the UNH Wildcat Marching Band. Before joining the faculty
at UNH, Mr. Humphrey was a public school band director in the Belmont, Massachusetts school system.
As a jazz performer, Mr. Humphrey has been dubbed an "outstanding talent" (Sheila Jordan) and "quite a
creative force" (Roberta Davis) by critics and performers who have heard his work. He has performed at
Blue Note Jazz Clubs in New York, Tokyo, Jakarta, and Fukuoka, Japan. He has also appeared at numerous
jazz festivals throughout the United States and abroad. In the 1990’s he was a member of the Denon
recording artists, “The Ritz”, a Boston-based vocal jazz group. His debut solo CD “Nothing But Blue Sky”
was released in 2008 on Cadence Jazz Records, and received many outstanding reviews from multiple
publications including Jazz Times magazine.
Jazz singer/pianist Chris Humphrey has been working with drummer Les Harris, Jr. on a labor of love in tribute to the great jazz trumpeter Clark Terry.
Clark Terry was one of the only musicians to play with both Duke Ellington and Count Basie’s orchestras. His sound on the trumpet and flugelhorn is immediately recognizable and his roots in the blues and soulfully felt music are deep and rich. Clark Terry was given an honorary PHD from the University of NH in 1978 and was a regular presence on the campus for many years before his death in 2015.
Chris and Les were both on the faculty at UNH when Clark would have his many residencies and played with him many times. Les has written lyrics to Dr. Terry’s compositions and many of his improvised solos.
Humphrey will release a DOUBLE ALBUM tribute to CT, “The Voice of Clark Terry” in 2022. Chris and Les are joined by pianist Mark Shilansky and bassist Marty Ballou. The recording will feature 7 trumpet players who knew and loved Clark. Barry Danielian, Jeff Stout, Dave Ballou, Chris Burbank, Trent Austin, Tom Palance and Chris Klaxton will all be featured paying tribute to Dr. Terry. Clark’s voice lives on through these musicians who loved and respected the man.
Thursday, January 5, 2023
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM US EST
Friday, January 6, 2023
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM US EST