Paul Humphrey was a prominent American jazz and R&B drummer, best known as a session musician for a wide range of popular artists throughout the 20th century. Born in 1935, he gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, contributing significantly to the West Coast cool jazz scene. His distinctive drumming style, which combined subtle swing rhythms with a steady backbeat, was a defining element in many notable recordings, including Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On". Humphrey was also the founding member of the jazz-fusion group, The Jazz Crusaders, which had a substantial impact on the development of contemporary jazz.