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Music and monuments - June 2016

Attila Égerházi of Hungarian band Djabe invited Ben Fenner, Jo and me to join him with musicians Tamás Barabás and Áron Koós-Hutás from Hungary and Gulli Briem from Iceland in a remote part of Sardinia to explore and record music.

We arrived in the beautiful village of Tergu in the unspoilt northern region surrounded by rugged rocky hills just in time for a communal Italian/Hungarian meal. It was great to all connect and share thoughts.

The studio location was beside a 1000 year old church, steeped in history and surrounded by ruins of buildings once forming a larger complex.

We explored many sounds and genres, sometimes developing a jam and other times writing new songs for a couple of instruments weaving through ideas together.

On the second day we travelled to a fascinating 4000 year old monument known as the Nuragic Palace... a labyrinth of circular rooms with beehive shaped ceilings surrounded by corridors on several levels, leading up to a high central tower. After that experience the music seemed to take on a more heavy exotic feel...

All sorts of experimental ideas came through on day three... Any cobwebs from the intensive process were then thoroughly blown away by the sea air at the nearby picturesque hilltop town of Castelsardo, with its amazing high fortress overlooking the crashing waves below...

We all agreed we had created something special. Thanks to the boys and particularly to Attila, as well as his friends who gave us the most fabulous meals. Living and playing together in that communal way in such a fantastic environment was an inspirational experience.