Berkhamsted Jazz Club

Berkhamsted Jazz History

BJ began because Roger Watkins (also founder of the Graham Greene Society) moved here to find he was a close neighbour of Michael Garrick whom he’d seen in the 60’s at Bristol University in a poetry and jazz concert with Joe Harriott and Shake Keane.

“Why was there no jazz club here?” he asked. So a first trial run was made at the Court House, Water Lane, featuring the duo of Norma Winstone and Michael Garrick with interval guitar music from Tony Male, also from Berko.

Encouraged by the response, BJ moved to the Civic Centre in 1982 where acoustics are excellent, so much so that the BBC made a number of outside broadcasts of the Michael Garrick Big Band (www.myspace.com/mikegarrickbigband) from there in the 80’s and 90’s.

By skilfully gauging audience preferences George Franks (for over twenty years secretary and main organiser) built the clientele so that for a long while now numbers have only rarely fallen below a hundred.

About nine to twelve stalwarts form an elected committee; without them BJ could not survive. All policy decisions are made by them and Mike Garrick (lifetime Honorary President) acts as errand boy to contact and book the musicians. There are normally a dozen gigs per year, spread over all months except for July and August.

The first Jazz Festival took place in 2007 to celebrate the club’s 25^th anniversary.

Members are offered substantial discounts and a yearly programme plus monthly updates by post in advance.

BJ has also used Centenary Hall, St Peter’s Church, and Berkhamsted School Chapel for Garrick’s jazz-choral works and the Old School for the Royal Academy of Music Big Band.

Concerts are however normally held at the Civic Centre. There’s a fine Yamaha grand piano, well maintained and tuned before each concert. Also an excellent sound system and a reasonably priced bar. The room itself was a magistrate’s court, with wooden panels providing the good acoustic. It seems BJ has run its history in court houses! So come along and be our jury! (Wigs available at a modest charge; we also act as host to the Operatic and Dramatic Society, along with many others.)