Hilary Seabrook - writer, podcaster, musician

  Well, that was a year we'll all remember. Who knows where we will be in twelve months' time, but it's probably true to say that most of us wouldn't have predicted what we have been through.     On one hand, I've been unable to spend time with friends and family, and seen many go through terrible times. However, for me, 2020 has brought me many benefits, for which I am grateful. I'm healthier today than I was a year ago - even a few months ago. I've started my Harmonious World podcast and am loving working on that.     My English tutoring has moved online and presented me with opportunities to help adult learners of English as well as school children.     I wish everybody reading this the very best for 2021.

I've interviewed some amazing musicians in 2020 and it was a delight to interview mandolin supremo Avi Avital for the last episode of my Harmonious World podcast.     Listen here.  

I'm no bird watcher, but I saw this guy this morning, close to the mini waterfall on my usual dog-walk.     It's not the best shot I've ever taken, but I had to be quick before he flew off.  

 Listen here

 

 Listen here

 Listen here.

The new Christmas album you need is here. Gabriel Latchin has come up with a great jazz collection with his trio.     You can read my review on KindOfJazz .  

Sometimes, it's the simple things that matter     As the madness of 2020 continues, I've discovered a great lunch chef in the cafe at North Herts Museum . He makes a mean vegan breakfast bap.  

 Listen here.

 Listen here.

 

Listen here.  

  A beautiful new album from Joel Ross. You can read my review on KindofJazz .

This morning, I decided to go for a longer than usual dog walk. We ended up doing 10km and a n extra hike up Pinnacle Hill afforded me this view. Well worth the effort.

This is my father. He's 88 and has just published his first novel (and fourth book). Seriously - he's 88.    My excuses for inactivity fade into insignificance.  

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This time of year is an interesting one. I never think about Christmas until after 11 November, as it always seems inappropriate to talk about celebration in the run-up to Remembrance Day. In November 2018, to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, I took my elderly parents to the battlefields around Ypres. We spent several days exploring that fascinating part of the world properly and I found I was able to mark the graves of my two great uncles who did serving in the battlefields. Now, in these strange times, when we have been hit by Covid-19 like a ton of bricks, it feels even more important to remember those who gave up their lives for our freedom. So I shall spend the next two weeks focusing on remembrance and respect. A few years ago, I bought some jewellery from The Royal British Legion. The image of poppies holds such resonance and I will be wearing them with pride once more this year.

  I was the other side of the mike, interviewed this week for Tring Radio. Listen again      It was interesting to choose my favourite tracks. I didn't go classical, but I could easily have done so.     The tracks I eventually went for were: * Aretha Franklin (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman * Earth Wind and Fire September * Stevie Wonder Superstition * Nina Simone I Put A Spell On You * John Coltrane My Favourite Things * Nubya Garcia Source * Bill Withers Ain't No Sunshine * The Style Council My Ever Changing Moods

 It was a delight to interview jazz pianist, accordionist and band leader Ben Rosenblum for the latest episode of my podcast, Harmonious World.     Listen , subscribe and review if you feel so inclined.

  When I was booking composer Michael Shapiro for an interview on my Harmonious World podcast , I spent time listening to his overture to 'Frankenstein, which is part of a larger score to accompany the Boris Karloff movie.     Now, all I want to do is book a flight to wherever the operatic version of the score is first performed.     Take a listen to my chat with Michael - he has a fascinating background and has met and worked with some real giants of music.

 

 It was a delight to interview composer William Susman for my podcast Harmonious World . It was only when I was editing that I heard the joyous sounds of birdsong behind his voice (and my dog occasionally behind my own).     Take a listen and subscribe to catch more episodes as they're released - I have some great guests booked.

 I have always been a sucker for a piano and when I interviewed Chad Lawson for Harmonious World , he was sat at a beautiful grand.     It was such an honour to chat with him. Give it a listen if you can.

  I interviewed my old friend Toby Jepson for episode 14 of Harmonious World .     It was such a joy to chat with him, about music, lockdown, the music business and life in general.

The latest release from Roy Ayers proves that Jazz is not dead, despite it being released on the Jazz is Dead label.     You can read my review on Kind of Jazz here .

I don't usually write political blogs, but the ineptitude of the UK government through the unprecedented times of the Covid-19 pandemic is becoming more bizarre.     Out of interest, I looked at UK media to see when the UK began talking about Coronavirus and it turns out that on 24 January 2020, the UK government first created a web page to publish the case statistics for the disease. On 29 January, the first two cases were recorded in York, after two Chinese nationals fell ill, and the first flight returned British nationals from Wuhan. The following day, the World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency.     Conspiracy theorists might question the media attention around the announcement of the famously-private Boris Johnson's engagement on 31 January. Meanwhile, who knows what is happening with Brexit? What never seemed a great idea for many of us now seems simply wrong, when we should all be pulling together in our attempts to protect each other fro...

