Geoff travels to Brixton in South London to catch up with the fabulous saxophonist, band leader and composer Dave O’Higgins.

This is an intimate conversation about Dave’s remarkable journey from progressive rock drummer to acclaimed jazz musician. With disarming honesty, he traces his unlikely path through music, describing how transcribing Charlie Parker solos by hand and slowing down vinyl records until they wore out shaped his approach to improvisation.

Dave's current project ‘Monkin' Around’ – a chordless trio playing Thelonious Monk compositions – becomes a springboard for fascinating insights into harmony and improvisation. He explains the liberating experience of playing without piano, forcing musicians to imply rather than state harmonic structures. We witness this approach firsthand as Dave gives an impromptu performance of the 1940’s Van Heusen/Burke standard "It Could Happen To You," demonstrating how jazz standards share common harmonic patterns that improvisers navigate through practiced vocabulary and in-the-moment listening.

The conversation takes an unexpectedly vulnerable turn when Dave admits to experiencing significant performance anxiety throughout his career – particularly after lockdown – despite recording nearly 30 albums as a band leader. His stories of high pressure performances (including a memorable live radio broadcast and playing with the London Symphony Orchestra when his music disappeared) reveal the resilience required by professional musicians. These candid admissions from such an accomplished player remind us that self-doubt never fully disappears, even at the highest levels of mastery.

Whether you're a jazz aficionado, a working musician, or simply curious about the creative process, this episode offers rare insights into the mind of a master improviser. Subscribe to the Quartet Jazz Standards Podcast and download the Quartet app for iOS to take your jazz play-along experience to another level.

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

Geoff is in the leafy North London suburb of Muswell Hill to meet the wonderful Gabriella Swallow – one of the most versatile and exciting cellists of her generation.

When Gabriella declares "I just want the biggest one" as her instrument selection as a child, it perfectly captures her fearless approach to musical exploration. Born in Belfast during “The Troubles” to dentist parents who loved music, Gabriella's journey from classical prodigy to genre-crossing improviser reveals a musician who refuses to be confined by tradition.

The conversation takes you through her formative years at Chetham’s School of Music, where she befriended future jazz innovators like Gwilym Simcock before continuing her classical training at the Royal College of Music. All while secretly jamming with indie bands and taking her first steps into session work. Her candid reflections on these early experiences highlight the delicate art of working across musical divides - learning to respect musicians who couldn't read music but possessed extraordinary creative gifts.

The heart of this episode centres on Gabriella's transformative experience touring with jazz keyboard virtuoso Hiromi. After being bluntly told her timing wasn't good enough, she embraced what she calls "funk school," spending hours daily with Hiromi and a drum machine developing walking bass technique and time feel - skills rarely taught to classical cellists. "To learn those skills post-40 years old was the biggest present she could have given me," Gabriella reflects, demonstrating how embracing vulnerability led to musical growth.

Throughout the conversation with Geoff, Gabriella reveals how music became her sanctuary during life's challenges, from her boarding school experience to balancing motherhood with her career. "Playing made me a better mother and motherhood made me a better musician," she notes, showing how these seemingly competing identities actually strengthened each other.

Listen as Gabriella performs an impromptu improvisation on Charlie Chaplin’s 1930s standard 'Smile', demonstrating her lyrical approach to jazz standards while discussing the technical challenges of adapting classical technique to new contexts. Her story will inspire anyone seeking to cross musical boundaries and find their authentic voice, regardless of their training or background.

Geoff is in Blackheath in South London to meet the greatly respected trumpet player, composer, arranger and educator Mark Armstrong.

Mark opens up about the electrifying moment jazz first captivated him as a schoolboy—a "kinesthetic experience" of colours and sounds that sparked a lifelong pursuit. Now an accomplished trumpet player with Ronnie Scott's big band, Jazz Professor at the Royal College of Music and former musical director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Mark brilliantly articulates how jazz education parallels language acquisition.

For those not born into jazz communities, he suggests learning the music requires understanding its grammar while developing an authentic accent—placing rhythmic feel at the foundation before tackling harmony. His thoughtful breakdown of "the butter notes" (what Miles Davis called his chord extensions) and sophisticated rhythmic groupings demonstrates why he's become such a respected educator.

The conversation reveals Mark’s analytical yet deeply expressive approach to improvisation. He masterfully explains how certain beats create more tension than others, how abrupt directional changes within melodic lines create "internal syncopation," and why the silence after notes matters as much as the notes themselves. When demonstrating on Ray Noble’s 1930’s jazz standard "Cherokee," his playing embodies these concepts with fluid, bebop-influenced lines that showcase his meticulous understanding of harmonic and rhythmic interplay.

Mark’s vulnerability about his own challenges—particularly leaving enough space and maintaining the right mental state during performance—offers reassurance to developing musicians. His reflections on career highlights, including working with British jazz legend Stan Tracey, and his passion for science fiction literature reveal an intellectually curious musician who values emotional authenticity.

Whether you're a trumpet player, jazz educator, or curious listener, Mark Armstrong's insights will transform how you hear and approach jazz improvisation. Try the Quartet App he recommends for your own practice journey! (shameless plug)

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