Great Moments With Chris Barber
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Timeless Records / World Wide Jazz Series WWJ 3002

Like the previous CD in this covers series (Symphony Of Jazz), Great Moments with Chris Barber is a compilation of recordings rather than a set of new ones. It’s also one of a series of four “Great Moments” CDs from Timeless Records, the other three featuring Kenny Ball's Jazzmen, Acker Bilk, and Monty Sunshine’s Jazz Band.

Similar to the other CDs in the series, Great Moments With Chris Barber includes a selection of tracks (16 in all) from previous Barber CDs for the Timeless label, spanning a period of about a decade and a half, beginning with "Bourbon Street Parade" from Mardi Gras At The Marquee and ending with "That’s My Home", from the That’s It Then CD, with guest Acker Bilk.

While it might be inaccurate to label this collection “Chris Barber’s Greatest Hits”, nonetheless they do include many band favourites, some of which were recorded in concert before enthusiastic audiences, and some rare (if not unusual) tracks with the Uralsky All Stars and members of The Preservation Hall Band from New Orleans. In between you’ll find excellent versions of such Barber classics as "Stevedore Stomp", "Alligator Hop", and "Down By The Riverside".

All in all this is a very good introduction to fairly recent Barber music and should help fans new and old to choose other “full” CDs that they might wish to buy.

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