Beginning with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen, and not counting the various skiffle group configurations, there have been over thirty distinct line-ups of the Barber band. Here are photographs of as many of these versions of the Chris Barber Band as I have been able to locate (most of them are from the Barber-Purser archives). You can see larger versions of some of these photographs by going to the Photographs page. If a photograph is not yet available, I have used a photo of the new member of the band.

Each line-up is accompanied by scans of the most notable recordings made at that time and, if they are available on the Barber website, there are links to individual cover pages about the recordings.

The new member in each line-up is indicated in bold font.

addition August 2012

Thanks to Norman Simpson (Scotland) - follower of the band since the sixties - we can add a file that gives a quick view of all the changes in the band.

Section 1 covers the period from 1949 till the end of the Chris Barber Jazz & Blues Band period in 2001

Section 2 covers the Big Chris Barber Band period.
1953 to May 22, 1954
Ken Colyer's Jazzmen
Ken Colyer's Jazzmen were formed in 1953 after Colyer returned from New Orleans and was invited by Chris Barber, Monty Sunshine and the rest of the band to take on the leadership and trumpet chair. The band played together for about a year but the five original members split from Colyer in the Spring of 1954. You can listen to Chris tell the story of this early stage in the band's evolution in some audio clips on the In His Own Words page (Concert Introduction, 50th Anniversary Tour).
Ken Colyer (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Monty Sunshine (clarinet)
Lonnie Donegan (banjo)
Jim Bray (bass)
Ron Bowden (drums)

Ken Colyer's Jazzmen recorded almost one hundred tracks during the short existence of the band. In addition to New Orleans To London and The Lost 1954 Royal Festival Hall Tapes (shown to the right with links to the cover pages on this website), CD reissues can be heard on Ken Colyer's Jazzmen, Vintage Ken Colyer, and Jubilee Stomp.

31 May 1954 to December 1954
Chris Barber's Jazz Band
After the split with Ken Colyer, Pat Halcox, who had briefly played with the band, replaced him on cornet and trumpet. This line-up became the original and "classic" Chris Barber's Jazz Band, which played its first date on 31 May 1954 and which recorded dozens of tracks both in the studio and in concert. The line-up lasted until July 1955, when Jim Bray left the band.

Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Monty Sunshine (clarinet)
Lonnie Donegan (banjo)
Jim Bray (bass)
Ron Bowden (drums)

Notable records include New Orleans Joys (cover and link to the right), Chris Barber Plays, Plus One Minus One, Jazz Sacred and Secular, and a series of EPs recorded at two concerts at the Royal Festival Hall (No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3).
January 1955 to July 1955
Ottilie Patterson joins the band on January 1, 1955
Strictly speaking this was not a new line-up, as Ottilie Patterson, the great blues singer, joined the pre-existing band on 1 January 1955. She sang with many variations of the personnel over the next decade and a half, after which she had to retire because of poor health.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Monty Sunshine (clarinet)
Lonnie Donegan (banjo)
Jim Bray (bass)
Ron Bowden (drums)
Ottilie Patterson (vocals)

The Decca record label issued Blues, a 7-inch EP containing two concert and two studio recordings made in January and March 1955. Ottilie also sang two tracks on Chris Barber Plays and her first feature EP, That Patterson Girl, was recorded with this band.
July 1955 to April 1956
Chris Barber's Jazz Band with Ottilie Patterson
Jim Bray was the first member of the original Chris Barber's Jazz Band to leave the band. His replacement, Micky Ashman, had played and recorded with one of Chris's amateur bands, Chris Barber's New Orleans Jazzband, in 1951. Micky Ashman played on just two Barber LPs, but both were outstanding and influential: Chris Barber Plays, Volume 2, and Echoes Of Harlem.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Monty Sunshine (clarinet); Lonnie Donegan (banjo); Micky Ashman (bass); Ron Bowden (drums); Ottilie Patterson (vocals)
April 1956 to 24 November 1956
Chris Barber's Jazz Band with Ottilie Patterson
Dick Bishop had been a member of the Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group (a "band within the band") since as early as January 1956. He took over the banjo chair for a brief seventh-month period after Lonnie left in April 1956. Micky Ashman left at the same time as Lonnie, and was replaced by Dick Smith.

Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Monty Sunshine (clarinet)
Dick Bishop (banjo)
Dick Smith (bass)
Ron Bowden (drums)
Ottilie Patterson (vocals)
25 November 1956 to December 1957
Chris Barber's Jazz Band with Ottilie Patterson
Eddie Smith replaces Dick Bishop.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Monty Sunshine (clarinet); Eddie Smith (banjo); Dick Smith (bass); Ron Bowden (drums); Ottilie Patterson (vocals)

This version of the band recorded the first of the Chris Barber In Concert LPs and completed the Chris Barber Plays series.
December 1957 to December 1960
Chris Barber's Jazz Band with Ottilie Patterson
Graham Burbidge replaces Ron Bowden.

