Chris Barber's Jazz Band in Berlin 1959

Chris Barber's Jazz Band with Ottilie Patterson at the Deutschlandhalle
May 23, 1959 - Barber in Berlin

After more than 51 years...

We have been contacted by a German jazz musician and collector, Peter Kazubski, who informed us that he made fotos at the great concert in Berlin on May 23, 1959 at the Deutschlandhalle. So 51 years after that event we are proud and happy to present exclusively these pictures here on the website.

Note that the pictures have been made privately and that the equipment at that time was by far away from today's digital cameras features. The pictures are absolute fantastic and we are sure that you will not miss these documents, wo have survived the times of the GDR.

Thank you, Peter, for these great pictures, giving us back a special moment of Chris Barber and his Jazz Band - Barber in Berlin!

Chris Barber told me earlier this year (2010) in Zurich that Dick Smith's bass had been broken in two parts before the concert. It was very difficult to get a replacment (and this in a city of the famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra...) and the instrument he finally got had only three strings!

More pictures of concerts and scans of brochures etc. from later concerts in Berlin and East Germany will follow...and if you want to enjoy the atmosphere of that 1959 evening, listen to the soundclip (Maryland my Maryland).

Dick Smith, Graham Burbidge, Monty Sunshine, Pat Halcox, Eddie Smith and Chris Barber

Dick Smith, Graham Burbidge, Eddie Smith and Chris Barber

Eddie Smith and Chris Barber

Ottilie Patterson, singing "Easy, Easy Baby"

Eddie Smith, playing the banjo number "Take your pick"

Petite Fleur with Monty Sunshine and Eddie Smith

Monty Sunshine & Eddie Smith

Chris Barber and Eddie Smith, playing "Take your pick"

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