Geoff Gascoyne chats to big-name (and upcoming) jazz soloists as they pick and play their favourite jazz standards and talk about their jazz lives. A mix of can...
Step into the vibrant world of jazz through intimate conversations with the artists who live it every day. The Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast, hosted by renowned bassist, composer and producer Geoff Gascoyne, strips away the mystique surrounding jazz musicians to reveal the human stories behind the solos.Each week, we sit down with both legendary artists and rising stars from the jazz world, exploring their musical journeys in ways both profound and playfully candid. Vocalist Emma Smith shares practice techniques you can use on your morning commute, while veteran saxophonist Alan Barnes breaks down Clifford Brown's iconic solos with the wisdom that only decades on the bandstand can provide. Guitarist Chris Standring reveals how a single lesson with Pat Martino transformed his relationship with music after 34 years of playing professionally, while young talent Freddie Benedict surprises us with his political impressions alongside serious harmonic insights.What makes our podcast unique is the perfect balance between technical jazz discussion and entertaining storytelling. You'll gain genuine insights into improvisation techniques and harmonic approaches while enjoying plenty of laughs along the way. These musicians don't just share their musical expertise - they open up about the realities of hustling for gigs, life on the road, and the moments of connection that make a jazz career worthwhile despite its challenges.Whether you're a dedicated musician seeking to expand your improvisational toolkit or simply someone who appreciates authentic conversations with creative minds, you'll find something valuable in these weekly episodes. Download the first four episodes now, and don't forget to check out the Quartet app for iOS to take your jazz play-along experience to another level.Subscribe now to never miss an episode!Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.
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Episode 1. Emma Smith (Vocals) - ‘No Moon At All’
Geoff tracks down the wonderful jazz singer Emma Smith just a few weeks after she lands a major record deal. She opens up about her remarkable journey from rebelling against her jazz musician parents to becoming one of the UK’s most captivating jazz performers. They discuss everything from improvisation technique to social media and the challenges of making it Stateside. Emma’s approach to vocal improvisation reflects her deeply thoughtful musicianship. Unlike instrumentalists who can press keys to produce specific notes, vocalists must develop an internal understanding of harmony. "I have to feel it, I have to become familiar with what a flat 13 feels like," she explains, detailing how she personifies musical modes as characters with distinct personalities. In a brilliant demonstration of her improvisation methods, Emma treats us to a world first: an impromptu rendition of her TV wall bracket instruction manual to the Evans/Mann jazz standard ‘No Moon At All’. From transcribing trumpet solos to her adventures with the Quartet app, Smith's musical journey reveals an artist committed to growth while remaining authentically herself. Her parting advice resonates with wisdom earned through experience: "Be in the driver's seat of your improvising, of your conviction, of your melodic development, of your storytelling”.Subscribe now to catch more conversations with today's most exciting jazz artists. Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.
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Episode 2. Alan Barnes (Saxophone) - ‘You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To’
Geoff gets the train to Leighton Buzzard to meet the legendary jazz saxophonist Alan Barnes. This intimate conversation reveals the musical journey of one of Britain's most respected reed players, from his first enchantment with Acker Bilk's clarinet to his evolution as a multi-award-winning bandleader, composer, and record label owner.Alan shares revelatory insights about the art of improvisation, explaining his refreshingly straightforward approach: "Play the tune and embellish it if you can." Rather than getting lost in theoretical frameworks and modal terminology, he emphasises melodic paraphrasing and the importance of being able to sing what you play. His tales of transcribing Art Pepper and Clifford Brown solos illuminate how jazz vocabulary develops through deep listening and imitation before becoming personal expression.The conversation takes us through Alan's formative years, including his father's insistence on achieving Grade 8 on clarinet before getting a saxophone – "the best thing that happened to me" – and his move to London in 1980 that launched collaborations with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Tommy Chase, and eventually touring America with Warren Vache's 12-piece band. We hear fascinating anecdotes about musical legends and gain insight into the mental aspects of performance, with Alan explaining how overthinking can undermine improvisation: "It's like a tightrope walker looking down!”With an extensive repertoire and vast technical knowledge of jazz standards, Alan treats us to an improvised solo in the style of Cole Porter’s ‘You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To’ on what is (possibly) the UK’s most refurbished alto sax! Whether you're a seasoned player or jazz enthusiast, this episode offers rare wisdom from a lifetime dedicated to this enduring art form. Subscribe now to catch more conversations with today's most exciting jazz artists. Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.
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Episode 3. Chris Standring (Guitar) - ‘Stella By Starlight’
In a rather noisy back room at London’s Pizza Express Jazz Club, Geoff chews the fat with ‘soul’ jazz guitarist Chris Standring before a gig. Native Brit Chris has just flown in from LA for a series of concerts in London and reminisces about his dilemmas as a frustrated young jazz guitarist looking to make it as a solo artist. Chris reveals the pivotal moment when a friend’s casual observation – “You’ve got more gigs in LA than you’ve got over here” – prompted him to permanently relocate to America in 1991. “I slept on that overnight and by the morning I had decided not to come back”.He candidly discusses his early influences, from classical guitar studies to the transformative impact of hearing players like Larry Carlton at iconic venues such as The Baked Potato in North Hollywood. His introduction to the ‘smooth' jazz scene came through unexpected friendships and collaborations, gradually leading to recording contracts and his emergence as a distinctive voice within contemporary jazz.Chris talks frankly about everything from a guitar lesson with Pat Martino, lucky breaks and jam sessions in LA, to his evolving jazz vocabulary. Chris also treats us to a couple of spontaneous improvised choruses in the style of Victor Young’s ‘Stella By Starlight’. Whether you’re a dedicated jazz aficionado or simply appreciate stories of artistic perseverance, subscribe now to catch more candid conversations with today's most exciting jazz artists. Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.
Geoff doorsteps the 29-year old vocal genius Freddie Benedict and discovers that his talents go far beyond just trumpet and vocals. Could Britain’s answer to Michael Bublé be any more talented?With an undergraduate degree in Spanish and Portuguese before formally studying jazz at Guildhall, Freddie brings linguistic depth to his performances, particularly evident in his passion for Brazilian music. This linguistic mastery combines with his unique dual identity as a vocalist and trumpet player, to create performances that blend technical skill with emotional depth. His debut show at London’s Ronnie Scott’s sold out in just two weeks – compelling evidence that audiences are eager to experience his unique and diverse musical talent.Freddie talks jazz heroes, ADR and Bossa Nova demonstrating his vocal improvisation prowess to Jobim’s ‘One Note Samba’. Technical insights and the human story behind a rising star’s development, subscribe now to catch more conversations with today's most exciting jazz artists. Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.
Geoff Gascoyne chats to big-name (and upcoming) jazz soloists as they pick and play their favourite jazz standards and talk about their jazz lives. A mix of candid discussion, technical insights and spontaneous improvisation, this weekly podcast is a must-listen for everyone that loves jazz. Geoff is a renowned jazz bass player and prolific composer and producer with credits on over 100 albums and a book of contacts to die for! He is also executive producer of the best-selling Quartet jazz standards play-along app series for iOS.
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