If proof were needed how widely Chris is held in high esteem by his fellow musicians, it’s the visitors from the rock world who deliver it. Eric Clapton jams with Chris, Keith Emerson welcomes Chris into his T-Bones, Mark Knopfler plays beautifully with the band, and Van Morrison eclipses the band’s own former vocal star Lonnie Donegan with a trio of performances that count among his best recordings.

Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, which can trace its lineage back to 1949, became a beacon of traditional styles of jazz in the UK. This collection includes some of the early high points, as the band welcomes some of its American heroes into the line-up including ex-Louis Armstrong clarinettists Ed Hall and Joe Darensbourg, legendary trombonists Trummy Young and Eddie Durham.

From early in its career, Chris’s band would also welcome blues stars. This collection is particularly rich in terms of the blues connection, with Brownie McGhee remembering highlights of his tour with the band, and examples of Chris’s collaborations with Muddy Waters and James Cotton. The Barber band toured with many a gospel singer, too, and Professor Alex Bradford hones the band’s singing skills on this collection. There are home-grown blues connections, starting with the band’s own long-term singer Ottilie Patterson, plus Rory Gallagher and Paul Jones.

The guests, however, are only part of the story. It’s Chris and his own band of excellent musicians that are at the core of this collection, proving exactly why they are national treasures.