Because New Orleans Joys was the first LP recorded by Chris Barber's Jazz Band, it makes an appropriate first cover to be displayed in this web gallery. The 10-inch, eight-title LP was recorded on July 13, 1954, just six weeks after the official formation of the band following the split with Ken Colyer and his replacement by Pat Halcox on May 31. Almost all of the tracks have justifiably been reissued numerous times, both on LP and CD, most notably on the Lake Records double-CD, The Complete Decca Sessions (left). The record included several tunes that became Barber -- and British "trad" -- standards, as well as "Rock Island Line", the skiffle song whose impact changed the entire course of popular music. In this context, the last line of the sleeve notes ("This is a fine feast of jazz proving conclusively that the New Orleans tradition is by no means dead in England, and promises well for our future enjoyment") is a remarkable understatement!