Here are the covers and contents of seven CDs I made a couple of years ago -- a collection of many of my favourite Chris Barber recordings. The eighth CD is an addition I made after buying and receiving additional records.

If you would like to take about two minutes to stay on this page, you can hear some very different recordings (edited together into a single track) of "Harlem Rag", the three versions of which are almost a microcosm of the history of the band. The first version was recorded by Ken Colyer's Jazzmen on September 2, 1953; version 2 comes from October 1986, and was recorded with a symphony orchestra in Berlin; and the last version, recorded on December 11, 2000, is by the expanded band that has subsequently become the permanent Big Chris Barber Band.

Volume 1: July 1954 to March 1955
  1. Chimes Blues (July 13, 1954)
  2. The Martinique (July 13, 1954)
  3. New Orleans Blues (July 13, 1954)
  4. Merrydown Rag (July 13, 1954)
  5. Merrydown Blues (October 30, 1954)
  6. On A Christmas Day (September 27, 1954)
  7. Skokiaan (October 30, 1954)
  8. I'd Love It (October 30, 1954)
  9. Storyville Blues (October 30, 1954)
  10. It's Tight Like That (October 30, 1954)
  11. The Girls Go Crazy About The Way I Walk (January 9, 1955)
  12. I Never Knew Just What A Girl Could Do (January 9, 1955)
  13. I Hate A Man Like You (January 9, 1955)
  14. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise (January 9, 1955)
  15. Black and Tan Fantasie (January 13, 1955)
  16. Shout 'Em, Aunt Tillie (January 13, 1955)
  17. Going To Town (January 13, 1955)
  18. Make Me A Pallet On The Floor (March 8, 1955)
  19. Trouble In Mind (March 8, 1955)
  20. Everybody Loves My Baby (March 8, 1955)
  21. Tishomingo Blues (March 9, 1955)
  22. Wild Cat Blues (March 9, 1955)
  23. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (March 10, 1955)
Volume 2: 1955 to 1956
  1. Weeping Willow Blues (March 16, 1955)
  2. Hiawatha Rag (March 31, 1955)
  3. Jeep's Blues (March 31, 1955)
  4. Merrydown Blues (March 31, 1955)
  5. Going To Town (March 31, 1955)
  6. Shout 'Em, Aunt Tillie (March 31, 1955)
  7. Black Cat On The Fence (March 31, 1955)
  8. Papa-De-Da-Da (March 31, 1955)
  9. Baby (September 16, 1955)
  10. Magnolia's Wedding Day (September 25, 1955)
  11. Sweet Savannah Sue (September 29, 1955)
  12. Porgy (September 29, 1955)
  13. Whistling Rufus (March 20, 1956)
  14. April Showers (March 20, 1956)
  15. One Sweet Letter From You (March 20, 1956)
  16. Hushabye (March 20, 1956)
  17. Big House Blues (April 1956)
  18. Beale Street Blues (July 9, 1956)
  19. Thriller Rag (October 9, 1956)
  20. Wabash Blues (October 9, 1956)
  21. Mean Mistreater (December 15, 1956)
Volume 3: 1957 to 1959
  1. When The Saints Go Marching In (September 12, 1957)
  2. Just A Closer Walk With Thee (September 12, 1957)
  3. Trombone Cholly (January 23, 1958)
  4. Savoy Blues (January 31, 1958)
  5. Bill Bailey (January 31, 1958)
  6. You Took Advantage Of Me (January 31, 1958)
  7. Majorca (March 1, 1958)
  8. Georgia Grind (March 1, 1958)
  9. Rockin' In Rhythm (March 1, 1958)
  10. Hot House Rag (January 16, 1959)
  11. Swanee River (January 16, 1959)
  12. Creole Song (January 22, 1959)
  13. Hiawatha Rag (January 29, 1959)
  14. Golden Striker (January 29, 1959)
  15. How Long Blues (February 3, 1959)
  16. Well, Alright, OK, You Win (February 3, 1959)
  17. T'aint Nobody's Business (February 3, 1959)
  18. What's I'm Gotcha (May 23, 1959)
Volume 4: July 1959 to 1962
  1. Mountains Of Mourne (December 8, 1959)
  2. Bohemia Rag (January 12, 1960)
  3. St. George's Rag (January 12, 1960)
  4. Swipsy Cakewalk (February 4, 1960)
  5. Reindeer Ragtime Two Step (February 4, 1960)
  6. Georgia Cakewalk (February 4, 1960)
  7. Burgundy Street Blues (June 20, 1960)
  8. Sweet Lorraine (May 16, 1961)
  9. Blueberry Hill (September 22, 1961)
  10. 'Tain't What You Do (October 6, 1961)
  11. King Kong (October 6, 1961)
  12. Stevedore Stomp (October 13, 1961)
  13. Yellow Dog Blues (November 16, 1961)
  14. Basin Street Blues (January 9, 1962)
  15. Ory's Creole Trombone (July 3, 1962)
  16. Trad Tavern (July 7, 1962)
  17. Some Of These Days (July 7, 1962)
  18. Jazz Lips (September 1962)
  19. Original Charleston Strut (September 1962)
  20. There'll Be Some Changes Made (November 16, 1962)
  21. Fifty Cents (December 15, 1962)
  22. No Chance Blues (December 15, 1962)
  23. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (December 15, 1962)
  24. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? (December 15, 1962)
Volume 5: 1963 to 1975
  1. How To Survive (January 23, 1963)
  2. Army Song (January 23, 1963)
  3. Useless Song (January 23, 1963)
  4. Bonsoir, Mes Souvenirs (January 23, 1963)
  5. The Great Bear (June 11, 1963)
  6. Road To Munich (June 11, 1963)
  7. Come On Coot And Do That Thing (November 5, 1963)
  8. Black And Tan Fantasy (November 7, 1963)
  9. Down Home Rag (November 8, 1967)
  10. Harlem Bound (November 26, 1968)
  11. Sweet As Bear Meat (November 26, 1968)
  12. London Blues (June 10, 1970)
  13. I'm Slapping Seventh Avenue With The Sole Of My Shoe (January 10, 1973)
  14. New Orleans Stomp (May 29, 1975)
  15. Jackass Blues (May 29, 1975)
  16. Maryland, My Maryland (May 29, 1975)
  17. Panama Rag (May 29, 1975)
  18. Saturday Night Function (May 29, 1975)
  19. The Martinique (May 29, 1975)
  20. Jazz Me Blues (June 5, 1975)
Volume 6: 1976 to 1982


