Chris Barber RIP...

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"Chris Barber, the British trombonist, double bassist and trad jazz bandleader who influenced the path of mid-century pop, has died aged 90. He had dementia. His death was confirmed by his UK press representative..." From the Guardian just now.

A long life extraordinarily well lived. A huge contribution in so many ways


RIP.

[cloughie]

Indeed a loss, and skiffle via Lonnie Donegan was an offshoot back in the mid 50s, briefly reunited in The Skiffle Sessions in 2000 with Lonnie and Van Morrison. RIP Chris

[Jazzrook]

He did much to influence the British 'blues boom' of the early 1960s, bringing over Muddy Waters & Otis Spann in 1958.

JR

RIP Chris

[Padraig]

At one stage in the fifties Chris Barber was my inspiration. I bought a trombone, formed a band and played for a couple of very happy years. We stole his signature tune for our own. I went to see him twice when he appeared here, once in the fifties and again on his second visit 10 years ago. Whatever interest I developed in Jazz I owe to him. Ashes to ashes. . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3NcmqfAGSI

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"Mama don't allow", 1956, the now classic slice of British Cinema (director Tony Richardson etc). Filmed at the Wood Green jazz club around Barber and the band...

http://youtu.be/je24WUx7EcE

[DracoM]

Monty Sunshine is my memory of the band - and wonderful singing of course, tho' not from Monty, of course!

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"Momma don't allow", part 2. Young people, duffle coats and trad jazz, no wonder Britain lost its empire...http://youtu.be/CLQI9-KMoCQ

[french frank]

Monty Sunshine is my memory of the band - and wonderful singing of course, tho' not from Monty, of course!

Chris Barber was on television quite a lot - with Ottilie Patterson (Mrs Barber for some years) his singer.

[kernelbogey]

Chris Barber was a significant figure for me in my teens. I had an EP* of his band and a couple of Acker Bilk. Skiffle made an impression on me and Lonnie Donegan was a big part of that.

"Oh Mr Barber, play that thing,
That slide trombone.
Make it talk, make it sing:
Tell me where did you get that tone?
If Gabriel knowed how you could blow
I guess he'd send you right down below!
Oh Mr Barber, play that thing,
That slide trombone."

(* Possibly imperfectly remembered lyric from one of the tracks on that EP.)

[DracoM]

Yup, agreed. That and Ottilie P.

[Serial_Apologist]

Yup, agreed. That and Ottilie P.

Ireland's answer to Bessie Smith!

[Ian Thumwood]

I think that the Inbox to JRR in the next few days will almost certainly the affection with which Chris Barber was held by many jazz fans in this country. I would have to say that comments like "No wonder Britain lost it's Empire" is relation to Barber's passing are totally inappropriate. If I am honest, I think that the affiliations with "Trad" really did Barber a disservice. The comments about his associations with the blues revival are , by necessity, an important reflection upon his role in the 1950s and 60s when jazz still had one foot in the "popular" camp. It is also worth commenting that I believe Barber also made recordings with Joe Harriot as a guest in his band. I have always wondered just how wide Barber's taste in jazz went - I would imagine that it probably stretched pretty far.

I would have to say that I have been sniffy about Barber's music in the past and the only time I saw him perform live, he back in the late 1980s he was still trying to bridge the gap with appealing to an audience for whom jazz was a fringe interest. I seem to recall him playing Horace Silver's "The Preacher." Despite this, one of my first musical recollections was a record my Dad had of the Barber band playing ragtime repertoire which had a fascination for me when I was very young. The music did underline that Barber was serious about the music he producing and, like Colyer, I think he clearly understood the history of the music which I regret I am not convinced was the case with either Acker Bilk or Kenny Ball. Like Bluesnik, I would concur that a lot of Trad Jazz was an aberration yet Barber always remained rooted in authenticity.

In my opinion, I feel that the whole idea of Trad was thrown into disarray in the late 70s and 1980s as there was a better appreciation of jazz from the 20s and 30s with the result that bands working in this oeuvre really upped their game, whether it was bands from Scandinavia like Kust Bandit or the efforts of Keith Cohen in the UK. Nowadays, there are plenty of bands who pull this kind of music off with elan and more thought than might have been given with the likes of Ball, Lightfoot, etc, etc. I think that Barber's recent big band certainly followed this path and my parents would often go to hear this band at the Concorde club in Eastleigh. Incidentally, at one time this band feature tenor sax player Tony Carter who is well respected in this area both working in Classical music and in playing Bop. By this time, Barber's band was playing a lot of Ellington.

