A Petersfield resident who was part of The Style Council - the 1980s band formed by Paul Weller after The Jam broke up - will soon release his first solo EP.

Trumpet player and composer Stewart Prosser has recorded a triptych of tracks entitled Far From Home which will be released digitally through Elm Tree Records on February 14 following the release of his single Fogbound on January 17.

Stewart said: “The compositions were prompted by my deep concerns about how difficult the world has become for young people to navigate.

“The melodies came to me as I was trying to capture a mood that sits somewhere between jazz and ambient sounds.

“From searching for meaning and sparring with constraints, to reflecting on the right path and self-care, I hope the tracks speak to personal fortitude, optimism and resilience. Each musical statement has that at its core.”

Raised amid a strict small-town religious backdrop, music was an early escape for Stewart. He moved to London, gigged in clubs with a feisty soul band and became in demand in the studio before being hired by The Style Council, which brought opportunities to tour the world, record, arrange, perform and learn while contributing to a number one album and top ten singles.

Love and the need to provide pushed his creative energies in another direction for a while. Valuable new skills were learned and serious illness was a later turning point, allowing time to develop a broader musical palette and vocabulary.

Collaborations with composer Damian Montagu and actor Hugh Bonneville followed, generating a number one classical album and a number one single. He received growing notice as a jazz player, and continued his musical evolution, often playing with - and learning from - other musicians.

Far From Home probes the social iniquities heaped upon the younger generations. This triptych is a perfect winter reflection.