Other records from this period include Sonny, Brownie & Chris and Blues Book Vol. 1 (LPs) and Ottilie, Ottilie Swings The Irish, Monty, and Pat (EPs).
Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Monty Sunshine (clarinet); Eddie Smith (banjo); Dick Smith (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums); Ottilie Patterson (vocals)
January 1961 to 11 July 1964
Chris Barber's Jazz Band with Ottilie Patterson (occasionally "The Chris Barber Band")
Ian Wheeler replaces Monty Sunshine.

Other recordings include Getting Around (LP), In Barber's Chair (EP), numerous singles, and sessions with Sonny Boy Williamson and Alex Bradford.
Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Eddie Smith (banjo); Dick Smith (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums); Ottilie Patterson (vocals)
11 July 1964 to 26 November 1964
The Chris Barber Band
John Slaughter joins the band.

Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Ian Wheeler (reeds)
Eddie Smith (banjo)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Dick Smith (bass)
Graham Burbidge (drums)
Ottilie Patterson (vocals)

26 November 1964 to March 1966
The Chris Barber Band
Stu Morrison replaces Eddie Smith.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Ian Wheeler (reeds)
Stu Morrison (banjo)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Dick Smith (bass)
Graham Burbidge (drums)
Ottilie Patterson (vocals)
March 1966 to 15 May 1967
The Chris Barber Band
Dick Smith leaves the band and is replaced for about a year by Micky Ashman. Several sessions were recorded with Kenneth Washington, but most were private recordings. However, on 9 June 1966, the front line of Barber, Halcox and Wheeler recorded an LP (subsequently reissued on CD) with the Barry Martyn Band, entitled Collaboration.
Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Stu Morrison (banjo); John Slaughter (guitar); Micky Ashman (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums)


15 May 1967 to June 1968
The Chris Barber Band
Jackie Flavelle begins his ten-year tenure with the band, replacing Micky Ashman on string bass and electirc bass, and also contributing occasional vocals.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Stu Morrison (banjo); John Slaughter (guitar); Jackie Flavelle (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums)

Note: Several of the tracks on Battersea Rain Dance were recorded before Ian Wheeler left in June 1968.
June 1968 to January 1971
Chris Barber & His Band / Chris Barber's Travelling Band / Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
John Crocker replaces Ian Wheeler.
Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Stu Morrison (banjo); John Slaughter (guitar); Jackie Flavelle (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums)
January to March 1971
Dick Bishop briefly re-joins the band as a replacement for Stu Morrison.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Dick Bishop (banjo); John Slaughter (guitar)
Jackie Flavelle (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums)

Note: This line-up of the band did not make any records.

March 1971 to 14 March 1973
The Chris Barber Band
Steve Hammond joins the band on banjo.

Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Crocker (reeds)
Steve Hammond (banjo)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Jackie Flavelle (bass)
Graham Burbidge (drums)

Note: Almost all of the recordings made at this time were never issued, except for a few tracks* that appeared on The Chris Barber Jubilee Album No. 3, and, of course, the rather avant-garde LP, Drat That Fratle Rat.

*One of these was reissued on Louis Jordan and Chris Barber.

14 March 1973 to 20 May 1976
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Johnny McCallum replaces Steve Hammond. (This period also saw the first reunion of the original Chris Barber's Jazz Band of 1954-55 and the Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group; recordings from a concert on 5 June 1975 were released on The Great Reunion Concert.)

This band also recorded a concert with guests Ray Nance and Alex Bradford, which was released on LP (and subsequently on CD) as The Chris Barber Jubilee Tour Album No. 4.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Johnny McCallum (banjo); John Slaughter (guitar); Jackie Flavelle (bass); Graham Burbidge (drums)
20 May 1976 to July 18 1977
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Pete York replaces Graham Burbidge

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Johnny McCallum (banjo); John Slaughter (guitar); Jackie Flavelle (bass); Pete York (drums)
July 1977 to 30 December 1977
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Vic Pitt replaces Jackie Flavelle.

Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Crocker (reeds)
Johnny McCallum (banjo)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
Pete York (drums)

Note: This version of the band recorded only two tunes, both for a BBC radio programme.

30 December 1977 to End of March 1978
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Sammy Rimington joins the band, marking the beginning of the eight-piece band. [There were no recordings by this line-up.]

Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Crocker (reeds)
Sammy Rimington (reeds)
Johnny McCallum (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
Pete York (drums)

10 April 1978 to 26 February 1979
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Roger Hill replaces John Slaughter.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Sammy Rimington (reeds); Johnny McCallum (banjo & guitar); Roger Hill (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Pete York (drums)
5 March 1979 to July 1986
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Ian Wheeler returns to the band, replacing Sammy Rimington; Norman Emberson replaces Pete York.


Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Johnny McCallum (banjo & guitar); Roger Hill (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Norman Emberson (drums)
24 August 1986 to December 1988
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
John Slaughter returns to the band, replacing Roger Hill.
Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Johnny McCallum (banjo & guitar); John Slaughter (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Norman Emberson (drums)
December 1988 to 21 May 1990
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Alan "Sticky" Wickett replaces Norman Emberson.


Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Crocker (reeds)
Ian Wheeler (reeds)
Johnny McCallum (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
Alan "Sticky" Wickett (drums)

21 May 1990 to end of July 1994
The Chris Barber Jazz And Blues Band
Russell Gilbrook replaces Alan "Sticky" Wickett
[In 1994 and 1995 the 1954 Chris Barber Band reunited once again, this time for a 40th Jubilee Tour.]

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Johnny McCallum (banjo & guitar); John Slaughter (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Russell Gilbrook (drums)
End of July 1994 to November 1998
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Alan "Sticky" Wickett returns to the band, replacing Russell Gilbrook; Johnny McCallum leaves the band, and Paul Sealey joins.
Pat Halcox (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); Ian Wheeler (reeds); Paul Sealey (banjo & guitar); John Slaughter (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Alan "Sticky" Wickett (drums)
November 1998 to November 27 2001
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Alan "Sticky" Wickett leaves and is replaced by Colin Miller; Ian Wheeler leaves and is replaced by John Defferary.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Crocker (reeds)
John Defferary (reeds)
Paul Sealey (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
Colin Miller (drums)
2000
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band with Bob Hunt's Ellingtonians
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band was originally intended as a temproary expansion of the band, and consisted of the previously-listed members of the regular band, plus Bob Hunt, Mike Henry, and Nick Payton from Bob Hunt's Ellingtonians.
Pat Halcox, Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet); Chris Barber, Bob Hunt (trombone); John Crocker, John Defferary, Nick Payton (reeds); Paul Sealey (banjo & guitar); John Slaughter (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Colin Miller (drums)
November 27 2001 to February 2003
The Big Chris Barber Band
Bob Hunt, Mike Henry, and Tony Carter become permanent members of the new 11-piece band.

Pat Halcox (trumpet); Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet); Chris Barber (trombone); Bob Hunt (trombone); John Crocker (reeds); John Defferary (reeds); Tony Carter (reeds); Paul Sealey (banjo & guitar); John Slaughter (guitar); Vic Pitt (bass); Colin Miller (drums)
February 2003 to June 2004
The Big Chris Barber Band
John Crocker leaves after 35 years with the band and is replaced by Trevor Whiting.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
Trevor Whiting (reeds)
John Defferary (reeds)
Tony Carter (reeds)
Paul Sealey (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
Colin Miller (drums)
July 2004 to 23 March 2005
The Big Chris Barber Band
Richard Exall replaces Trevor Whiting on reeds, and Andy Kuc replaces Paul Sealey on banjo and guitar.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
John Defferary (reeds)
Tony Carter (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Andy Kuc (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
Colin Miller (drums)
23 March 2005 to September 2006
The Big Chris Barber Band
Colin Miller is replaced by John Sutton on drums.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
John Defferary (reeds)
Tony Carter (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Andy Kuc (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
John Sutton (drums)
September 2006 to November 2006
The Big Chris Barber Band
Joe Farler replaces Andy Kuc on banjo and guitar.
Pat Halcox (trumpet);
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet);
Chris Barber (trombone);
Bob Hunt (trombone);
John Defferary (reeds);
Tony Carter (reeds);
Richard Exall (reeds);
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar);
John Slaughter (guitar);
Vic Pitt (bass);
John Sutton (drums)
November 2006 to January 2007
The Big Chris Barber Band
Mike Snelling replaces John Defferary on reeds.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
Mike Snelling (reeds)
Tony Carter (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Vic Pitt (bass)
John Sutton (drums)
January 2007 to January 2008
The Big Chris Barber Band
Dave Green replaces Vic Pitt on bass.
Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
Mike Snelling (reeds)
Tony Carter (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Dave Green (bass)
John Sutton (drums)
February 2008 to July 2008
The Big Chris Barber Band
John Service replaces Bob Hunt on trombone.
Photo by Andreas Wandfluh Pat Halcox (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Service (trombone)
Mike Snelling (reeds)
Tony Carter (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Dave Green (bass)
John Sutton (drums)
July 2008 to the End 2009
The Big Chris Barber Band
Zoltan Sagi replaces Tony Carter on reeds, and Peter Rudeforth replaces Pat Halcox on trumpet.
Photo by Andreas Wandfluh
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Peter Rudeforth (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
John Service (trombone)
Mike Snelling (reeds)
Zoltan Sagi (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Dave Green (bass)
John Sutton (drums)

