The Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast

Geoff is in Ruislip, West London at the home of the legendary jazz bassist Dave Green. A soft case in an aircraft hold, a school-grade rental at a major festival, and the quiet conviction that your sound should survive all of it—Dave takes us through a bassist's life built on time, touch, and taste. From tea chest beginnings with next‑door neighbour Charlie Watts, to month-long residencies at Ronnie Scott's, Dave maps the long road from village halls to the world's jazz stages with humour and...

Geoff is in the North London suburb of Muswell Hill to sit down with the highly acclaimed trumpeter Henry Lowther as he unpacks the sessions, the stories and the systems behind a musician who has been a mainstay of the British jazz scene for over half a century. A trumpet on a cathedral step, a helicopter over Woodstock, and a fixer's phone call that changes your week—Henry Lowther has lived the kind of musical life that hides in liner notes and explodes on stage. Henry takes us inside London...

This week Geoff is in Suffolk to catch up with the fabulous jazz pianist, singer, composer and author Chris Ingham. Sitting at Chris’s piano in Suffolk, we trace how a kid who refused lessons became a singer-pianist, bandleader and repertoire obsessive who builds shows people actually want to hear. Chris takes us from The Beatles and Sinatra to Hoagy Carmichael and Dudley Moore, revealing why “themes” hook audiences, why standards are the best teachers, and how self-discipline sticks only whe...

Geoff travels to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in the heart of the City of London to meet with the wonderful guitarist and educator Chris Allard. Growing up in a musical family with roots stretching back to The Juilliard School in New York, Chris recalls his path from classical piano lessons to discovering rock guitar through Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, before Pat Metheny's ‘Letter From Home’ (1989) opened the door to jazz improvisation. This pivotal moment set him on a course that ...

Geoff is in Finchley, North London to catch up with the wonderful saxophonist, flautist and composer Theo Travis. Theo takes us on a captivating journey through his remarkable musical career, from classical beginnings to jazz excellence and groundbreaking prog rock collaborations. This conversation feels like eavesdropping on two musicians sharing secrets about their craft, filled with moments of genuine musical insight and discovery. Theo reveals how his early musical path began with classic...