The Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast

• Episode 32. Henry Lowther (Trumpet) - 'There Is No Greater Love'

  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's studio culture: anonymous credits, bank holiday double rates, and the quiet politics of producers who double-track without paying extra. He remembers AIR Studios with Paul McCartney under George Martin's eye, the bass that made a horn section sound out, and the moment "fresh ears" became a punchline. Then the camera pans back to his origins: a violinist at the Royal Academy, captured by Indian classical logic, drawn to Sonny Rollins' trio lines, and pulled home to trumpet by Miles Davis and Clifford Brown.His learning method is stubbornly musical—ears first, theory second—and it shows when he improvises the 1930s Isham Jones/Marty Symes standard ‘There Is No Greater Love’ (alongside the Quartet app of course), explaining why one-scale-per-chord falls short and why thinking in keys keeps lines alive.We trace the ‘free’ music thread with Jack Bruce and John Hiseman, the influence of late Coltrane, and the British habit of crossing scenes instead of forming cliques. Henry reflects on the academic wave that raised standards yet risks flattening voices, and he celebrates players who sound like themselves in just two bars. Harmony talk gets vivid: Miles' long arcs versus Coltrane's saturated chords, Monk's push to play every note, and Kenny Wheeler's blend of slash chords, pedal points, and classical rigour. There are snapshots you'll remember—helicopters into Woodstock, trumpets blooming in Canterbury Cathedral, a sleepless ECM session, and Gil Evans on a London Underground platform clutching handwritten parts, chaos wrapped in kindness.If you care about jazz history, improvisation craft, and the human side of a life in music, you'll find wisdom and warmth here. Subscribe, share with a musician who needs the push, and leave a review telling us the story or chord that stayed with you.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production. 

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• Episode 31. Art Themen (Saxophone) - 'It Could Happen To You'

  Geoff is in the picturesque Oxfordshire town of Henley on Thames to meet with the wonderful saxophonist (and former orthopaedic surgeon) Art Themen. What began with a misassembled clarinet and a missing page turned into a life split between the operating theatre and the bandstand, shaped by New Orleans tone, bebop language, and the stubborn joy of playing for real people in real rooms. We trace the arc from tin whistles and trad bands to hearing Louis Armstrong's All‑Stars in Manchester, discovering Lionel Grigson's bebop road map at Cambridge University, and stepping into the London jazz scene alongside Alexis Korner, Phil Seamen, and a young Rod Stewart in the wings.We get personal about balance: pulling late‑night gigs through medical school, covering colleagues to tour with Stan Tracey across South America, and learning why calm under lights and calm under surgical lamps feel oddly similar. There's a love letter to Dexter Gordon's ‘Go!’ as the perfect straight‑ahead blueprint, a warm nod to Sonny Rollins' generosity, and a candid take on what non‑musicians really hear at a jazz gig: timbre, breath, humour, and the shared attention that turns solos into stories.We also open the case on a legend - Ronnie Scott's Selmer Super Balanced Action - how it left the glass cabinet, the rumoured Hank Mobley link, and why a horn with history should still see the stage. We are treated to an impromptu rendition of the Burke/Van Heusen 40s standard ‘It Could Happen To You’ accompanied by the Quartet app (of course!)Along the way, we talk practice that actually happens: play‑along tools that focus the mind after long days, picking tunes at random to break ruts, and letting new repertoire force fresh lines. We weigh tradition against free improvisation, revisit career highs from Chicago to Hyde Park, and keep it human with quickfire favourites (Coronation Chicken, The Producers, the Bull's Head, Nice…). The thread running through it all is generosity - toward the audience, the band, and the music itself - anchored by the belief that swing and a good joke can live in the same bar.If you enjoy honest stories, live playing, and craft without pretence, hit follow, share this with a friend who loves Dexter or Rollins, and leave a short review telling us your favourite jazz album and why. Your notes shape the next set.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production. 

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• Episode 30. Chris Ingham (Piano) - 'Very Early'

  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 when it's born from love rather than orders.We get granular on practice that works in real life. Chris breaks down his tiers of using a playalong app: fast, fluent warm-ups on familiar tunes; awkward-key transpositions to stretch the hands and the ear, and ultra-slow when a tune like ‘Falling Grace’ has to be learned from scratch.Then he opens up Bill Evans' ‘Very Early’ with a clear map: track tonal centres, hear the cadences, respect the sudden "brick wall" modulation, and let thirds and sevenths light the way. Comping becomes a story, not filler. His improvisation on this 1960’s standard (accompanied by the Quartet jazz play along app) provides a wonderful demonstration.Between craft insights come the human beats that shape taste. Dave Frishberg's ‘Songbook’ shifted his compass. Sondheim still makes him tear up. He's honest about his reading abilities as a past weakness, the kind of nerves that only show up when preparation hasn't, and the chord colours he loves—sus 13 with the added third and those rich C minor 11/13 sonorities that hang in the air.If you care about standards, tonal centres, and making audiences lean forward, this conversation brings both method and heart.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, share with a friend who loves jazz standards, and leave a quick review. Thank you.Presenter: Geoff GascoyneSeries Producer: Paul SissonsProduction Manager: Martin SissonsThe Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.

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• 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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