Elite Syncopations – CHRIS BARBER****

Swipsy Cakewalk/Bohemia Rag/Elite Syncopation/Cole Smoak/The Peach/St George’s Rag/The Favourite/ Reindeer Rag/The Entertainer/Georgia Cakewalk

Respected jazz musician Chris Barber released the concept album Elite Syncopations which was comprised entirely of ragtime numbers, including four Scott Joplin tunes. (UK:18)

“The idea of a concept album was quite revolutionary in British traditional jazz circles in the 1950s/60s, so Chris Barber's album Elite Syncopations, completely devoted to ragtime, was something very new.”

“There are two ways a jazz band can approach ragtime songs: one is to play them with regard to tempo, and a fairly strict following of the melody and piano score harmony lines; the other is to use the melody as a base for the usual jazz approach to any tune i.e. straying from the strict melody path and allowing improvisation to take place. The Chris Barber band takes both approaches. Elite Syncopations was one of the Barber band's landmark albums and is much sought after.”

“It lacks some of the wild abandon one might expect from ragtime - and which can be found in several other tracks on the LP. The band seems to loosen up for Bohemia Rag, the first of three tunes where Barber's trombone was multi-tracked: an unusual device in trad music of the time. It works well in all three examples (the others being Cole Smoak and Reindeer Rag) because it creates the effect of a whole trombone section. Cole Smoak is also noteworthy for a heartfelt solo from Barber, expressing plenty of feeling.”

“Yes, The Entertainer is here: the Joplin tune which the band gives a respectful performance in Barber's arrangement. Several tracks are originals written by Chris Barber but they maintain the ragtime flavour and traditions.”

“Ragtime and jazz have always fitted well together. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries much was scored as piano music by Scott Joplin and associates - but it transfers readily for jazz bands - and Chris Barber was one of the first British jazz musicians to produce authentic ragtime jazz.”

“Wonderful syncopations - sometimes harmonies and sometimes almost manic. There are four Joplin numbers and all are brilliant.”