Day nine - Naples to Zurich

We began today by leaving behind the stunning Il San Cristoforo hotel and the view of Mount Vesuvius behind. A short taxi ride to the station and we were off on the penultimate leg of our Interrail journey.

The journey began with a delightful route that took us north while we could still see Vesuvius, although today it was shrouded in cloud. We were lucky yesterday that just a few wisps of clouds sat below us and they didn’t obscure our view.

Heading north, the train was a little late.

As the journey continued, the delay worsened so much for Italian trains always running on time.

In fact, the train into Milan was 28 minutes late, which meant we missed our connection. After waiting a while on the station among the dozens of other delayed passengers, we were all told to head to the Locarno train on platform 6 and to change at Lugano. As you can imagine, the details got somewhat lost in translation, but we at least had seats and the swift change went smoothly, so we were only a little over half an hour late arriving in Zurich.

We sat near a German traveller who delighted in providing details of the Gothard tunnel, which was an impressive way to cut through the Alps - if significantly less of a visual treat than most of the Glacier Express.

A slightly disappointing hotel, but a delicious (completely, easily vegan) supper at Veganitas made for a very pleasant evening.

Day eight - Vesuvius

Visiting Mount Vesuvius was another bucket list item, and it was good to hike it after seeing the damage wreaked by its last major eruption in 79AD.

Halfway up Mount Vesuvius

The coach ride from Ercolano station was certainly entertaining. The driver insisted on honking his horn at every junction and turn in the road and it was only when we encountered similar bus loads of tourists coming in the opposite direction that it became clear. These drivers are doing the journey several times a day, but I’m not sure I would ever want to undertake it in my own vehicle.

As we navigated the winding road from town to the hike departure point, we passed a number of cafes and bars, as well as car parks and people hiking in all directions on the mountain. It’s obviously a web of trails across the lava-strewn landscape that attracts many hikers. A few stalwart groups were on the road, heading for the summit and dodging the traffic.

If that journey wasn’t fraught enough, arriving at the coach drop off point added a new level of stress. Coaches, minibuses and taxis were dropping off hikers before they headed down the hillside and we all trudged up the dusty path to the rim of the volcano.

There is a system. Apparently. Huge coaches were turning around while hikers milled about and the cafe owner tried to take as much money from us as possible. There seemed to be a gateway, through which people passed at the time shown on their ticket. Except that some people had travelled all the way to this point with a bus ticket and no entry pass. Which you get online, and there’s no service at the top of Mount Vesuvius.

Ignoring those with their own issues, we were allowed to start the final ascent half an hour earlier than our scheduled time. Eschewing the offer of a guide, we made our own way along the well-trodden path until we saw the rim of the volcano and the fabulous views.

The top of Mount Vesuvius

It really was an extraordinary experience and one I can now tick off my bucket list.

After the similarly arduous coach ride back into Herculaneum, we enjoyed lunch and then a dip in the pool for our last evening at our best hotel.

Day seven - Herculaneum

Wandering around Herculaneum was an eye-opening experience, particularly building upon our trip to Pompeii yesterday.

The difference between the two sites is significant: Pompeii was larger but less well preserved. In Herculaneum, there are roofs, stairs and ceilings that contribute to provide more of an insight into the terrible tragedy of the 79AD eruption of Vesuvius. 

Standing in a room brings home the concept of people’s everyday lives that were torn apart in just a few hours.

Only a small proportion of the old Roman town has been excavated, with the remainder under the modern streets. A tantalising set of tunnels and stone arched entrances hint at the streets and houses still buried. Apparently, early digging elsewhere close to modern buildings revealed an amphitheatre that may never be fully visible.

An especially poignant element of the excavation reveals the skeletons of people caught on the edge of the harbour, taking shelter in buildings that have become their tombs. They were carrying coins, jewellery and precious items, many of which are now in the fantastic museum on he site.

The boat that might have carried those people to safety was itself encased in the mud that slid down the mountain and you can see it as it is being renovated in a separate building. It was so close to saving lives.

Although smaller than Pompeii, Herculaneum is a more interesting site, exposing the reality of the tragedy.

Day six - Pompeii

 

Pompeii was another bucket list trip that proved to be as exciting and interesting as hoped for. Taking the train to reach this point makes this trip so much more interesting and has given plenty of time to research the tragedy of the Vesuvius eruption. 

