The voice is distinctive, the manner kindly, the knowledge extensive, and the level of experience beyond measure, yet well-known compere and host of the KJAZ radio show 'Downbeat', Derick (CJ) Symonds, is as cool as the jazz he loves. A man whose quiet demeanour belies the many accolades and honours his talents have earned him, he simply spreads out the carpet of his long and fascinating career before you, and leaves you to marvel at the details.

Here is a man who has interviewed countless music celebrities, many of whom are personal friends; whose music library includes thousands of recordings and reference books, and whose walls are filled with plaques and trophies honouring his services as a broadcaster, sightseeing tour guide and more. Bulky photo albums are packed with visual evidence of his celebrity-studded career.

Then there is his community service on various boards, the child's life he saved, for which he received a Bravery Award, the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour, and all the things he has pioneered, such as the weekly radio broadcasts for the Baha'i faith, of which he is a member.

Indeed, Mr. Symonds has much to be proud of, for it is not always that a man becomes an icon in his own time, which is why he is being honoured at Sunday's 'Jazz Command Performance' concert at the Berkeley Institute by the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Social Rehabilitation, Dale Butler. His love of music began in childhood, when his grandmother taught him to sing alto, and he sang in the choirs at Central (now Victor Scott) and St. George's Secondary schools. From music teachers Mrs. Yvonne Blackett and Mr. Furbert he acquired an appreciation of music, and in particular classical music. In fact, he owns an original recording of the legendary Italian opera singer, the great Caruso.

Since his grandparents managed the Imperial Hotel, he also got to meet many overseas artists who stayed there. Later, he sang with the Sub-Tropicals, subsequently renamed the Ebbtides, who performed in clubs both here and in Toronto, Canada.

The group also recorded a 45 rpm on the Edmar Records label, which received airtime in Toronto and Bermuda.

The solid foundation upon which the broadcaster's long, and highly successful career was built included training courses at the Central Technical Institute in Toronto, Radio Electronic Television School; the National Institute of Broadcasting in Canada; the London School of Broadcasting, and locally.

His first job was with ZFB radio, then situated in a small house on the corner of North Shore and Berkeley Hill, but which moved further down the North Shore three weeks later to what is now the site of the desalination plant with the birth of TV Channel 8.

"I started with 'Big G' (George Smith), and Sturgis (Shorty Jr.) Griffin, Jr. was my mentor. We also did more training because they had a team out from Scotland," the veteran broadcaster begins.

"I remember the opening night of television in, I think, 1965. I was doing film make-up. In those days the programmes were 16mm, and it was my job to splice the commercials within the programme itself.

"I was running just about 30 minutes ahead of that reel going on the machine and on air, and I finished just in time to do a radio programme at 8 p.m. They were exciting days."

It was also a time when DJs had gimmicky names, and the man formerly known as 'Cousin Juicy', and now as 'CJ', reveals how he acquired his moniker.

"I was in a Church Lads Brigade camp on Ports Island. Everybody used to buy sodas, but I had this thing for Juicy Fruit chewing gum.

"Rudolph Benjamin was the one who called me 'Juicy' and it just stuck. When I got into radio, there was a Cousin Brucey. My cousin Rhonda used to call me 'cousin' a lot, so I just put the two together and became Bermuda's Cousin Juicy.

"I was doing R&B at the time, but when I got married in 1972 I changed my format to jazz, and at that point changed my name to 'CJ'.

"Jazz is more conservative, and I think 'CJ' fits better with the format. Of course, there are some die-hards out there who still remember and call me 'Cousin Juicy', but whenever I can make the change or point it out I do so."

Mr. Symonds remained with ZFB for 19 years, during which time he did many things, including producing and directing shows, and on-camera interviews whenever jazz or R&B artists came to Bermuda.

