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(Updated January 2009) |
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As a “companion” to the main page about the Big Chris Barber Band and its current members, here is an additional page that charts the eight-year history (so far!) of the expanded line-up. As the photographs below illustrate, the Big Chris Barber Band stemmed from Chris’s decision to continue indefinitely what was originally (in 2000) a temporary three-man expansion of the front line of the existing eight-piece Chris Barber’s Jazz & Blues Band. The new configuration became permanent in 2001, and the band has since then remained at a complement of eleven musicians (three reeds, two trumpets, two trombones, and the four-man rhythm section of bass, drums, banjo/guitar, and electric guitar.
Not surprisingly, there have been a few personnel changes since the band expanded (John Crocker, for example, left in 2003 after a 35-year tenure, while Vic Pitt came to the end of his 39 years as the band’s bassist early in 2007). Trombonist and arranger Bob Hunt, too, left in early 2008. The most important personnel change was the retirement of Chris Barber’s Jazz Band founder member Pat Halcox in July 2008 after fifty-four years with the band. However, the band continues with renewed vigour, with replacement trumpeter Peter Rudeforth, and Zoltan Sagi on reeds replacing Tony Carter, who left on the same day as Pat.
Each new member has made his own special contribution to the continuing excellence of the band. Sometimes this has involved charting new territory (Tony Carter’s -- and now Zoltan Sagi's -- interpretation of Miles Davis’s All Blues, for example, as well as Bob Hunt’s arrangements of such Duke Ellington classics as Misty Morning, Jubilee Stomp, and Hot And Bothered). At the same time, the band’s history and tradition still take centre stage on CDs and at concerts.
We hope you will find this overview of the Big Chris Barber Band enjoyable and informative: it includes photographs of each successive line-up plus pictures of each individual member, past and present; links to four compact discs and a DVD; and more than thirty music clips. |
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The Band(s) |
Here is a pictorial story of the Big Chris Barber Band, from the collaboration with Bob Hunt in 2000 to the current line-up (August 2008). At each change in personnel, new members are identified in bold font. |
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The "Misty Morning" Band: Chris Barber's
Jazz & Blues Band with Bob Hunt's Ellingtonians
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band, left to right: Vic Pitt, John Defferary, John Crocker,
Pat Halcox,
Colin Miller, Paul Sealey, John Slaughter, and Chris Barber
Inset, left to right: Nick Payton, Bob Hunt, and Mike "Magic" Henry |
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The "First Eleven" Band in 2001
Back row: Vic Pitt, Colin Miller, John Defferary, John Slaughter, and Paul Sealey
Front row: Tony Carter, John Crocker, Chris Barber, Bob Hunt, Pat Halcox, and Mike Henry |
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The "Jubilee Stomp" Band at a sound check in Worcester, December 2003
Left to right: Trevor Whiting, Paul Sealey, Tony Carter, Vic Pitt, John Defferary,
Pat Halcox, Colin Miller, Mike Henry, Bob Hunt, John Slaughter, and Chris Barber |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in September 2004
Left to right: John Defferary, Andy Kuc, Vic Pitt, Richard Exall, Pat Halcox,
Chris Barber, John Slaughter, Mike Henry, Tony Carter, Colin Miller, and Bob Hunt |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in March 2006
Left to right: Richard Exall, Tony Carter, John Sutton,
John Defferary, Pat Halcox, Mike Henry, Bob Hunt, and Chris Barber
Not visible: Vic Pitt, Andy Kuc, and John Slaughter |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in Hamburg, 17 November, 2006
Left to right: Richard Exall, Tony Carter, John Defferary, Vic Pitt, Chris Barber,
Bob Hunt,
Mike Henry, John Sutton, Joe Farler, Pat Halcox, and John Slaughter |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in January 2007
Left to right: Richard Exall, Tony Carter, Mike Snelling, Pat Halcox, Mike Henry, Bob Hunt, and Chris Barber
Inset: John Sutton, Joe Farler, and John Slaughter
(Vic Pitt is on bass, behind Mike Henry) |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in Zurich, 28 April, 2007
Left to right: Richard Exall, Tony Carter, Dave Green, Mike Snelling,
Pat Halcox,
John Sutton, Mike Henry, Joe Farler, Bob Hunt, John Slaughter, and Chris Barber |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in Lucerne, 13 March, 2008
Left to right: Richard Exall, Tony Carter, Mike Snelling, Dave Green, John Sutton,
Pat Halcox, Mike Henry, John Service, Joe Farler, John Slaughter, and Chris Barber |
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The Big Chris Barber Band in Aarberg, Switzerland, November 7, 2008:
Dave Green (bass), Zoltan Sagi (reeds), Richard Exall (reeds), Mike Snelling (reeds), John Sutton (drums),
Peter Rudeforth (trumpet), Mike Henry (trumpet), Joe Farler (banjo & guitar), John Service (trombone),
John Slaughter (electric guitar), and Chris Barber (trombone).
[Photograph by Andreas Wandfluh; used by permission] |
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Current Members of the Band |
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Former Members of the Chris Barber/Bob Hunt Band and the Big Chris Barber Band |
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Recordings |
As well as several recordings on which Chris has been a guest (for example, It's Tight Like That, with Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards, and a CD by the Dutch Swing College Band), four compact discs have been issued featuring the expanded band. Click on each CD cover for complete details about each recording. |
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Music Clips: All the following clips are also available elsewhere in the Chris Barber website, along with many other excerpts: see the Music Clips page. |
From the CD, Misty Morning |
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C Jam Blues |
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Creole Love Call |
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It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing |
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Misty Morning |
From the CD, The First Eleven |
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Chimes Blues |
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Goin' Home, clip 1 |
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Goin' Home, clip 2 |
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Sweetness, clip 1 |
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Sweetness, clip 2 |
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When The Saints Go Marching In |
From the CD, Jubilee Stomp |
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All Blues |
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Battersea Rain Dance |
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Black And Tan Fantasy, clip 1 |
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Black And Tan Fantasy, clip 2 |
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Devaluation Blues, clip 1 |
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Devaluation Blues, clip 2 |
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Freeze And Melt |
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Jubilee Stomp, clip 1 |
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Jubilee Stomp, clip 2 |
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Misty Morning |
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Spell Of The Blues |
From the CD, Can't Stop Now |
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Can't Stop Now |
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Hot And Bothered |
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The Martinique |
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Worried Man Blues |
From the DVD, As We Like It |
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C Jam Blues |
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Rent Party Blues |
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Watcha Gonna Do |
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Wild Cat Blues |
Unreleased recordings from a concert in Dortmund, 14th of September 2008 |
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All Blues (featuring Zoltan Sagi) |
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Ice Cream (featuring Peter Rudeforth) |
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Merry-Go-Round |
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Precious Lord (featuring the 2008 version of the six-piece band, with Mike Henry on trumpet and Mike Snelling on clarinet). |
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Hot And Bothered |
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Wild Cat Blues (featuring Mike Snelling) |
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The Big Chris Barber Band page || Menu page |
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