TILBURY, JOHN - AT HOME (4CD)

"In 2018 John Tilbury became reluctant to take on more concerts. He lives in Deal on the Kent coast, 80 miles from London, and doesn't have a car, so, although he was still in demand as a performer, at the age of 82, he decided to end his performing career. When I heard this, I asked whether - if I came to him - he would still be happy to be recorded at home. He said yes, and from then until spring 2026 I travelled to Deal every 6 or 9 months to record John playing piano and clavichord in the lean-to extension at the back of the terrace house where he and his wife Janice live. We recorded whatever John wanted to play at the time, and so assembled an unusual and varied collection of recordings ranging from pieces from Elizabethan songbooks to new compositions sent by old friends from Scratch Orchestra days. Sometimes, if John was tired or in pain, we didn't record very much, and the visits became as much a social thing as a recording session - and it was always very enjoyable to talk with John and Janice about music and politics, and hear stories about John's past and his many musical friends. In early 2026 - around the time of his 90th birthday - John decided that if we carried on much longer, he'd no longer be able to do justice to the music he was playing, and that we should stop. The original idea - insofar as we had one - was to release a selection of what we'd recorded as an album, but once we started listening back to everything, John suggested that we also include some archive recordings, dating from as far back as the 1970's. So began a process of discussion, whittling down the many things we could have included, until we agreed on the contents of the four CDs in this box set, which effectively marks the end of John's recording career. John Tilbury is a giant in the history of contemporary, improvised and experimental music, not just in the UK, but worldwide. It has been a privilege and a joy to work with him on this unique project." Simon Reynell, May 2026