The Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast

• Episode 29. Martin Shaw (Trumpet) - 'My Romance'

  In this episode, Geoff catches up with the wonderful trumpet player and educator Martin Shaw.Born into a household where music constantly filled the air—his mother a classical pianist, his father a jazz improviser—Martin's story reveals how these dual influences created the perfect foundation for his development.Martin shares the pivotal moment when, as a schoolboy faced with the choice between heading to the tuck shop or trying brass instruments, he chose the latter and discovered his lifelong relationship with the trumpet. This seemingly small decision would launch a career that included six years with Jamiroquai, performances at Woodstock '99 before 130,000 people, and collaborations with legendary figures in the jazz world.What makes this conversation particularly valuable is Martin's articulation of his approach to improvisation. Unlike many jazz musicians who rely heavily on memorised patterns, his style developed primarily through deep listening to piano players like Oscar Peterson and Chick Corea—giving his trumpet playing a distinctive harmonic richness. His innovative teaching method of "minim jazz"—where students improvise using only half notes to focus solely on harmonic choices—offers a fascinating glimpse into his pedagogical philosophy.From discussing and improvising on his favourite jazz standard ‘My Romance’ (accompanied by the Quartet app), to sharing candid reflections on his professional journey, Martin provides listeners with both practical insights and inspirational takeaways.Listen now to gain valuable perspective from a musician whose journey spans classical training, worldwide performances, and becoming a professor of jazz trumpet at prestigious institutions including the Royal College of Music, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and The Purcell School. Whether you're a trumpet player, jazz enthusiast, or simply curious about the development of musical identity, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of how family influence, education, and personal discovery shape an artist's voice.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.

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• Episode 28. Chris Allard (Guitar) - 'How Deep Is The Ocean?'

  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 would lead to conservatory training, where his reluctant classical guitar studies unexpectedly became a career asset, enabling performances with artists like Russell Watson and Lea Salonga.The heart of the discussion centres on Chris's doctoral research, where he has meticulously transcribed and analysed four contrasting guitarists—Lionel Loueke, Jesse van Ruller, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Nelson Veras—to develop his own musical language. His systematic approach to absorbing their innovations while establishing his distinctive sound offers valuable insights for musicians of all levels struggling with the influence of their heroes.From performing at the Pyramids in Cairo to playing intimate jazz clubs, Chris shares candid reflections on stage nerves, memorable performances, and the practical challenges of developing as a musician. We even explore his equipment choices, favourite recordings, and get a demonstration of some particularly tasty chord voicings.Ready to take your jazz practice and performing to the next level? Download the Quartet app for iOS today and experience the difference of playing along with professional-quality backing tracks, just like Chris demonstrates in this episode with Irving Berlin’s 1930s standard ‘How Deep is the Ocean’.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.

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• Episode 27. Jim Mullen (Guitar) - 'When Sunny Gets Blue'

  Geoff travels to London’s West End to catch up with the legendary jazz guitarist Jim Mullen. The conversation offers a masterclass in authentic musical development as Jim recounts his journey from Glasgow's jazz clubs to becoming one of Britain's most distinctive guitarists. Approaching his 80th birthday, he reflects on the transformative experiences that shaped his musical identity – witnessing jazz titans like John Coltrane, Ray Brown, and the Oscar Peterson Trio in his hometown during the 1960s.What sets Jim Mullen apart is his entirely self-developed approach. Never formally taught, he developed his unique playing style through necessity and intuition. Being left-handed but playing a right-handed guitar led to his signature thumb technique, creating a warm, vocal tone that has become his hallmark. "When you play with your thumb, you can only play downstroke," he explains, revealing how this limitation forced creative solutions that ultimately defined his sound.Jim’s philosophy on improvisation proves particularly illuminating. Unlike many jazz musicians, he never transcribed solos, believing it would trap him in others' vocabularies. Instead, he focused on capturing the essence of players he admired while developing his own melodic approach. "Improvising a solo is really trying to invent an alternative melody," he shares, emphasising continuity of ideas over technical display. By way of example, he improvises to the 1950s Marvin Fisher/Jack Segal standard ‘When Sunny Gets Blue’ accompanied by the Quartet jazz playalong app of course.The conversation explores his pivotal role in developing British jazz-funk with saxophonist Dick Morrissey, creating a groundbreaking sound that attracted diverse audiences and influenced a generation of musicians. Now in his musical maturity, Jim has embraced jazz standards over complex original compositions, finding profound expression in simplicity: "A good tune does half the work for you."Whether you're a jazz aficionado, guitarist, or simply appreciate stories of authentic artistic development, this episode offers rare insights from a musician who carved his own path through jazz history. Subscribe to hear more of them. Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.

