Geoff Gascoyne

Geoff Gascoyne is a jazz bassist, composer and arranger from Nottingham, United Kingdom. Born in 1963, he starts on piano at the age of six and takes classical training before passing Grade 8 at 13. He then turns to electric bass, influenced by the popular music of the period and the need for bass players in local groups.

Early career and training

He moves to London in 1978 to study painting at St Martins School of Art, but continues to work as a musician throughout. Shortly before leaving in 1981, he joins his first professional group and begins working freelance. By 1988 he begins studying jazz in earnest, expanding from electric bass into a wider jazz practice.

Bands, touring and collaborations

In 1990 he joins Everything But The Girl and remains with the group for three years, touring the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan and recording the album Worldwide. He also tours South America in 1994 with US3. His early jazz work includes playing electric bass with groups led by Jim Mullen and Ian Shaw.

In 1993, with guitarist Malcolm MacFarlane, he founds Wabash, his first group. Around this period he also begins playing acoustic bass and places more emphasis on composing and arranging. A meeting with Georgie Fame in Germany leads to an ongoing association; he joins Fame's group in 1995 and later that year performs with Van Morrison on a short UK tour.

Recording work and bandleading

Gascoyne records his first album as a leader, Voices of Spring, in 1995. The album features ten London musicians and singers and presents his work on both electric and acoustic bass. He records his second leader album, Winter Wonderland, in 1997 as a duet with pianist Peter Churchill. In 2001 he releases his third CD on Jazzizit Records, followed later that year by his first dedicated quartet album, and then Songs of the Summer with a quartet featuring Ben Castle, Gareth Williams and Sebastiaan De Krom.

He continues to work with a wide range of musicians and projects, including Guy Barker's International Group, Bill Bruford's Earthworks, Lisa Stansfield, The Britten Sinfonia, Dianne Reeves, Ben Sidran, Norma Winstone, Dave Koz, Peter White, Trudy Kerr, Cedar Walton, Claire Martin, Willard White and Jamie Cullum. His credits also include arranging for albums by Trudy Kerr, Georgie Fame, Ian Shaw and Cedar Walton.

Other work

Gascoyne teaches privately and also works as a guest tutor at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He helps develop a new Rockschool syllabus covering graded examinations in rock, pop and jazz. His work extends beyond jazz performance to film, television and theatre, including music related to The Talented Mr Ripley, West End production Lenny, and deputising in The Lion King. He also appears in the Hollywood film The Talented Mr Ripley.

Selected later activity

He performs regularly at Ronnie Scott's in London and continues composing and arranging. His career includes work with opera singers and orchestral settings as well as smooth jazz projects, showing a broad range across modern jazz, pop-jazz and related styles.