  1. I'm Slapping Seventh Avenue With The Sole Of My Shoe (June 3, 1976)
  2. Shout 'Em, Aunt Tillie (June 3, 1976)
  3. The Mooche (June 3, 1976)
  4. Rent Party Blues (June 13, 1977)
  5. Sweet Sue (October 17, 1979)
  6. Wabash Blues (August 27, 1980)
  7. Come Friday (August 27, 1980)
  8. St. Louis Blues (September 1980)
  9. Snag It (March 31, 1981)
  10. Perdido Street Blues (June 23, 1982)
Volume 7: 1985 to 2000
  1. Music FromThe Land Of Dreams (June 20,1985)
  2. Goin' Up The River (October 3, 1985)
  3. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (December 2, 1985)
  4. Big Bass Drum (On A Mardi Gras Day) (October 3, 1985)
  5. Whose Blues (October 3, 1985)
  6. Jambalaya (November 15, 1985)
  7. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (November 15, 1985)
  8. Clarinet Blues (March 13, 1989)
  9. Working Man Blues (May 17, 1990)
  10. Wabash Blues (December 13, 1996)
  11. South (December 13, 1996)
  12. Misty Morning (December 11, 2000)
  13. Harlem Rag (December 11, 2000)
  14. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (December 11, 2000)
  15. Snag It (December 11, 2000)
Volume 8: 1960 to 2001
  1. Sweethearts On Parade (November 7, 1960)
  2. Tishomingo Blues (November 7, 1960)
  3. Any Old Blues (June 9, 1966)
  4. Barber Shop Blues (June 9, 1966)
  5. Some Of These Days (June 9, 1966)
  6. Doctor Jazz (October 22, 1970)
  7. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (October 22, 1970)
  8. Texas Moaner Blues (October 22, 1970)
  9. Home Folks (April 27, 1978)
  10. Buddy Bolden Blues (April 4, 1980)
  11. Barbican Blues (April 20, 1982)
  12. Blues (October 3, 1986)
  13. Immigration Blues (October 3, 1986)
  14. Harlem Rag (October 3, 1986)
  15. Going Home (2001: exact date unknown)

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