BARBER, Chris.

Description

Apollo Theater, Düsseldorf May 1958 concert poster (Wolf D. Zimmermann)

Original first printing concert poster advertising English jazz trombonist and bandleader Chris Barber (1930) at the Apollo Theater in Düsseldorf [Germany] on Saturday, 10th May, 1958, accompanied by Northern Irish blues singer Ottilie Patterson (1932—2011), and presented by the German Jazz Federation. Chris Barber announced his decision to retire in 2019 after some 70 years of performing. During this time he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with Barber triggered the skiffle craze of the mid-1950s and who had his first transatlantic hit, “Rock Island Line”, while with Barber’s band. His providing an audience for Donegan and, later, Alexis Korner, makes Barber a significant figure in the British rhythm and blues and “beat boom” of the 1960s. In the late 1950s and early 1960s Barber was also mainly responsible for arranging the first UK tours of blues artists Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, and Muddy Waters. The poster features artwork by graphic artist Wolf Dieter Zimmermann, with the artist’s imprint to the bottom left corner.

Printed by Hubert Hoch, Düsseldorf, the poster measures 83.8 x 59.2 cm and is printed in red and black inks on thin, uncoated paper stock. In excellent unfolded and unmarked condition. Feel free to email us with any questions you may have concerning this item. Additional images of the poster available on request.