You can tell a lot about a musician by the jobs they keep getting called for, and renowned bassist and musical author Phil Mulford has built a career that spans session bass, West End theatre pits, TV work, pop touring, jazz fusion, and film recording.

Geoff meets Phil in his South London studio and starts right at the beginning: picking up bass at school because it was the only instrument left, then levelling up through youth big bands, serious listening, and the kind of early opportunities that reward players who show up prepared.

From an engineering apprenticeship to playing on the QE2, Phil shares how going professional often happens faster than you expect, and why sight reading, time feel, and calm nerves are not "nice to have" skills. We talk Gloria Gaynor gigs, stepping deeper into jazz and fusion, and the realities of West End ‘depping’ where you need to know the book well enough to survive conductor changes and high-pressure calls. Phil also reflects on session highlights, including TV pre-records connected to big live moments, and why preparation is the real cure for stage anxiety.

Then we get practical: Phil explains how he uses the Quartet jazz standards play-along app to practise chord changes, build walking bass lines, and expand vocabulary through jazz harmony. We play through Wes Montgomery's 1960s classic ‘Road Song’ and dig into what makes it such a rich standard for bass players, from ii-V-I movement to minor harmony and altered dominants. If you care about becoming a more adaptable bassist, improving your sight-reading, or getting more confident on standards, this chat is full of real-world guidance.

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