From forming my first jazz groups in my 20’s the quartet was the main form of expression through music.

At first with pianist Nick Weldon, bassist Erica Howard and drummer Mark Taylor. We had residency at the Monarch pub in Camden Town on Sunday lunchtimes and I loved the Cedar Walton Quartet at the time so I attempted to play in that idiom.

The trio were all stronger and more experienced than me and I learnt a lot from playing with them.

As I started listening to more contemporary music such as Keith Jarrett’s European band, Ornette Coleman and Pat Metheny I realised I needed to play with musicians who were also listening to this music. The music had a different vocabulary, freer rhythmic approach and another kind of harmonic and melodic language.

Although I had recorded two albums with the saxophone quartet Itchy Fingers in the 1980’s it wasn’t until the 90’s I recorded albums under my own name with my own compositions. I formed a group with guitarist John Parricelli, bassist Steve Watts and drummer Steve Arguelles and we recorded my first two quartet albums of my own compositions, In Our Time (Jazz Label) and Trust (33 Records).

The first recording I was on was John Williams Octet-The Year Of The Buffalo (Spotlite) featuring a suite written by pianist Pete Saberton in 1985. This contact with Tony Williams who owned the label, gave me an opportunity to record under my own name in 1996 with guitarist Phil Lee, Pete Saberton, Mick Hutton and drummer Bryan Spring. The album featured me in duo, trio, quartet and quintet tracks.

Steve Arguelles moved to Paris and I began playing with bassist Mick Hutton and drummer Tom Skinner. This line up with John on guitar recorded Hullabaloo (Linn Records). I also recorded a trio album with Mick and Tom called Exploring Standards (33 Records). A departure from my own compositions and an opportunity to experience playing without a chordal instrument.

Co-operative quartet albums entitled Secret (Basho) and Bloor Street (Edition) featured pianist Nikki Iles and Canadians, bassist Duncan Hopkins and drummer Anthony Michelli. These recordings featured compositions by myself, Nikki and Duncan and we performed in the UK and Canada.

Generations and Live At Riverhouse were released on my own Pumpkin record label and featured four generations of musicians playing standard songs, myself with drummer Jeff Williams, bassist Dave Green and pianist Barry Green.

I had begun playing with a musician who has been a great influence on me, US drummer Paul Motian, and we did three UK tours in 1993, 2000 and 2001. In 2002 we recorded a quartet Change Of Heart (ECM) with Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson and Mick Hutton.

Around this time I began playing with guitarist Mike Outram who had moved to London from Manchester and have been playing with him ever since in many of my projects. My next quartet was with him and bassist Tom Herbert and Tom Skinner, the latter two had been playing together since their school days and had agreat connection that I liked. This line up never recorded.

In 2005 I commemorated the 50th year since Charlie Praker passed away by touring the UK and forming another quartet with Mike, drummer Dave Wickins and bassist Simon Thorpe playing Charlie Parker tunes and standard songs associated with him. We recorded Charlie Parker (Jazzizit).

I was influenced by Paul Motian’s Trio and also the Ellery Eskelin Trio, both had no bass player so I wanted to try that out with Mike and Jeff Williams. We did a lot of gigs, including a 21 date tour and recorded the double album Always A First Time (Pumpkin). This trio lasted a while but then I began missing bass players.

American pianist Ethan Iverson I met at Banff in Canada in 1990 and we toured and recorded as a duo in 2002. Then his career took off with the Bad Plus and we were not able to connect again musically until he left that band and we recorded Intention (Ubuntu) with bassist Fred Thomas and drummer James Maddren in 2017.

Small groups and in particular quartets have been my main vehicle for my own music over my career. There are several that have been recorded but not released yet including In All Languages-The Music Of Ornette Coleman with tenor player Alyson Cawley, bassist Calum Gourlay and Jeff Williams, Charukesi with Alyson Cawley, tuba player Richard Fox and drummer Tom Hooper and Quartet with Mike, Jeff and Calum.

I seem to like duos too as there are many on my Pumpkin label with Mark Sanders, Alyson Cawley, Jeff Williams, Will Butterworth, Faith Brackenbury, Colin Oxley, Alcyona Mick, Alex Maguire, Douglas Finch. Some are totally improvised and others have original compositions on.

Many more releases to come. This is a brief history of my developing small groups over four decades.

Current quartet of my own music is with Mike Outram bassist Matt Ridley and drummer Tristan Mailliot.