History of Colchester Jazz Club
The Colchester Jazz Club meet every Sunday evening, as they have done since the club was formed in 1956. Their current home since 1987 is The Hawthorn Suite, being the function hall of The Stanway Rovers Football club, New Farm Road Stanway.
Before 1987 the Club had had many different homes in and around Colchester, we even on one occasion went to the country, not far, only to the Lion public house at Langanhoe, a move which proved very successful until our car parking upset the locals. So in 1971 the Club moved back to town and occupied, to the relief of the Borough Council, the Town House, Stockwell Street.
In the early days, we had spells at many venues, for example. The Cups Hotel in the High Street, the Corn Exchange (both now demolished), the W.O.s and Sergeants Club in the Garrison taken down to make way for new development. The Albert Hotel where, the Club spent a total of eight, very happy years. The Embassy Suite, in Balkerne Lane. But finally we must mention The fountain Public house, which was located next to the St. Botolphs railway station (since renamed Colchester Town Railway Station). The jazz club occupied the beer cellar, where in 1956 The Colchester Jazz Club was officially formed, and has for the past 55 years been providing live traditional jazz every Sunday evening for it's many listeners and dancers.
Over the past 55 years, the CJC has played host to countless bands from all parts of the country and the globe, some as far as Australia, Canada, Holland, Sweden and America. Humphrey Lyttelton, Chris Barber, George Melly, Monty Sunshine, Acker Bilk, Max Collie have all blasted out traditional jazz for the many stampers who over the years have danced the nights away. CJC has always been a dancers club, one of the few clubs left in the country where they really dance. The club now plays host to bands such as The Rae Brothers from Tyneside, Gambit Jazzmen from Surrey, Savoy Jazzmen, from Cambridge, Blue Magnolia Jazz Orchestra from Merseyside, and our own Colchester jazz band, The Tom Collins Jazzmen, who in the early days played nearly every Sunday.
The CJC are very proud to have been involved in many carnival processions held in town. The carnival was often led with a full New Orleans marching Jazz Band, led in some style, by the distinctive figure of George Allen, with his top hat, tails and sash of office.
During the past years the Jazz Club have enjoyed many parties to celebrate Christmases, Club Birthdays, New Years Eve etc: We have on occasions taken a band and cruised the Broads in Norfolk aboard a paddle steamer, taken members to cruise on the Thames, visited other Jazz Clubs. Our members are now actively looking forward to the next 50 years.