(Photos taken in Edinburgh
on July 25 by Ed Jackson)


The Big Chris Barber Band, November 2008
Left to right: Dave Green, Zoltan Sagi, Richard Exall, Mike Snelling, John Sutton, Peter
Rudeforth, Mike "Magic" Henry, Joe Farler, John Service, John Slaughter, and Chris Barber
(Photo by Andreas Wandfluh, Aarberg, Switzerland, November 7, 2008)

Personnel Changes in the Big Chris Barber Band at the end of 2009 till 1st quarter of 2010

Earlier this week, Chris sent an email message to us, as co-webmasters of the Barber website, to mention some recent long-term personnel changes, as well as some temporary changes that will affect the band in the next two months or so, and therefore the line-ups of players that fans will see at concerts in the near future:

As of the January tour 2010, Bob Hunt will rejoin the band on trombone, replacing John Service.
Chris and the Band thank John for lots of serious work and play, and wish him well.

Mike Snelling has decided that he does not wish to continue to undertake long tours any further and is leaving by Christmas. The January tour will feature old friend and colleague Trevor Whiting on clarinet in Mike's place. The band may either have a new long-term regular member or perhaps two equally desirable musicians might share the position ... watch this space.

In the January tour, Vic Pitt will play bass up to and including the 18th at Dessau, Germany. Dave Green (meanwhile playing with Scott Hamilton) will rejoin the band in Berlin on the 19th.

Another new face is technician Rebecca Evans. She is now responsible for stage lighting and as an experienced sound-technician she has already taken Barry Walker's place at the sound desk in October and November while he was ill and undergoing serious treatment in Germany. He probably has to do so again and may be seen in part of the January tour only.

We are looking forward to the next year's touring as always.

Ed Jackson & Andreas Wandfluh, December 12, 2009

April 2010 to August 2010
The Big Chris Barber Band 





Peter Rudeforth (trumpet)
Mike "Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
David Horniblow (reeds)
Zoltan Sagi (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
John Slaughter (guitar)
Trefor Williams (bass)
Gregor Beck (drums)



August / September to January 2011
The Big Chris Barber Band




 Mike"Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Peter Rudeforth (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone)
David Horniblow (reeds)
Zoltan Sagi (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
Joe Quigley (guitar)
Jackie Flavelle (bass, bass guitar)
Gregor Beck (drums)

John Slaughter (guitar) passed away on August 15, 2010

Jackie Flavelle (left) re-started his band work on August 29, 2010. Trefor Williams (bass) has left the band in July 2010.
Joe Quigley (right), the new guitar player, joined the Big Chris Barber Band on September 29, 2010. However, Joe Quigley left the Band on Janary 19, 2011.
January 2011 to July / August 2012
The Big Chris Barber Band		  

Mike"Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Peter Rudeforth (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone & trumpet)
David Horniblow (reeds)
Amy Roberts (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
Jackie Flavelle (bass, bass guitar)
Gregor Beck (drums)

Amy Roberts is the newest member of the band but has not been able to play all dates due to musical education commitments. In her absences, "subs" have included Bert Brandsma and Trevor Whiting.

September 2012 to 30. November 2014
The Big Chris Barber Band

Mike"Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Peter Rudeforth (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone & trumpet)
Bert Brandsma (clarinet and tenor sax)
Amy Roberts (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
Jackie Flavelle (bass, bass guitar)
Gregor Beck (drums)

Bert Brandsma is the newest member of the band. He has already stepped in 2011 to subsitute Amy Roberts, before now becoming a regular member of the band

1. December 2014 to the present
The Big Chris Barber Band

 		Mike"Magic" Henry (trumpet)
Peter Rudeforth (trumpet)
Chris Barber (trombone)
Bob Hunt (trombone & trumpet)
Bert Brandsma (clarinet and tenor sax)
Trevor Whiting (reeds)
Richard Exall (reeds)
Joe Farler (banjo & guitar)
Jackie Flavelle (bass, bass guitar)
Gregor Beck (drums)

Replacing Amy Roberts is Trevor Whiting, who already was a member of the Band in 2003-2004
   
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