Making things better and making better things

2020 was a year to remember. but what were you listening to? What were your stand-out tracks? My mate Pete Davies and I belatedly sat down and discussed out favourite tracks of last year. Then I belatedly sent to to my good friend Mark Cotton to clean up. So, four months into 2021 I present to you the best tracks of 2020 plus a load of chat.

PRS Music Licence number: LE-0021472

Tony is a professional school chef with a passion for quality local British produce in schools. This started in Northern Ireland through the necessity to shop frugally. Short on money but rich in love Tony was sent to get a bone for the dog, they didn't have a dog. Tony took the lessons learnt and applied them at scale. He is changing school dinners that change students.

Finian Makepeace had a dream. It was more of a nightmare and it changed what he did. Finian spent the next seven year developing a film, an education program and a campaign to change the way that we farm. He started Kiss the Ground with his friend Ryland Engelhart and they have produced one of the most impactful films about agriculture, ever. Along with Dan Barber's book The Third Plate it has brought regenerative agriculture to the fore. Finian grew up rooted in activism and surround by love. Conditions to help you grow. His job is to create conditions for growth for plants, people, the planet.

Pete Davies and I sat down over Zoom to discuss our Christmas playlists. Here is our discussion with short snippets of the songs we discussed.

We have a PRS licence for music in podcasts.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0WY1JFk40SD4LaFE0K0wMv?si=IYS33J2mS4GCxIMSWLl9Vg

Ashtin Berry is incredibly articulate. With her words and with flavours. She's a bartender, one of the best. but more than that, an entrepreneur, a campaigner, and a leader. This is an unbelievably powerful conversation. We talk about flavours in the deep South, her family, the Great Migration, levels of racism, fairness, activism and equity. We talk about the racism inherent in financial systems, red-lining, wealth accumulation, and legislation. This is one of the most powerful and awakening conversations I've had. It was recorded before the murder of George Floyd. It was recorded over Zoom and is subject to a couple of delays and wifi dropouts.

Naomi is a self-taught chef. She is a teacher and chef at River Cottage. She grew up in a commune. She grew up in a collective. She grew strong as a result. Ity takes a village to raise a child - literally. This is a lovely conversation that travels from the edges of society to the centre and back again. She is an author and has written about gut health and gluten free baking, amongst other things. RECORDED OVER ZOOM SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PAUSES AND GLITCHES - APOLOGIES.

Simon talks us through his journey, from poverty trap to strategist. Simon's childhood was free-range. Climbing trees and riding bikes. He helps people up trees (metaphorically) and occasionally gets stuck up them (metaphorically and physically). Simon's life changed with a diagnosis of lung cancer. In his own words, this, and the birth of his daughter, turned him into a nice man. Such a gentle, lovely and wide-ranging conversation. We talk about music, the darkside of pop songs, the '70s, vertigo, and so much more. Make a cup of tea, headphones on, settle-in.

Recorded over Zoom so the usual occasional blip.

Marie is a chef. She uses food to create soul, to bring people together, and she gave away a part of her to someone else. A kidney. This is one of the most beautiful and moving conversations I've had. It oscillates from adidas pop-up trousers, to Caribbean fruits, to dancing. Marie is one half of the Island Social Club a pop-up food and drink club that fills the void left by the erosion of London's Caribbean culture. Before that she ran a supper club called Pop's Kitchen that healed wounds in her family and brought the light back to her parent's eyes. Listen, it's a belter.

Libby glows. She shines with possibility and hope. She is an aspiring pilot, a wannabe international DJ, and is considering midwifery.Growing-up in Connecticut it took a spell in Ireland and the smell of a horse stable as a teenager for her to become comfortable with herself. A truly remarkable woman who has embraced not quite fitting in.

Grace has an amazing story. She left a silicon valley tech start-up to reimagine the high-street curry house. Not a fancy curry house, but the curry house remembered from her youth, but healthier. This is a charming conversation about growing-up, music, testing ideas fast and being brave. Watch this space, she's going places.