In this episode, Geoff invites the enigmatic jazz pianist, vocalist, composer and legendary educator Pete Churchill round to his pad in Bromley, Kent.

After almost twenty years teaching at London’s Guildhall School of Music, Pete is now Professor of Jazz Composition at the Royal Academy of Music as well as Head of Jazz Voice at the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels.

Pete's musical journey weaves through rebellion, rediscovery, and remarkable innovation in jazz education. Growing up with classical musician parents (his father founded the Academy of St Martin in the Fields), Pete’s path took an unexpected turn when he dramatically abandoned formal music education at 13. This teenage rebellion opened the door to jazz when his father began sending cassette tapes of jazz pianists like Jelly Roll Morton and Errol Garner.

What makes Pete’s approach to teaching jazz so powerful is his extraordinary ability to "remember what it was like not to know." This perspective allows him to bridge complex musical concepts with practical understanding, creating pathways for students to discover rather than simply memorise. His methodology strips harmony back to essential relationships, using key centers and "trigger notes" that help musicians navigate harmonic terrain while maintaining their bearings.

Churchill's explanation of chord symbols as musical shorthand—comparable to figured bass in Baroque music—reveals how his classical background enhances his jazz teaching. He demonstrates these concepts beautifully through a masterful rendition of Irving Berlin’s 1930s standard "How Deep Is The Ocean?” using the Quartet jazz accompaniment app, showing how paraphrasing techniques borrowed from rhetoric can shape meaningful improvisations.

For singers especially, Churchill has developed approaches that honour the vulnerability of the voice. Beginning with stable reference points and gradually expanding the harmonic palette, his methods help vocalists build confidence while developing authentic expression. His insights into the narrative arc of improvisation—from presenting material to expressing personal feeling to collective interpretation—provide a framework that respects both tradition and individual voice.

Beyond his teaching philosophy, Pete shares fascinating stories from his career, including his work with legendary vocalist Jon Hendricks on lyrics for Gil Evans' ‘Miles Ahead’ album—a collaboration that felt serendipitous, uniting Pete’s knowledge of jazz, The Great American Songbook, and spiritual texts.

Whether you're a seasoned musician, educator, or passionate listener, this conversation offers rare insights into jazz education from one of its most thoughtful practitioners.

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