I was fortunate in hearing him, along with his brother Len on drums as part of Bob Barnard's Australian Jazz Band back in 1983 at Drybroughs Edinburgh International Jazz Festival and, a couple of days later, when several of the bands took part in Drybroughs Dixieland Jazz Jamboree in and around several Newcastle pubs including the City Vaults, Cooperage, Sloans, Red House and the Bridge among others.
Bob could play sweet and mellow on a ballad and
hotter than hot on a stomp or a jump number.
Perhaps what I'll treasure most about Bob Barnard is a duo album he made on the Sackville label with fellow Antipodean, pianist John Sheridan. Reminiscent of the recordings Ruby Braff made with Ellis Larkins in the 1950s these 16 tracks from 2003 show that he'd lost none of his fluency and his playing was now more lyrical than ever.
Not surprisingly, several numbers were originally associated with Louis Armstrong who was probably his first major influence. These include: Skeleton in the Closet, When it's Sleepy Time Down South, You're Lucky to me, I'm Shooting High and the title track Thanks a Million which is also a fitting way to end this tribute to a man who was to Australian jazz what Don Bradman was to Australian cricket. Thanks a million - Rest In Peace. Lance
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