A Year in Music – 2022 – Jacob Ware (Rapt)

How was music for you in 2022?

Music was kind to me, I’ve played some great shows and have been very moved by the reception my fourth record Wayward Faith has had from people.

What was your main musical highlight of 2022?

I had a particularly great experience playing in Oxford with Luke De-Sciscio and Wednesday’s Wolves back in April. The sun was starting to set as I went on stage, with a stained glass window above my head the light faded throughout my set. The atmosphere of the venue was beautiful and I was blown away by all the performances that night.

Are you playing or attending gigs? How do you find it?

After a brief tour in April,  I took some time away from live performance afterwards to finish Wayward Faith. I’ve been to many shows this year and seen too many great performers to list, my gig highlight has to be seeing The Cure live in London, they played for a mind-blowing two hours and forty minutes.

Can you recommend an album, from any year, that doesn’t get the credit it deserves. 

I could never pick just one, so here are two. Meseta by Peter Blanchette is a stunning modern classical guitar album. Peter is one of the finest guitarists in the world at the moment that is severely underrated.

I finally got my hands on Neil Halstead’s Palindrome Hunches on vinyl recently, without that record Rapt would not exist. All the songs have a special place in my heart.

Do you still listen to lots of music? How do you listen to music these days?

I’m ashamed to say I’ve been rather limited in my listening choices this year, I tend to shut listening to music away when I am working on my own material, I find listening to music can ‘color’ my songwriting. It is also hard to switch between listening to demos of your own work and the material that inspired them in the first place. The difference in ‘quality’ can destroy your faith in your own work if you are not careful!

What sort of year have you had yourself?

A far better year than last year. One of the greatest of my life. I continue to love and be loved, with a roof over my head and few complaints beyond my bank balance. I made some changes in my work/life balance that have let me have far more time for music again.

Any interesting projects in the works? Are you working on a new album?

I have a musical troll/curveball I’m dropping soon. It will totally alienate most people that have enjoyed both my folky side and the ambient stuff.

I’m always writing, sometimes at a snail’s pace, occasionally like a thunderbolt’s sudden flash, my fifth record is already starting to fall into place.