 I have interviewed some amazing people for the first 13 episodes of my podcast, Harmonious World .     Have you listened to any of them? Check them out and tell me what you think in a comment or a review.

 I reviewed Rob Luft's 'Life is the Dancer' on Kind of Jazz . It's a beautiful album.     Listen to the album, then read my review and see if you agree.

One of my favourite albums for 2020 is Maria Schneider's 'Data Lords'. It was an honour to chat with her for Harmonious World .     Schneider has won grammy awards for both jazz and classical recordings and there's an orchestral quality to her writing where she interweaves lines and timbres. Check out the album here .

  Episode 12 of Harmonious World features a conversation with drummer Kenrick Rowe.     You'll have heard him with The Specials, PJ Harvey and LOADS of other jazz, rock and reggae bands.

 My travel-obsessed parents have been longing to get away from their flat and last week I drove them around France, Belgium and Germany.     All in all, it was a pleasant experience, although exhausting.     The constant taking on and off of sun glasses and face masks was annoying, but both were necessary. Mum and Dad at the Menin Gate, Ypres Thew new (replacement) lions guarding the Menin Gate Trier The Mosel valley, through Western Germany, skirting the Luxembourg border The view was the best thing about the hotel in Koblenz Germany does castles better than anyone else Koblenz's Deutsches Eck memorial to a unified Germany Taking me back to Berlin 1990 - pieces of the wall as a memorial in Koblenz

Guitarist Sharon Isbin cannot be put in a classification box - she's a little jazz, classical and Spanish, often all at the same time.     Our conversation for Harmonious World was cut short by the pressures on Sharon's schedule, but we could have gone on for hours!

My last pre-lockdown gig was listening to the marvellous Marco Marconi at The Pheasantry: it was inevitable that I should ask him to join me for an episode of Harmonious World .

It was a delight to hear bassist Mark Wade play with pianist Marco Marconi in February and an honour that he agreed to be interviewed for episode 9 of the Harmonious World podcast .     Mark has been a finalist in the Downbeat Magazine Reader's Poll three times and he's nominated again this year. He really is extraordinarily talented and his new release - Songs from Lockdown - is well worth a listen.     Hope you enjoy the podcast.

While in Albania, preparing for  a few early, outdoor gigs in Europe, guitarist Rob Luft found time to chat.     It turns out we both hate the shuffle function. Listen to the latest episode of Harmonious World to hear more.

I've been aiming to cut my plastic consumption and do lots of litter picking to celebrate #plasticfreejuly. Every small change can make a big difference.     Every dog walk becomes a chance to collect some litter.

I was delighted to see that North Herts Museum was open once more.     As I stepped through the door, I was welcomed with a little track and trace form filling, hand sanitiser and then a solo guided tour. It was a total delight. Followed up with a socially-distanced cup of peppermint tea.     There's so much to see in the museum. The ground floor features an impressive collection of artefacts arranged in chronological order. There is also a special exhibition space, which is currently filled withe the most inspirational Rembrandt sketches. The first floor galleries are arranged more thematically - all carefully curated and presented. A wonderful space.

I'm loving my podcasting life.     My latest episode of Harmonious World features an interview with cellist Inbal Segev.

Walking the dog this morning made me realise how many people have already decided lockdown is over.     I have to observe a strict 2m social distancing rule. For many people, walking right past, completely oblivious, is the order of the day. I don't expect them to change what they're doing but if it's obvious I'm standing back to let them pass, it would be nice if they kept away.     Still, at least I can go out and about, even if it is only once a day and all in the great outdoors.

Well, this is odd. I'm preparing to go into shielding or, as I prefer to call it, stealth mode.     I've done a big shop, seen my parents - at a distance - and now I'm about to close my doors, just as much of the world is emerging from lockdown.     On 7 July, I'm undergoing the delights of a colonoscopy and a gastroscopy. Yes, both on the same day, although not, thankfully, both at the same time. In order to be safe for those procedures, I'm having to be shielded - sorry, in stealth mode - for seven days.     If you've heard the long and boring story of my recent illnesses before, please skip the next paragraph.     In November 2012, I had a bad car crash, resulting in me being cut out of my car and having to take lots of pain killers. Then in January 2013, I broke my shoulder on my 50th birthday, resulting in more pain relief. By March, my shoulder was recovering nicely, but seemed to have frozen (of which more, later) and I was feeling very sic...

The latest episode of Harmonious World is out now. It was a very interesting interview with Mike Paul-Smith, the brains behind big band Down for the Count. They have just recorded an EP under lockdown and it's well worth a listen.     The Down for the Count latest EP - Lockdown for the Count - is a great listen, but the band is also donating 50% of its profits to Mind , the mental health charity. Another great reason to give them a listen, too.

It was such an honour to interview the supremely talented and award-winning Anne Sofie von Otter for my latest Harmonious World podcast.     She is such an interesting woman and a pragmatic performer. "It's all about the music."     Please do listen to the episode if you can.