Of all the leaders who emerged in the UK Trad scene, I would suggest that Barber was probably more respected than many of his contemporaries and also in the wilder fields of blues, early rock, jazz and big band music. It is probably fair to say that he was not only held in esteem, but also with a lot of affection. This goes for the man as well as his music. I do find it strange that the lines still seem to be drawn to some extent with regard to "Trad" v Modern whereas the reality is that the factionalising of the music in the 195 and 60s is a bit perverse today. I am pretty sure that most musicians no longer this along these lines and most "jazz fans" would now be able to accommodate Barber and his music.

I think Barber's longevity in jazz has been a cause for celebration and perhaps says a lot about the man that he could still draw in crowds to hear his music. Certainly most jazz fans are likely to be more kind in their appreciation of him that they might have done 60 years ago. I would also have to agree about the comments about the singer of OP - shocking that someone who came from Ulster was able to sound so authentic at a time when the world was not such a small place.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I think that the Inbox to JRR in the next few days will almost certainly the affection with which Chris Barber was held by many jazz fans in this country. I would have to say that comments like "No wonder Britain lost it's Empire" is relation to Barber's passing are totally inappropriate. If I am honest, I think that the affiliations with "Trad" really did Barber a disservice. The comments about his associations with the blues revival are , by necessity, an important reflection upon his role in the 1950s and 60s when jazz still had one foot in the "popular" camp. It is also worth commenting that I believe Barber also made recordings with Joe Harriot as a guest in his band. I have always wondered just how wide Barber's taste in jazz went - I would imagine that it probably stretched pretty far.

I would have to say that I have been sniffy about Barber's music in the past and the only time I saw him perform live, he back in the late 1980s he was still trying to bridge the gap with appealing to an audience for whom jazz was a fringe interest. I seem to recall him playing Horace Silver's "The Preacher." Despite this, one of my first musical recollections was a record my Dad had of the Barber band playing ragtime repertoire which had a fascination for me when I was very young. The music did underline that Barber was serious about the music he producing and, like Colyer, I think he clearly understood the history of the music which I regret I am not convinced was the case with either Acker Bilk or Kenny Ball. Like Bluesnik, I would concur that a lot of Trad Jazz was an aberration yet Barber always remained rooted in authenticity.

In my opinion, I feel that the whole idea of Trad was thrown into disarray in the late 70s and 1980s as there was a better appreciation of jazz from the 20s and 30s with the result that bands working in this oeuvre really upped their game, whether it was bands from Scandinavia like Kust Bandit or the efforts of Keith Cohen in the UK. Nowadays, there are plenty of bands who pull this kind of music off with elan and more thought than might have been given with the likes of Ball, Lightfoot, etc, etc. I think that Barber's recent big band certainly followed this path and my parents would often go to hear this band at the Concorde club in Eastleigh. Incidentally, at one time this band feature tenor sax player Tony Carter who is well respected in this area both working in Classical music and in playing Bop. By this time, Barber's band was playing a lot of Ellington.

Of all the leaders who emerged in the UK Trad scene, I would suggest that Barber was probably more respected than many of his contemporaries and also in the wilder fields of blues, early rock, jazz and big band music. It is probably fair to say that he was not only held in esteem, but also with a lot of affection. This goes for the man as well as his music. I do find it strange that the lines still seem to be drawn to some extent with regard to "Trad" v Modern whereas the reality is that the factionalising of the music in the 195 and 60s is a bit perverse today. I am pretty sure that most musicians no longer this along these lines and most "jazz fans" would now be able to accommodate Barber and his music.

I think Barber's longevity in jazz has been a cause for celebration and perhaps says a lot about the man that he could still draw in crowds to hear his music. Certainly most jazz fans are likely to be more kind in their appreciation of him that they might have done 60 years ago. I would also have to agree about the comments about the singer of OP - shocking that someone who came from Ulster was able to sound so authentic at a time when the world was not such a small place.

The point missed about "trad" (and I was of the later era and pretty much loathed it) is that it was essentially functional music, music for youth & dancing (see the 56 Wood Green movie), at a time when British rock and roll was morphing commercially into Jess Conrad, Mark Wynter etc. Ballads about pullovers. Hence it's popularity with the art school crew as a place for "rebellion" and excitement. I don't think anyone cared (generally) too much about the esthetics or authenticity. It was "alive". When I was (briefly) at art school the chosen band in Cardiff etc was the Mike Harries band who also "progressed" into a more blues based outfit. All I remember was the deadly clank of that bloody banjo. And flat beer. But come the blues boom and it was all change. Although unfortunately not the "authenticity".

Btw It was John Lewis (MJQ) who gave Chris Barber the contact details for Muddy & Otis Spann. I think Barber's tastes and awareness was wide ranging.

And my comment about duffle coats & death of empire (Suez etc) was meant to be light hearted. Not Suez, obviously. Never there.

[DoctorT]

Listening to some CB with OP tonight. My late father was at school with Ottilie

[Jazzrook]

Obituary by John Fordham:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/mar/03/chris-barber-obituary

JR