Helen Humes - Sings Ballads & Blues

This set was drawn from two 1974 sessions. The first was done with her regular trio - Connie Berry, piano, Charlie Howard, guitar, and Al Autry, bass. She picked a good set of standards and shows that she was every bit as good as ever - she was a year into her revival and at the top of her powers. There are ten numbers from the first session and it's hard to believe that she was ever retired. The second session was recorded a few months later when she was working at the Big Horn, an Atlanta nightclub part-owned by George Buck. Her trio is joined by a small traditional jazz group featuring Ernie Carson, cornet, Skip Derringer, trombone, and Herman Foretich, clarinet. She enjoys singing in front of a band and they were energized by backing her.