Hummingbird (band)

{{Short description|British rock band}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Hummingbird

|image = Hummingbird the band.jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Hummingbird (1975)

| background = group_or_band

| genre = Rock

| years_active = 1974-1977

| label = A&M

| associated_acts = The Jeff Beck Group

| current_members =

| past_members = Bobby Tench
Max Middleton
Clive Chaman
Bernie Holland
Conrad Isidore
Robert Ahwai
Bernard Purdie

}}

Hummingbird were a British rock band, formed in 1974 by Bobby Tench of The Jeff Beck Group. The band recorded three albums which were released by A&M Records in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe{{cite web| url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1140520-Hummingbird| publisher=discogs.com| title=Hummingbird| accessdate=2019-11-15}} and employed Ian Samwell as their producer.{{cite web|author=Eder, Bruce| url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ian-samwell-mn0000770185| publisher=Allmusic.com| title=Ian Samwell| accessdate=2013-01-12}} The original line-up included members of the second Jeff Beck Group, vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench,{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfrxq9gldte~T4| publisher=Allmusic.com| title=Bobby Tench| accessdate=2009-02-17}} keyboardist Max Middleton, bassist Clive Chaman, drummer Conrad Isidore and second guitarist Bernie Holland.{{cite book|author=Joynson, Vernon|title=The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras|publisher=Borderline|page=415}}

At the start of sessions for their first album they were joined by Jeff Beck for a brief period but he did not contribute to the album and left to work on his own project.{{cite book|author=Hjort and Hinman|title=Jeff's book: A Chronology of Jeff Beck's Career 1965-1980|page=146}} After the first album Bernie Holland was replaced by guitarist Robert Ahwai and drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie{{cite web|author=Wynn, Ron| url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:j9fyxqtgldhe~T0| publisher=Allmusic.com| title=Bernard "Pretty" Purdie| accessdate=2008-12-17}} replaced Isidore on the next two albums, vocalists Madeline Bell and Liza Strike were brought in to complement the band.

The Gramophone music magazine commented that "the members of Hummingbird are the cream of British session musicians, more acclimatised than most to playing rock at all intellectual levels".{{cite book|title=Gramophone Magazine, Volume 53|publisher=General Gramophone Publications Ltd (1975)}}