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We’re very excited to have some time today with acclaimed composer and songwriter Peter Dulborough; greetings and salutations Peter and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
It’s finding me very well thanks and in good spirits, with positive vibes for new adventures and challenges. I live in Florence in Italy which may conjure up images of sunshine – however it’s extremely chilly here today! We’re cooking up warm and nourishing dishes to keep body and soul together.
Major kudos and accolades on your freshly-minted and very personal new album Touch which is set to wow listening audiences when it premieres this coming February 5th! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about what inspired this evocative concept LP?
I live and work in Italy which I enjoy immensely. Yet recently I had a longing for the past and where I grew up in England. Selling my family home in 2016 was a difficult moment, and I haven’t been back a lot in the last 10 years. The idea for the album came about from a song I wrote dedicated to Nick Drake called ‘A Golden thread’. I miss England and its countryside, and no-one reflects its spirit better than he does. I grew up by the Thames and was lucky enough to spend time by the river near Reading. I began a journey of emotions and nostalgia for people and places loved and lost through songs. ‘Touch’ is a concept LP that follows a journey through people and places that inspired me from my past: my grandfather and aunt, and my family garden are inspirations. The portraits keep memories and feelings alive as they trace emotions of touch and loss.
This was also a journey of healing for me and a deeply emotional experience.
You worked alongside far-famed and rightly lauded producer Mat Grey on the Touch LP, re-recording it at Mad Jaguars Studio in Florence, Italy. What was it like collaborating with such an accomplished producer, especially in such a wonderful recording studio?
Working with Mat was wonderful and so rewarding. He has an extraordinary ability to understand the core feelings of a song and create a soundscape that perfectly matches its spirit. The songs on this album were written over 10 years ago and Mat helped me find a new home for them all. His guitar work on the Nick Drake tribute song ‘A Golden Thread’ was inspired. His arrangement for the title track ‘Touch’ was a piece of singlehanded mastery, with shining and uplifting brass and stirring percussion. Above all our shared love of vintage and analogue sounds and music made this work a shared vision. Mat helped me find depth, simplicity and richness in studio sounds, which were authentic and without unneeded effects. A relaxed atmosphere and long, animated discussions on music and life in general between takes made this a wonderful experience.
Speaking of collaborations, what was your collaboration like on the new Touch album with musical chanteuse Martina Magionami on the gem of a ditty Leave the Shadows, as well as the irrepressible and insanely talented trumpet maestro Sam Cangi from Blue Moon Studios on John’s Colours?
I love Martina’s mellow and rich tone of acoustic guitar playing and singing, and this was an effortless and chilled collaboration. She recorded guitar and sang at the same time on this solo song, and this helped the flow. She nailed the final version after only the second take. I’ve never met anyone with such natural ability in her genre to record so quickly and precisely and with such feeling, and it was such a pleasure.
Sam has played trumpet for me before. He is a joy to work with. The song John’s Colours was missing a lyrical line and thread. Sam improvised on the spot and he created such a magical and moving solo that I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. A brief collaboration of a few hours, but rich and full of meaning.
In your humble opinion, what differentiates the Touch LP from the Distinguished Competition on the 2025 music landscape?
It’s a hard question. I’d say that it’s the journey of emotions through personal songs with narratives that makes a connection with the listener. The songs reveal vulnerability, strength and courage in a way you can relate to. Tracing feelings from uncertainty and fragility to calm reassurance there is a stripping away of what isn’t needed – also in arrangements where warm and rich acoustic sounds resonate. Simplicity of sound without trappings. Honesty of lyrics and emotions.
In the wake of the February 5 release of your beautiful new album Touch, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit in the coming weeks and months?
A concert in March at St Marks English Church to promote the album is on the cards, and other local gigs to follow. And then a return my musical maybe in the autumn in a theatre in Florence.
Who are some of the musicians who have inspired and influenced your own musical journey?
Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, as well as the harmonies of Ludovico Einaudi as the piano is my means of expression when I compose. I draw inspiration from The Beatles and Elton John. Peter Gabriel was a huge influence. Maybe my greatest inspiration of all was Nick Drake, whose subtle and laconic songs combine intensity and attention to detail with a carefree touch and spontaneity.
You hail from the beautiful burg of Reading, England! How do those particular stomping grounds inform you not only as a composer and songwriter, but also as a person?
I am proud of Reading’s musical heritage with both the Reading Rock festival and WOMAD giving an imprint. Local opportunities at schools to perform live in a band and in other groups were influential. The countryside and in particular the river Thames at Caversham were inspiring places and gave me ideas for songs and music. I feel the contact with this nature gave me roots and a spirit of freedom. Spending time on and by the Thames was a great gift personally to me for creativity.
The artwork for the new Touch album knocked our socks off; congrats! What can you tell us about Chiara Pirovano, the talented artist who designed it?
Chiara is an inspiration. She is a documentary photographer and visual artist based in Florence. She says: “My work primarily focuses on issues of gender, representation, and identity. Through my lens, I aim to embrace the diversity of being and the power of vulnerability, telling stories of transformation.” She has a wonderful ability to put you at ease as a photographer, and her gift of listening and intuition makes her artistic designs so personal. She captures nuances and details and her use of rich colours is amazing.
Any final thoughts you might like to share with our ever-inquisitive readers regarding your triumphant new LP Touch?
Well, I’d like to thank you for your kind and glowing words on my album. ‘Touch’ was not an easy album, but one I needed to make. My goal was to make an album where you can feel and touch feelings of loss, pain, hope and reassurance. I hope it gives warmth and encouragement. I found a lot of joy and healing here, and maybe other people will too. Music is a gift to share, and I feel I did that.
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