Sitting as it does at the base of Vesuvius, Pompeii serves as a reminder of the human inability to beat nature when she turns against us. In 79AD, around 12,000 people lived in the town and the eye witness account from Pliny (which I studied at school) provides an account from just across the bay. Thousands of people lost their lives in just one day and the lava which covered the city preserved it for us to see now.

The stories of crowds were thankfully untrue as we visited: there were a number of tour guides leading large parties, but surprisingly few. We had a whole day to explore the city - walking from side to side and top to bottom.

All while Vesuvius loomed in the distance.

Pink Floyd in Pompeii - another surprise on our Italy voyage

The UK rock band Pink Floyd has been an important part of my life - notably because I was ASsistant to the Producer of The Wall, Berlin 1990. Having played a role in the performance of The Wall at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin just months after the fall of the actual Berlin Wall, it was fascinating that I had missed all discussion of the Pink Floyd live gig in Pompeii in 1972.

When we walked through the entrance of Pompeii's amphitheatre, I could hear Pink Floyd's music and snippets of interviews coming from the underground passageways. Just a few days earlier, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets had performed in the amphitheatre and there was an exhibition of images from both that and the 1972 gig.  

It was fascinating to see Roger Waters (who I had known quite well through the early 1990s) as a younger man both singing and talking in film footage.

Although Pink Floyd had never been one of my favourite bands, I love much of their music and particularly some of their iconic tunes from The Wall. It was a surprising blast from the past in the historic centre of Pompeii.

Day five - Rome to Herculaneum

 We’re now halfway through our interrail expedition of Europe and we have settled into a wonderful hotel in the shadow of Vesuvius. The plan is to explore Pompeii, Herculaneum and the mountain itself while we’re based here.

The short train journey from Rome to Naples was somewhat enhanced by the misfortune of a young man who deposited his elderly mother into her seat next to mine, before heading off the train. We had reassured him in our broken Italian that we would help her off the train in Milan. As the train pulled out of Rome, we were all torn between dismay and amusement by the son’s return to our carriage - he had failed to leave the train and would be joining our journey.

Our arrival in Naples went perfectly until we tried to board the train to take us along the coastal road to Herculaneum. Other passengers at the bus stop informed that either we didn’t need a ticket at all (unlikely) or that we should get one in the train station. I ran around to no avail and we ended up getting a very expensive taxi, but arrived at our hotel to be delighted.

The Il San Cristoforo is definitely worth a look if you’re thinking of staying somewhere close to those archaeological sites outside Naples. Rooms are modern, clean and fairly spacious and staff are outstanding. We hadn’t expected a pool area to relax in, as well as stunning gardens all around. The views of Vesuvius are a little sobering, given that mountain’s role in the destruction of both Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD. We are looking forward to exploring further in the next few days. 

Davide Dileo - a chance discovery

As we wandered through the rooms of Rome’s marvellous Castel Sant’Angelo, I kept hearing snatches of piano and couldn’t work out the source.

Finally, we arrived in a central courtyard to find a pianist sound-checking for his sold-out concert that evening. I later discovered him to be David Dileo, who creates soundscapes using piano and electronics in an extraordinary way.

It was wonderful to hear Davide playing, and particularly in an informal way during his afternoon preparations. I shall definitely be seeking out more of his music and hope to be able to chat with him for Harmonious World.

Day four - Zermatt to Rome

 

The joys of train travel were somewhat dampened by a couple of close calls on transfers between trains - Zermatt to Brig was fine, but we had a close call when we changed at Milan. We made the train with seconds to spare, but made it nonetheless.

Interrail passes make it easy to show tickets aboard the trains, with pass and reservations all available online. As all the trains provide power sockets for charging, there’s little danger of phones dying.

Our arrival in Rome benefitted from the realisation that our hotel was just metres from the station. Bags dumped, we headed out into the city. The highlights included the Trevi fountain, but especially a couple of hours spent visiting Castel Sant’Angelo - former tomb, prison, barracks, papal home and now a fabulous museum.

Richard photographing Rome from the roof of Castel Sant’Angelo

Beautifully decorated ceiling

A wander around Rome was completed by a stunning vegan meal at the amazing Ecru raw food restaurant to celebrate Richard’s birthday in style.

Day three - Chur to Zermatt on the Glacier Express

 

High on my bucket list for about 20 years has been taking the Glacier Express through the Swiss Alps. Ticking it off today was extraordinary - one of those experiences that was as good as ever hoped for.

