Harmonious World

Pianist Craig Urquhart joined me virtually for the latest episode of Harmonious World. His composition Lamentation for flute and strings began episode 91, when I interviewed Garrett Keast. This time, Craig and I discuss his latest album of solo piano works - Dreams Remembered . Thanks to Craig for allowing me to use clips from the album alongside our conversation. Follow me on instagram.com/hilary...

My conversation for this episode of Harmonious World is with singer songwriter Donna De Lory . Donna's latest solo album - Gone Beyond   - is described as a meditative masterpiece and it was very interesting to discuss it with her. Thanks to Donna for allowing me to use clips from the album alongside our conversation. Follow me on instagram.com/hilaryrwriter Follow me on facebook.com/HilaryRo...

This Valentine's Day features a very special conversation with pianist Pete Malinverni . On The Town - Pete Malinverni Plays Leonard Bernstein  is a wonderful album, featuring a stunning jazz trio and some of the world's most beautiful tunes. We discuss the making of the album, when Pete met Leonard and all things pandemic and music. It's a long episode, but for a very good reason,...

The violin and piano duo Opus Two brings sparkling music and they joined me for some sparkling conversation - albeit across the miles. Opus Two's latest album is an arrangement of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music: Suite for Violin and Piano from the pen of veteran Broadway composer Eric Stern.  This is a lovely release and it was a pleasure to discuss it with violinist William Ter...

The stunning harp of Tara Minton begins this episode, as the harpist and I discuss her latest album and the joy of working with musicians such as here duo partner bassist Ed Babar and producer, bassist and arranger Geoff Gascoyne . On Two For the Road , we hear Tara and Ed in their own contribution to the the Great American Songbook and the modern British jazz canon. Gascoyne and Babar's cont...

In a rare twist to the usual format for Harmonious World, I was not speaking to either the performer or the composer of the album I had been listening to. This time, I was speaking to renowned conductor JoAnn Falletta on her work to bring the performances of pianist Claudette Sorel to the listening world. Claudette Sorel Rediscovered  is a double DC showcasing the late pianist in solo works and Am...

For the latest episode of Harmonious World, I was joined by singer songwriter Kira Velella . Kira's latest single is You Light Me Up , which is probably what we all need right now, as we approach two years of pandemic and lockdowns.  You can find Kira on Bandcamp , along with many of my other guests from past episodes. Thanks to Kira for allowing me to use the track alongside our conversation...

The first Harmonious World episode of season 7 - and 2022 - features composer and pianist Paul Edis . The Still Point of the Turning World   brings Paul's stunning composing and performing zeal to this debut album on Lateralize Records . We had a great chat about how Paul came to release this album and something about what the future holds. Thanks to Paul for allowing me to use tracks from th...

Conductor Garrett Keast joined me for a delightful conversation about music, Berlin and specifically the debut album from the Berlin Academy of American Music . Transatlantic is a wonderful album and I highly recommend it for the dedicated classical music fan and for those looking for something new to listen to. There's new and more traditional American compositions, including Copland's...

My interview for this Christmas special is with Daniel Hyde, Musical Director of The Choir of Kings College Cambridge . The choir's album - In the Bleak Midwinter - reflects the extraordinary Christmases of both 2020 and 2021. The next tracks I discuss in this episode are a variety, all released in time for Christmas this year and I hope you enjoy the work of these artists: * Sancta Nox: Chri...

I was delighted to be joined by soprano sax player Jane Ira Bloom for our second interview alongside her collaborator, drummer and percussionist Allison Miller . Tues Days is the pair's album of improvised sax and drum duets recorded in March and April 2021. The music is both rhythmic and lyrical, displaying a very clear exploration of their productive Tuesdays playing together. Thanks to Jan...

Orchard starts and finishes this week's episode of Harmonious World, as I discuss the writing and recording of the track with writer and radio host Binnie Klein . Binnie's brand new collaborative project is very exciting and includes a video for Orchard , which features the voice of Australian artist Tartie . Thanks to Binnie for allowing me to start and finish this episode with the sing...

