Who We Are & The Founders
Geoffrey Burton
CB Johnson
Yorkie Shaw
Derek Gibbs
History
In 1973, Frederick Wall, a Guyanese trumpeter, composer and playwright set up the Wall Theatre Workshop. It ran until 1979.
In 1987, Geoffrey Burton, Yorkland “Yorkie” Shaw, Derek Gibbs and CB Johnson, the musical members of the Workshop, set up the WTW Jazz Workshop at Hargrave Hall. The WTW Jazz Band came out of this Workshop.
In 2004, CB Johnson expanded the Workshop to include a full big band – the WTW Big Band – which he ran successfully for 15 years. Sadly, in November
2019, CB Johnson passed away.
Following the death of CB Johnson and the pandemic, the big band decided to run itself in a different way and separated from the WTW Jazz Workshop.
CB Johnson dedicated much of his life to community music. Through the Workshop, he supported and inspired numerous musicians. In June 2022, the
WTW Jazz Band was renamed in his honour – the CB Johnson Jazz Band.
The membership and music of the Workshop continues to reflect its multicultural and, in particular, its Jamaican heritage.
Jazz Work Shop & Big band
WTW Jazz Work shop
The WTW Jazz Workshop was formed in 1987 at Hargrave Hall by the musical members of the Wall Theatre Workshop – Geoffrey Burton, CB Johnson, Yorkland “Yorkie” Shaw and Derek Gibbs. Hargrave Hall has been its home ever since. The Workshop takes place on Monday evenings.
The CB Johnson Big Band
Established in 2004, The CB Johnson Big Band Is a full 17-piece big band with saxophones, trumpets, trombones, a rhythm section and singers. The band plays a range of music including swing, Latin, pop, funk and ska, we rehearses at Hargrave Hall on Friday
evenings.