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• Episode 26. Theo Travis (Saxophone) - '500 Miles High'

  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 classical flute before teenage obsessions with T. Rex, David Bowie, and The Beatles led him toward improvisation. The pivotal moment came when a friend introduced him to John Coltrane's ‘Afro Blue Impressions’ (1963), igniting a passion for jazz that would shape his future. His methodical approach to learning improvisation through pattern books that forced him to transpose phrases through different keys built the foundation for his versatile playing style.What makes this episode particularly fascinating is Theo’s ability to move seamlessly between musical worlds. A chance phone call from Japan bassist Mick Karn in 1997, opened the door to prog rock collaborations, leading to work with Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Robert Fripp of King Crimson. He describes how these experiences liberated him from conventional jazz forms, inspiring him to create music that transcends genre boundaries. His insights about the differences between jazz musicians' theoretical knowledge and rock musicians' instinctive creativity offer a refreshing perspective on artistic authenticity.The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Theo introduces us to the duduk, an Armenian double-reed instrument with a haunting sound that he mastered during lockdown. His enthusiasm for this ancient instrument and how he's incorporated it into contemporary contexts demonstrates his ongoing musical curiosity.Throughout the episode, Theo’s thoughtful reflections on memorable performances—like his completely improvised duo with Robert Fripp at Coventry Cathedral—reveal an artist who remains open to musical discovery. His performance of Chick Corea's 1970s standard ‘500 Miles High’ (accompanied by the trusted workhorse that is the Quartet app) showcases both his technical facility and deep understanding of harmony.Whether you're a jazz aficionado, prog rock enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates musical storytelling, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the creative process of an extraordinary musician who refuses to be confined by genre boundaries.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.  

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• Episode 25. Mark Lockheart (Saxophone) - 'It Could Happen To You'

  Geoff is in Greenwich, London to meet with the renowned saxophonist and composer Mark Lockheart.Mark's story begins with the heartwarming image of waking up to his father's jazz records and following his dad into saxophone playing at age eleven. What follows is a rich narrative of musical discovery that spans decades.Mark vividly recalls the American record club that delivered formative jazz recordings to his family home, introducing him to the sounds of Wes Montgomery and Paul Desmond that would shape his musical sensibilities. His path led through classical saxophone studies at Trinity College, where fateful meetings with musicians like Django Bates and John Parricelli set the stage for his involvement with the revolutionary jazz collective Loose Tubes in the early 1980s.The conversation delves into Mark's distinctive approach to composition – intuitive, often arising from improvisation rather than formal theory. "For me, writing is all about counterpoint," he explains, describing how he focuses on melody and bass movement before determining the chords between them. This approach has served him well through various projects, from the quartet Perfect Houseplants to his most ambitious orchestral work ‘Days on Earth’ (2019).Perhaps most revealing is Mark's complex relationship with jazz standards. Despite considering them foundational to his practice routine and musical development, he has never recorded them on his own albums – a hesitation born from deep respect for the definitive versions that already exist. Through demonstrations and stories, Mark illustrates how saxophone masters like Henderson, Rollins, and Coltrane shaped his sound through imitation and absorption rather than formal instruction.The conversation culminates in a philosophical insight that resonates beyond music: "The older I get, the more I realise that the things you can't do are as important as the things you can do." Mark's journey reminds us that finding your voice isn't about mastering everything, but about making something distinctive with what you have.Explore this fascinating musical conversation and hear Mark's interpretation of the 1940s Van Heusen/Burke standard ‘It Could Happen To You’ accompanied by the Quartet app of course! Subscribe now and discover more illuminating jazz dialogues in future episodes.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production. 

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