Harmonious World

Welcome to 2023! I hope it brings us all immense happiness and more peace that most of us found at times in 2022. Get in touch to let me know what you think! Thank you for listening to Harmonious World. Please rate, review and share: click on the link and subscribe to support the show. Don't forget the Quincy Jones quote that sums up why I do this: "Imagine what a harmonious world it would be if e...

The latest episode of Harmonious World - the last one for 2022 - features my second  conversation with guitarist Yuri Liberzon . I hesitate to call him a classical guitarist and you'll hear why. This second conversation takes us on a journey through the works of composer Konstantin Vassiliev and Yuri's album of Vassiliev's guitar works that cross genres and include elements of conte...

Coincidentally, this interview with American conductor Garrett Keast appears exactly a year since our last episode together. 27 December seems to be our anniversary! In this conversation, we catch up on some of the exciting plans for the Berlin Academy of American Music in 2023 (and 2024 ....). This second conversation gives me the chance to feature more of the music form the BAAM 2021 album Trans...

I'm catching up on some of the great conversations I've had in recent weeks: this time it's another duo - songwriters Dizzy and Fay . The website includes lots of videos and links to their album - Hooked - which is beautiful. Thanks to Dizzy and Fay for allowing me to play extracts from Hooked alongside our conversation. Get in touch to let me know what you think! Thank you for list...

Piano and guitar duo Ross Stanley and Chris Allard joined me for the latest episode of Harmonious World. Their album - Tortugas - came out in July and it's been a delight to listen to in preparation for this conversation. To hear the whole album (and some extra tracks), join us all at London's 606 Club on 24 January. For those of you wanting to catch up on Ross's work with Trish Clo...

I'm joined by Greek drummer, now based in London, Billy Pod for the latest episode of Harmonious World. I've been loving listening to Billy's latest album - Quintessence - and it was a pleasure to chat with him. Thanks to Billy for allowing me to play extracts from Quintessence alongside our conversation. Get in touch to let me know what you think! Thank you for listening to Harmoni...

Welcome to the latest episode of Harmonious World, featuring a conversation with guitarist and composer Peter Janson . Getting To Here is a collection of self-penned tracks and arrangements of classics (including Chick Corea's Spain ) featuring Peter on solo jazz guitar. Thanks to Peter for allowing me to play extracts from Getting To Here alongside our conversation. Get in touch to let me kn...

I hope you enjoy this episode of Harmonious World as much as I enjoyed the conversation. Drummer and composer Peter Kogan has produced a stunning album and it was a pleasure to chat with him. Just Before Midnight features a selection of ensembles with Peter at the core and you really need to hear the whole collection of tracks to get a full sense of the breadth of the playing from all involved, an...

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. In one of my favourite episodes, you can hear me this time in conversation with pianist and composer Marina Arsenijevic . We discuss Marina's Serbian American background and especially one of her most recent compositions and recordings, the absolutely wonderful Tesla Rhapsody . Thanks to Marina for allowing me to play extracts from Tesla Rhapsody...

In a highly topical episode, Harmonious World this time features a selection of music, including one piece composed by Peter Boyer to remember the fallen during the First World War. Peter's fourth album of orchestral music features the London Symphony Orchestra in a selection of his works, including Balance of Power . Thanks to Peter for allowing me to play extracts from his orchestral works...

As this episode of Harmonious World begins, you can hear the piano of Ammiel Bushakevitz and the simply extraordinary voice of American tenor Timothy Fallon , who joins me for this conversation. Timothy and Ammiel's latest album - Crepuscolo - is a collection of the songs of Ottorino Respighi. Our conversation ranges across the album, Timothy's background, Vienna and his award-winning co...

The latest episode of Harmonious World features composer, producer and performer David Vito Gregoli . David's latest album is a collaboration with double Grammy winner Ricky Kej . Wild Monsoon is an eclectic, mesmerising collection and this is an interesting discussion of how the music came into being. Thanks to David for allowing me to play extracts from Wild Monsoon alongside our conversati...

