BETWEEN SETS Chris Barber enjoyed a pot of tea in the green room.

A sedate setting for a musician whose blend of blues and jazz inspired rock giants like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.

In the late fifties and early sixties he masterminded the first UK tours of blues greats , including Muddy Waters, from across the Atlantic.

Barber inspired young musicians like Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger to start playing the blues.

His links with The Concorde stretch back many decades to when the club was tucked into the backroom of Southampton’s Bassett Hotel.

That watering hole has long been swept into the local history books but the 88 year-old is still on the road delivering his trademark New Orleans style jazz.

It is nearly 70 years ago that Britain’s godfather of jazz launched his own New Orleans band and his enthusiasm has never waned.

And this was a very special night for the Concorde’s jazz aficionados as the bandleader dug deep into his jazz roots to recapture those golden years.

Barber had selected some of his favourite musicians playing in the style for which he was originally famous and became a household name.

The gig reflected his links with fellow jazz giants like the Monty Sunshine’s Band, Ken Colyer, Stan Tracey and Ronnie Scott.

Barber has always had bands brimming with talent and his latest Concorde appearance was no exception with stand up performances from pianist Richard Simmons, who wowed the audience with his wizardry on the ivories, Alan Gresty who for many years was lead trumpeter with the Monty Sunshine Band and Ron Drake (clarinet) who has played with many bands including Kenny Ball.

The tone of the evening was set with the band’s signature tune and Dixieland classic Bourbon Street Parade.

As well as treating the audience to some tantalising trombone solos Barber switched to vocals to deliver a moving rendition of the gospel song, Take My Hand Precious Lord.

The playlist included some timeless jazz standards including Savoy Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, Everybody Loves My Baby and My Old Kentucky Home.

Barber and his band had been greeted like jazz royalty and after two sets of this jazz master class they were given a standing ovation.

It was a great way to round off The Concorde’s current season of Wednesday night jazz night which return on September 5.

Then the Stoneham Lane club will be saluting another major figure in the history of jazz, American bandleader and composer Duke Ellington with Echos of Ellington Orchestra.

Duncan Eaton