Robert Steven Hunt
Only Time Will Tell (2020)02:09

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A very Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that 2021 will be a much better year than 2020. I wish you every happiness, good health, safety and protection from the virus and all other illnesses. What a year we have all just experienced! Such a challenging time and for many an extremely worrying time on a worldwide scale! I have never had such an incredible year, when I look back to review what I have gone through, I thank God that I have survived to tell the tale. Life for me has changed dramatically. Christmas 2019 I was recovering from a serious illness which resulted in me having a week in hospital and over six weeks off work. Thankfully, I made an excellent recovery and returned to work at the beginning of 2020. I was determined to face whatever came my way. However, nothing could have prepared any of us for what 2020 delivered! I had some time off from work in March to celebrate my birthday. However, before I could return to work at the day centre for physically disabled adults, I was told that at the end of March the centre had closed. I was transferred to a residential care home where I worked for a while. I really loved working in the care home and helping them out but was faced with some challenging issues, as two of my close working colleagues caught the COVID-19 virus and were off work for several weeks. I passed the doors of a few residents who also caught the virus. I was incredibly blessed to not to have caught the virus! Thank you, God! Whilst at the care home I had the wonderful opportunity to play the piano to some of the lovely residents. I did several live outdoor socially distanced summer concerts of my music! I really enjoyed sharing my music with them in the warm sunshine! However, in early July I sadly lost my job when I was made redundant, as the day centre was closed permanently after 17 years of working there. I was sad because I never got the opportunity to say goodbye to the service users at the centre. I decided to retire from working life and begin a new season in my life. I took six months to adjust to my new style of living which practically brought me to the end of the year! During this period there were numerous lockdown situations and restrictions in place. I guess that my biggest news in 2020 was the release of my second studio album Edge of Time. It is my biggest and most challenging project to date! The release date was set just as the first lockdown began in the UK. I did not get to launch the new album as intended due to Government restrictions. I posted a small launch video on Facebook which did bring in some interest. However, it was disappointing that the opportunity to sell CD’s of the album was not realised. Due to differing levels of lockdown in the UK, it has been very difficult to sell any CD’s if I am honest. Many musicians and composers have found themselves in the same boat. But it will not always be like this, things will improve eventually and there will be light at the end of the tunnel. We must all be patient and wait for the vaccine to be distributed fairly! The new multi genre album has 9 tracks and a bonus track at the end. There are two Jazz tracks, three piano and orchestra tracks and an orchestral suite to conclude the album. It is my most adventurous project to date. I am particularly proud of the orchestral suite which includes Armageddon, Comes A Mighty King and Edge of Time (the title track of the album). Of particular note is the last section of the suite which is split into two parts, Edge of Time Part 1 and River of Life / Edge of Time Part 11. The River of Life theme was composed when I was a teenager (around the age of 14) and has patiently waited 50 years to be finally published in this work. The concluding part of the suite was only possible with the technology available in the recording studio as the themes from Armageddon and Comes A Mighty King have a musical battle (representing good versus evil) and end up in a triumphant crescendo worthy of any epic film soundscape! I would love to hear the suite played by a full symphony orchestra one day, to really show its full potential. I can always dream! My favourite track on the album has got to be “Only Time Will Tell.” This piano and orchestral track has such a beautiful melodic theme throughout the piece. After the trials of 2020 it really brought it home to me how precious and important every aspect of life is! We journey through all our days and only after many years can we see exactly what we have become. Only Time Will Tell who we are once the race is run! I understand that my music compositions are the result of what I have personally been through in my life! The feelings and emotions that I experienced are felt in the music. I am grateful for Sheep Free Productions for allowing me to develop some of the themes that occur in the Pilot Miniseries Unbelievers (available on YouTube). The comedy drama has been described as The Screwtape Letters meets Terminator! Out of Time is based on the main theme from the show, in the version on the album it is given a piano and orchestra to enhance its jazzy flavour! All Jazzed Up is a live track and is given the Big Band treatment played by the Remix Jazz Orchestra led by Stuart Henderson. The haunting Samantha’s Theme see’s a return to the tried and tested formula that is already established as “my style of music!” The perfect blend of piano and orchestra. Relaxing, healing, soothing, and easy listening in style. Chill out at its best! Finally, we sit back and enjoy Shifting Sands another stunning piano composition with a light orchestral touch which takes us on another musical journey! I have several people to thank for this new studio album. Production, Orchestration, and Musical Arrangements by the brilliant Chris Mitchell. He was also responsible for Recording, Mixing and Mastering. Recorded at Clear Sky Studio in Reading (UK) for Music Box Productions. The big band sound was provided by the 12-piece Remix Jazz Orchestra directed by Stuart Henderson. Other amazing musicians involved were Liz Smith on Cello and the wonderful Caroline Clack on Violin. Without these people the new album / CD would not have been possible. It proves that working collaboratively is extremely important when trying to produce the very best in music! Not much live music was possible in 2020 due to the pandemic but I was involved with a Music For Healing event outside Reading Minster 24th September. I hope to be able to share my music a lot more in 2021. Once the vaccine has taken hold, I plan to be a lot more creative in my new season of retirement. Life will never be the same again but hopefully we will head for a new normal as the months slowly pass! My very best wishes to you. Take care and stay safe! I hope that my music will continue to bless you over the coming months. Together we will get through this! God Bless you! Please feel free to share my music with your family and friends. Do not let the music be the best kept secret on the planet. Share, like, comment and join me on the musical journey. There is more music on the way! New ideas! New live shows are planned for the future including some online links and live shows in the UK. The future is looking bright. The pandemic will not last forever! There is light at the end of the tunnel. Please be patient, we will get there! We are in this together! I am so grateful for your continued support; you are all amazing! Please feel free to reply and interact with me either here or on Social Media. I love getting mail from my wonderful music fans! You are the best! Let us see what 2021 holds for us all. Let us journey together and enjoy every note of music along the way! Thank you so much! Kindest regards from composer Robert Steven Hunt. (January 2021).