Ron Mozart, from North Yorkshire, has recorded some new music

Three years ago, Ron Mozart, was given two years to live, but has “managed to keep going”.

The 61-year-old, from West Heslerton, in North Yorkshire, had to retire as headmaster of a secondary school in 2016, but has picked up his music career, writing and recording material for three albums and four singles.

Mr Mozart has been playing the piano and guitar since 1969 and the saxophone since 1973. In 1978, he was offered a recording contract, but declined, opting for a career in teaching, while carrying on writing music and playing in bands.

“Music has been my life,” he said.

Ron Mozart

Due to enforced early retirement, he and his wife’s pensions fall short of what they had hoped for.

They have had to sell their house and move to rented accommodation, but now he is hoping that sales of his music can help them out.

Mr Mozart said he has been working with “an excellent young band” from the Middlesbrough area, called ‘Salsola’, who have taken time out to help him to record his latest album ‘Cut and Run’, adding: “I am very grateful to them for that.”

He said: “I should hope that we will perform together, in the Middlesbrough/Stockton/Darlington area, once the Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted.

“I keep my fingers crossed that I shall still be around. Supporting my wife is the most important thing to me and I hope to do this through sales of my music.”

He has recorded three albums –‘A Rough Time In Rocester’, ‘Cut and Run’, and a third album ‘No Time To Be Dreaming’ which will be released in June.

He has also written, recorded and donated music, free of charge, to several charities.

Ron Mozart. Picture: STUART BOULTON

Mr Mozart says a single, ‘You’re The One’ released on an EP, this month and which features on ‘Cut and Run’, is “the most commercial recording I have ever done”, adding: “It really does need to be heard”.

Reviewing ‘Cut and Run’, his manager, Carly Jones, said: “Ron Mozart charts the whole range of human emotions, including love, lust, loss and humour through a range of well-crafted songs that cover the whole gamut of the rock/pop genre.”

To download Mr Mozart’s recordings, visit www.ronmozart.com/shop

Full review of ‘Cut and Run’, by Carly Jones

Over seventy five minutes of gloriously classic Rock/Pop. ‘Cut and Run' contains seventeen original Ron Mozart compositions, all of which have been given the 'kitchen sink' treatment as as far as sumptuous arrangements go, particularly the beautiful vocal arrangements that underpin Ron’s melodic and harmonious songs.

This is very much a guitar and drum-driven vehicle of powerful songs. Ron Mozart charts the whole range of human emotions, including love, lust, loss and humour through a range of well-crafted songs that cover the whole gamut of the Rock/Pop genre. This album really does deserve to be heard.

Singing all of the vocals (bar some backing vocals on two tracks) and playing most of the instruments (Ron does share some of the lead guitar duties with Peter Wright, Kev Kaye plays bass on a couple of songs and Luke Murray does a sterling job on drums) this is very much the work of a driven musician.

All seventeen tracks are presented confidently with an aurally exciting stereo mix of inspired arrangements. There are some very sensitive moments, not least in the opening ballad 'The Kindest Cut of All' where Ron and guitarist/backing vocalist Vicky Wright call out to each other, fading into the distance as they lament their disintegrating relationship.

Their voices are torn apart and we are left with a sense of loss. The last track, 'Run To You' sees a desperate need for reconciliation and the final, nagging, insistent guitar solo represents the frustration that abounds.

There is humour, particularly in the delightful rocker ‘Joseph Bazalgette', complete with a slashing and grinding guitar solo. 'The Man From ICI' may well carry a political message, but its lampooning is hilarious. T

here is also great energy, most evident in the power chords in 'She Could Be Anywhere' and the blistering 'Teenage Anthem'.

Ron’s guitar solos are well-conceived, melodic and virtuosic. He plays with confidence and with a deep, dark, tonal resonance, using the whole range of sounds available from his instruments.

The power chords and the chorus-drenched solos of 'Gunsmoke' make this a most desirable track. Beautiful, yet powerful. Ron’s trademark 12-string guitars are all over this album, too, but make no mistake, it is the electric guitar that rules, here.

The most commercial track is 'You're The One', which really does demand and deserve high exposure on the radio and television.

It's a 'classic' late 'sixties-style power-pop ballad. A wonderfully joyous song that will have you singing along and dancing after one listen.

So, overall, this is a long album (it is really a double album) that remains within the Rock/Pop canon, representing what is the very best of that genre.

It is an outstanding work of art as there is not a weak track on the whole album. Top three tracks:

It's a draw between the irresistible pop anthem 'You're The One', the most melodic and intriguing 'City Walls' and the lyrically puzzling and dynamically varied 'Gunsmoke'.