I was delighted to discuss the album 'The Paper Lined  Shack' for this episode of Harmonious World with composer Jeff Beal . The two collections - The Paper Lined Shack and Things Unseen  - are disparate but beautiful compositions and somewhat cinematic. My discussions with Jeff Beal cover the composition, recording and his musical background. I hope you enjoy listening in.  Thanks to Je...

For this episode of Harmonious World I am joined by sax player Derrick Michaels and bassist Zachary Swanson: two-thirds of Trio Xolo . If you're unfamiliar with free-flowing improvisation, the Trio Xolo  latest album - In Flower, In Song  - is a great place to start. The combination of bass, percussion and sax brings a sense of music that captures the moment in which it is performed. I enjoye...

The first episode of season 10 of Harmonious World features an interview with pianist and composer Ben Raznick . Ben's latest album - Birds of a Feather  - includes classic piano tracks alongside some original compositions. Our conversation includes much about his music and a slight deviation into discussion of Denver, the city Ben currently calls home and where the album was recorded. Thanks...

I'm grateful to pianist Ben Raznick for asking me about my sax playing. I thought it would make an interesting trailer for season 10, which starts this week. The first guest for season 10 will be Ben, talking about his new album Birds of a Feather. In this trailer, you can hear his composition Barcelona Tango-Rag , which feels like it should be my new theme tune! First, you can hear a brief u...

Not only have I interviewed composer and pianist Ross Lorraine for the latest episode of Harmonious World, but I was fortunate enough to attend the album launch and hear these songs performed live. Heart of Mine features some extraordinary musicians, including singers Claire Martin , Ian Shaw and Luca Manning .  My conversation with Ross discusses the composition process, as well as how delighted...

The latest episode of Harmonious World features a conversation with pianist and composer Darren Litzie . My Horizon is Darren's debut album and it includes a selection of original tracks and especially the beautiful standard I Have Dreamed . If you're fortunate enough to be in Fairfield, Connecticut in October, you can catch the album launch.but meanwhile, I hope you enjoy our conversati...

If you're reading this while listening to the opening, I hope you are enjoying the wonderful music of violinist Pei-Wen Liao and pianist William Goldstein . This conversation really is about them sharing what they're best at - the concept at the heart of Harmonious World. Pei-Wen and Bill's album is Brushstrokes: The intersection of Art and Music. In essence, this is composition in...

There's another UK artist in this episode of Harmonious World, as I speak to dynamic and creative pianist Gareth Williams . Gareth's latest album is Short Stories   and it features some more legendary musicians on a thought-provoking collection of original and jazz standards. Our conversation took place in the heat of July and the rain is pouring as I'm editing this, but the music s...

This episode of Harmonious World sees me in conversation with singer songwriter and producer Gavin Holligan . Gavin's album I Need A Song is out now and only available direct from the artist. In our conversation (along with contributions from a playful cat) we discuss his background, his joy of writing with a purpose and experimentation as an independent artist. Thanks to Gavin for allowing m...

From the modern classical solo piano compositions of the last episode, I am joined for this episode of Harmonious World by Extended Trio . Their style of jazz draws upon their varied musical influences and this album is very much the fruit of the Covid-19 pandemic. My discussions with Oscar Rossignoli, Matt Booth and Brad Webb cover their third album - Without Notice - together with their backgrou...

This episode was a total delight - not only did I get to interview the pianist Nicolas Horvath , who is a Steinway Artist and a fascinating musician, but we were also discussing the compositions of William Susman . Bill and I chatted for episodes 16 and 31 of Harmonious World and he was generous enough to introduce me to Nicolas (virtually, at least). These compositions on Quiet Rhythms Book 1 are...

Harmonica player Mathias Heise has brought his Quadrillion project back with an amazing album that is just so full of joy. It was great to talk to him about the album, lockdown and the delight in getting back to playing in front of a real audience. Quadrillion is Danish jazz fusion at its finest, with fascinating harmonies that cheat the ear, alongside complex melodies and hard-hitting grooves. Th...

When I organised my interview with cellist Matt Haimovitz, Primavera II the rabbits had just been released. Now there's also Primavera III the vessels to add to the original Primavera I  the wind. This is all just part of the massive Primavera Project , which will eventually include 81 world premieres for solo cello. Our conversation covers the inspiration behind the compositions, the recordi...