"One of my most memorable TV interviews was with Stevie Wonder," he recalls. "In fact, it was so interesting that it extended to eight or nine minutes, and I got so engrossed that I actually forgot he was blind until I reached over at the end of the interview to shake his hand and nothing happened, so I put his hand in mine."

Ironically, the interviewer met Mr. Wonder some years before in Toronto when the two stood at the top of a staircase in a club. Unknown to the singer, the person accompanying him had paused to speak to someone, and as Mr. Wonder was about to set off down the stairs alone Mr. Symonds put out his hand to stop him.

"I reminded him of that during our interview, and do you know he remembered it. That blew me away," he says.

In fact, Mr. Symonds has many tales about artists whose prodigious memories have astounded him, among them trumpeter Freddie Hubbard whom he had once entertained in his home. Many years later, during a concert at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, while he was on stage emceeing, out wandered the artist to reminisce. Similarly, having met him many years before, celebrated organist Jimmy Smith again recognised Mr. Symons' distinctive voice at the Hamilton Princess hotel and called out, 'Cousin Juicy'.

Among the many highlights of his long career at ZFB was the hosting of a TV telethon, which was so impressive it earned him the newspaper headline, 'A Star is Born'.

When the station was bought by Bermuda Broadcasting, Mr. Symonds moved to ZBM at Prospect, where he was the master controller working in operations, the technical side of television, and also had his own jazz radio show, 'Downbeat'. He left during the protracted industrial dispute to work on the buses, but returned later.

"You can't keep a good man down," he quips.

Indeed you can't, and today that smooth voice continues to present 'Downbeat' – this time on KJAZ, in which Mr. Symonds is a partner.

"Mine was the first official voice you heard when the station opened," he says proudly. "At that point I was doing seven days a week, then I broke it down to five, and now I'm doing two days to maintain and keep jazz alive, which has always been the mandate of 'Downbeat', because I'm travelling a lot now, and every three months or so I try to get away."

The popular show follows a certain format, and all of the music played is from the presenter's personal collection. He researches and plans it all, has certain segments which are standard, of which 'Contrasts' is one, wherein he plays a well-known instrumental version of something and a vocal version; marking an artist's birthday with one of his or her tracks is another; and highlighting events of the day from the black history calendar is a third.

As much as 'Downbeat' has been his 'baby' for more than 30 years, there are many more strings to this fellow's bow.

Over the years he has travelled extensively in the name of jazz, covering the Barbados Jazz Festival, major jazz performances, and jazz cruises. In fact, he is already booked to cover another jazz cruise in January. He never leaves home without his digital camera and tape recorder and, pro that he is, secures some of the most coveted interviews possible.

It was Mrs. Olive Trott who gave Mr. Symonds his start as an emcee, and he never looked back. Always in demand, his list of his engagements would fill a book, and they run the gamut from stage shows to concerts, charity events, balls and beauty pageants. He emceed the Miss Bermuda beauty pageant for 19 years, the 'Evening of Jazz' at City Hall for 18 years and the jazz dinner cruise for 17 years for Charles Bascombe, as well as the 'Queen of Bermuda' and 'Miss Teen' pageants.

Steeped as he is in music, and particularly jazz, Mr. Symonds also looms large in the memories of countless visitors and bus drivers for the 20-plus years he spent, first as a sightseeing guide and conductor on the local buses, with the late legendary 'Sparky' Lightbourne as his mentor, and then, upon completion of the Canadian Urban Transit Association's ambassador training course, as an instructor for the Public Transportation Board public relations programme. He also emceed the event marking the 50th anniversary of public transportation in Bermuda, and has served on the Road Safety Council.

A devoted family man, Mr. Symonds has been happily married to Georgia for 36 years, and is the proud father of two daughters, Tanisha and Tonya, and grandfather to Damani, Damitri and Tanah.

Looking back over the many facets of his rich and fulfilling career, and 'Downbeat' in particular, the man they call 'CJ' says, "I must have been doing something right along the way because so many people appreciate me."

Indeed they do.