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 Gascoyne
Series Producer: Paul Sissons
Production Manager: Martin Sissons
The Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast is a UK Music Apps production.