Geoff closes the year with a Christmas ‘session’ that blends memory, humour, and unapologetic swing, featuring the brilliant Ian Shaw and the incomparable Trudy Kerr. From the first count-in you can feel the band's pocket and the playful way we shape tradition: ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’ settles into a medium swing, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ nods to Horace Silver, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ stretches on a tasty vamp, and ‘Deck the Halls’ dances with a Latin pulse.

Between takes we wander through the stories that make the season personal. Ian riffs on Johnny Mathis's legendary breath control, the showbiz roots behind those perfect phrases, and why holding a single note can be a high-wire act! We laugh about panettone, glittering rooms at London’s ‘Crazy Coqs’ cabaret club, and the problem of wrapping paper that accidentally exposes Santa. Trudy arrives with sunlit memories of Australian Christmases and the heat-haze version of turkey and tinsel. Then she leans into a tender ‘Away in a Manger' that quiets the room.

If you love jazz vocals, holiday standards, or just hearing great singers play with form, this episode is for you. We talk phrasing, key choices, vamps, and why carols thrive in swing without losing their heart. And yes, we celebrate Quartet Volume 5, our brand new Christmas edition of the play-along app for iOS, built for singers and players who want a tight, responsive band in their pocket. It's an invitation to practice, perform, and find new colours in songs you've known forever.

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