The musician and TV presenter shares a few of his favourite things with Hetty Chidwick.
The musician and TV presenter Jools Holland could play the piano by ear at the age of eight and, at 15, was introduced to Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, who together made up the chart-topping band Squeeze. In 1987, he formed The Jools Holland Big Band, which later grew into the current 19-piece Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. Awarded an OBE in 2003, Jools is the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent – his favourite county in England – where he lives with his wife, Christabel.
Most of my life is spent on tour around Britain or Europe and I always make the time to go to see great gardens and castles or small villages. My Range Rover suits lots of purposes and is chameleon-like – you can arrive at a hotel and they open the door for you, but it can also be parked in the back streets to collect the latest medieval artefact or item of furniture I’ve bought. I’m known for needing my ‘daily meds’ – medieval every day. In the glovebox, ready to whip out at any opportunity, is my favourite book, The Traveller’s Key to Sacred England by John Michell – the best guidebook you could ever have
I’ve had my little Leica D-Lux 6 camera for a long time and it’s so good because it’s idiotproof. I’m very fortunate to see a lot of great things and meet amazing people along the way and I like to record it all. I print out the photographs as memories and imagine that, one day, I’ll put them all into a book. There’s often not a lot of time to take a portrait and I’m inspired by the lighting style of Rembrandt – always from the left. You’ve got to like the person to take a good portrait, which is the most important thing I learnt from the fine-art photographer Mary McCartney – you wouldn’t know she’s there with her camera.
Camera, £850, protector, £90, neck strap, £60
www.leicastore-mayfair.co.uk; 020–7629 1351
I wear dark colours on stage and have many shirts from Holland & Holland which are comfortable both on and off stage. I’ve been shopping there for a while and the shirts conveniently have my name tag already stitched in – one less thing for my mum to do.
Shirts from £270
www.hollandandholland.co.uk; 020–7499 4411
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