This week's episode starts with a composition by my guest, John Finbury and the glorious bass of Christian McBride. John has three singles out now - Look at What a Mess You Made of Me , Boulevard and Ring the Bells , the latter of which was composed in memory of the late, great, Chick Corea. John talked through the composition and recording process behind each of the tracks and it was a fasci...

This episode of Harmonious World features talented singer, lyricist, writer and arranger Ami Oprenova . Ami's album - Precious Days - brings together a huge range of musical influences. It owes something to Ami's time with gypsy swing group Coco 'n' the fellas , as well as jazz, swing and blues. All with a bit of European folk music. Thanks to Ami for allowing me to play extrac...

I'm joined by the hugely talented and inspirational  pianist Craig Taborn for the latest episode of Harmonious World. Shadow Plays is out now on ECM records and is produced by the prolific Manfred Eicher. Recorded at the Wiener Konzerthaus on 2 March 2020, this is a real musical moment in time and you can hear Craig and I discuss the start of the pandemic as he experienced it at the end of a...

I was joined by sax player and composer Jon Gordon for the latest episode of Harmonious World. Jon's latest album is Stranger Than Fiction - a fabulous collection of tracks that reflect something of Gordon's response to the crises facing us in the world around us. This conversation was a joy and I hope you enjoy listening in. Thanks to Jon for allowing me to play extracts from Stranger T...

Award-winning composer and pianist Matthew Puckett joins me for this episode of Harmonious World. Before I Go is a wonderful soundtrack to a new movie of the same name . Matthew has worked with director Eric Schaeffer on several of his films and their creative partnership continues with this beautiful soundtrack. Thanks to Matthew for allowing me to play extracts from Before I Go alongside our con...

This episode of Harmonious World features a conversation with violinist Matthew Detrick, who is also Artistic Director of the Apollo Chamber Players . Apollo Chamber Players are a busy group of musicians who are working on a whole series of fascinating musical projects, including the album With Malice Toward None  which came out in August. We barely scratched the surface in our chat, but I hope it...

Another fascinating conversation for Harmonious World, this time with pianist RIOPY . This was a great pleasure, to both interview RIOPY and, indeed, listen back to our conversation in editing this episode. His album, Bliss is out now and I hope you enjoy listening to the clips I'm including. Thanks to RIOPY for allowing me to play extracts from Bliss alongside our conversation. Follow me on...

I hope you'll enjoy listening to my conversation with violinist Hideko Udagawa . Nostalgic Russia - Hideko's latest album - is out now and features some of the most gorgeous pieces written for violin and piano, and transcriptions of two pieces that were originally written for solo piano. We discuss all this and more and I hope you enjoy listening. Thanks to Hideko for allowing me to play...

I hope you'll enjoy listening to my conversation with pianist and composer Lisa Swerdlow . Lisa's latest single is All Is Not Lost and we discuss that, together with her Coming to America concerto, which is also available now. Lisa is a beautiful pianist and these compositions have a great deal to offer, both musically and philosophically. Thanks to Lisa for allowing me to play extracts...

Another delightful and hugely talented guest on Harmonious World and this time it's bassist, Marc Johnson . Marc's latest album, Overpass , is out now on ECM Records. and I hope you enjoy listening to the sample of the tracks on the podcast. It's a fascinating album and beautiful music - some standards and some originals. Thanks to Marc for allowing me to play extracts from Overpass...

Welcome to season 6 of Harmonious World. I can't quite believe that I've been doing this for so long, nor that I'm getting so many listeners now. I'm grateful to all of you. I've been looking back at my previous episodes, listening to some of the music and I have really spoken to many, many extraordinary musicians. I am particularly looking forward to spending some time li...

With apologies for the quality of this interview, where technology between the UK and Russia wasn't always reliable, but this is nevertheless a great interview with an outstanding sax player, Igor Butman . We had a fascinating discussion about his music and the bridge he is constantly building between Moscow and New York. His new album - Only Now -  is available now. I cannot recommend it hig...

Another blast from my past - I discovered on interviewing guitarist Chris Standring that we were undoubtedly in the same room or on the same stage in the past. His album - Wonderful World -  is out now and it's a delightful collection of jazz standards accompanied by stunning strings.  We discussed my two favourite tracks - Green Dolphin Street and Autumn in New York - and it's great to...