Rather than beginning at St Moritz, we joined the train at Chur and took it to the tiny village of Zermatt: from start to finish it was exhilarating and inspiring. I’d never seen a glacier before and to see the heights of the Matterhorn and her sister 4,000 metre mountains break through the clouds was simply amazing.

The train ride itself was comfortable, with good seats and excellent staff. We didn’t buy a meal, but those that did seemed pleased with the food and it was served to their tables very efficiently. We had brought sandwiches with us (as had many other passengers) and there was no sense of shame as we all ate at the same time: all very sociable.

Whoever designed the relatively new trains for the Glacier Express company deserves a medal. The comfort, huge windows and partly-glazed roof give panoramic views as the line wends its way up through the Alps, reaching just over 2,000 metres at its highest. Wherever you sit onboard, the views are simply stunning - not just a couple of glaciers near the end, but waterfalls, rushing rivers, ravines and bridges that you simply could not see any other way.

Arriving in Zermatt, I remembered the joy of ski seasons and little villages that are buzzing with tourists - this time most were either hiking or mountain biking through the surrounding mountains. Our hotel was just a few minutes’ walk from the station and had an amazing view of the Matterhorn.

My bucket list remains quite a challenge, but if some of the other experiences are ticked off so successfully, I will be very happy.

Day two - Paris to Chur

When planning this voyage of discovery, Richard (thanks again for the photo) and I decided that we’d prefer to visit the old town of Chur instead of the significantly more expensive and high class St Moritz. It turns out that we chose wisely.

Chur is the oldest city in Switzerland and its ancient streets are largely unspoilt in centuries. To reach it, we took a glorious train ride through the Swiss countryside, changing trains at Zurich onto a local service that meandered through fields and past typical villages. It was a delight to then arrive in Chur and take a short walk through, the shopping district to our hotel.

An afternoon stroll took us through the historic parts of the city and up into the hills before supper in a cafe where the waitress couldn’t understand the concept of a vegan diet. Actually, the tomato soup I enjoyed in the end was tasty. Chur really is a beautiful city and I have since discovered that a couple of my musician friends are appearing at next week’s jazz festival. We were a week early. 

Day one on Interrail - Hitchin to Paris

 

Inter railing for me had always seemed something for young people, but it turns out that I was wrong.

Day one took me and Richard Cave (thanks for the great photos!) from our home town of Hitchin in leafy Hertfordshire a few miles south to London and then via Eurostar to Paris.

The only hitch in our electronic tickets and pass system was at Hitchin station, where the barrier to the platform didn’t recognise our passes. Luckily, the guard recognised our faces and waved us through. From there on, the day was a breeze, with an evening wandering the city and eating dinner at a tiny Corsican restaurant which played Erykah Badu all evening. It was disappointing that a vegan dish was unavailable, but we should probably have searched a little harder. 

Our hotel in the St Gervais district was functional and cosy but the tiny room was fine and staff friendly and welcoming. All in all, a successful first day, albeit some 40 years later than I could have originally used the Interrail way of travelling around Europe. 

Going back 40 years - nostalgia can be uplifting!

I'm not usually one for nostalgia, but this weekend I took the chance to meet up with friends from my time at Froebel (then part of the University of London) from 1981-1984.

The moment that caused me to catch my breath was when I stood outside the music practice rooms I used in that period. If I'd known then what I know now, I would probably have tried to spend more time in there. But  I'm still amazed at how far I've come and where my musical journey has taken me from that corridor.

Looking back can be encouraging and heartening.

Touring the college and reminiscing (a few people arrived later)

The entrance to the bar hasn't changed

Sadly, the internal wood-panelled door has been blocked off.

Grove House is a beautiful building, if a little neglected

The view across the lake to the main college building

A stunning view from  the roof of Digby Stuart's conference centre

Suzy and Hugh try to glimpse Templeton - our home for the first year of university

I could just glimpse my bedroom window

Scott Dunn on Harmonious World

In the latest episode of Harmonious World, featuring a conversation with composer, arranger and pianist Scott Dunn. Together with vocalist Claire Martin, Scott has released I Watch You Sleep, a tribute to Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.

It was wonderful to chat with Scott about this album and working with Claire Martin and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and commemorating the 10th anniversary of the death ofSir Richard Rodney Bennett. We discuss the arrangements and the recording, as well as how the tracks were selected - some by Bennett himself and some tunes that he particularly enjoyed himself.

