"A few years ago I decided to record some of the musical ideas I had been playing around with. I wanted to tell musical stories that had an emotional core but were not sentimental, but honest and real.

I was living by the seaside in Sydney and the ocean was a huge influence. The sound of waves, the feeling of being underwater, floating, light passing above, the shimmering surface of the water, the blues and the greens. The sea is always changing too, the repetition of the tides, the waves, there's sense of motion, but it's also immutable and unchanging."

Geoff grew up in small town New Zealand and taught himself piano, later having a few lessons, then played in bars to help fund University study. A successful career as a filmmaker and TV director allowed him to channel his love of music into films about music and musicians.

"Subconsciously a lot of pieces evoke images for me - they are like the soundtrack to imaginary films. And in fact several pieces are variations on music I have composed specifically for films I have made."

Geoff's musical influences include Miles Davis, Eleni Karaindrou, Bach, Yann Tiersen, Steve Reich, Keith Jarrett, Bob Dylan, Craig Armstrong, Paul Bley, Debussey, Wasilenski Trio, Mike Nock, Michael Nyman, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Brian Eno, Arvo Part.

By the Sea

The Cat's Whiskers