Picard starting learning music in 1941 by taking lessons on the piano when aged seven years old. After serving in the RAF, during which he played at weekends with
Cy Laurie, he spent a further four months with Laurie before joining
Humphrey Lyttelton, from 1954 until 1961. From 1962 to the early 1970s, he worked with
Tony Coe as well as co-leading a quintet with
Kathy Stobart in the late 1960s. From 1975 to 1973, he was a member of the London Jazz Big Band, led by
Stan Greig. During the early 1980s, with his friends
Ian Stewart,
Colin Smith and
Dick Morrissey, he was a founding member of
Rocket 88, Picard's son is tenor saxophonist Simon Picard. ==References==