Thanks to Scott for allowing me to play extracts from I Watch You Sleep alongside our conversation, especially the incredible reimagining of It's Only A Paper Moon, which is definitely my favourite track.

Noah Stoneman ‘Anyone’s Quiet: Let It Rain To You’

Every once in a while you hear an album that simply blows you away and that is undoubtedly true of Anyone’s Quiet: Let It Rain To You, the debut album from jazz piano prodigy and rising star composer Noah Stoneman. Produced by the fabulous Kit Downes, this is an album which really proves how many skilled musicians the UK is producing right now. Stoneman may only be 22 years old, but his playing and composing both show a maturity and skill that is hard to describe. You really need to listen to this album.

It’s hard to single out any tracks for particular praise, as Noah Stoneman has surpassed all expectations across this whole collection of tracks, although the intricacy of Band of Brothers exemplifies perfectly the tightness of the interplay between piano, bass and drums. Each one steps back to allow the other to shine, while acting as a steady support and counterpoint: this is the track I keep coming back to.

There is something of an insistence about the way this trio drives through the album, with Will Sach on double bass and Luca Caruso on drums. The youth and exuberance is intense and it’s about as perfect a piano trio jazz album as you’ll hear right now.

Stoneman is not new to the UK jazz scene - he studied at The Royal Academy of Music and has recorded and performed alongside some of the up and coming British jazz musicians. He has recently been found performing at the Manchester Jazz Festival, La Petite Halle in Paris and Somersby Festival in Lisbon and there will undoubtedly be more appearances to follow in the wake of the release just a couple of weeks ago of Anyone’s Quiet: Let It Rain To You.

He says: “This record is about finding moments of solace and quiet amongst noise. The creation of the album itself was a practice of self discipline, meditation, concentration and trust in the long-term for myself. My hope is that people can find some sense of quiet reflection or poetry in listening to it; that they embrace the ebbs and flows and trial and error of everyday life that the music speaks to.”

Track Listing:

1. Tomas and Tereza 

2. Borders

3. Evanesce

4. Calm

5. Mourndoom

6. Band Of Brothers

7. Postlude

8. Strands

9. Major

Foraging treats

I spent a happy afternoon foraging in our local nature reserve with a very knowledgeable guide.

The names escape me, but I managed to find a copy of ‘Food For Free’, which Jane (AKA The Hitchin Forager) recommended.  Fascinating how much goodness and beauty there is in nature all around us.

One of 'The Best Jazz Podcasts'

My friends at Jazz Fuel have helpfully found what they consider to be the best jazz podcasts and they kindly included Harmonious World on their list.

Read who my competition is on the Jazz Fuel website.

Tom Guarna 'Reimagine'

Welcome to the latest episode of Harmonious World, featuring a conversation with guitarist Tom Guarna, whose latest album - Reimagine - features some really delightful reworkings of classic guitar tunes.

Our conversation delves into the skills of the various musicians involved in the album, as well as the choice of tracks and the approach Tom took to the arrangements.

Thanks to Tom for allowing me to play extracts from Reimagine alongside our conversation.

'The Jazz Age' immersive experience

This was an experience in more ways than one, but the best of it was the music. If I'm honest, I was expecting backing tracks, not a banging live band. What we got was an exciting evocation of 1930s jazz, with a strong band, great singers and exciting dancers.

The Lost Estate laid on a truly wonderful show, with genuinely well-arranged tracks and solos that were absolutely spot on, in terms of musicality. I'm not sure that all the audience understood the quality of the musicianship, but it didn't pass unnoticed here.

Oh, and it was good to get a bit glammed-up!

Michele Tozzetti - Niels Wilhelm Gade Piano Works

In the latest episode of Harmonious World I have a conversation with pianist Michele Tozzetti, who has released an album of piano music by Niels Wilhelm Gade, who is sadly largely under-appreciated with a global audience.

This album features the collections Aquarelle, Phantasiestucke and the Sonata in E minor. There's a huge range of short, stand-alone pieces and the more challenging Sonata, which took the composer 15 years to complete.

This was a fascinating conversation and please do listen to the whole album if you can. Thanks to Michele for allowing me to play extracts from his album of the piano works of Niels Wilhelm Gade alongside our conversation.