February 25, 2010
San Diego
A little free time during the day gives me the opportunity to have a nice walk at the seaside.
Thinking what it means to be a bandleader. Sometimes I have the feeling that I am quite alone. That you ‘hire’ musicians and for the rest you are on your own. I am aware that this feeling is totally mine, and has nothing to do with Anton and Harmen. I have to take this into my learning moments to become aware of what life is about. One ought not to blame other people for something you feel shitty about but put park the ‘problem’ by yourself. It is not easy. The book “The New Earth” by Eckart Tolle gives me a lot of inspiration to learn these things and the book is also my travelling compagnon. When I read this for the first time I thought wow, I didn’t know my ego was so big ! Ha ha
I believe that everything that you come upon on your path or anyone you meet is important. Nothing is for nothing. You only have to be aware and awake. The concert that night was for the wealthy people of San Diego in a library between the books and the average age of the audience was about 80 years old. The programme that anounced us also indicated by name who gave how much as a gift to the library. It started with 1 million dollars that one person donated !!!! This giving- thing was very new for me and I consider this as being real American. Showing what you have and what you can afford. The presenter is a very nice man, Dan Atkinson, who is actually a musician himself – he plays the lute ! Of course he was taking a risk by inviting a still-unknown European ‘jazz’ trio to the Athenaeum, which has an illustrious music series. The gamble paid off, it was a really good gig. After the performance Dan joined us for dinner and drinks in one of the few places in La Jolla still open. He also reinvited us to La Jola – anytime, Dan ! People seem to be surprised by our music. What I often notice is that they’ve never heard anything like it. I know that our music doesn’t sound like American jazz at all and I wonder whether, besides the fact that we improvise with the material, you even should call it jazz.
One thing occurs to me. A while ago there was a documentary about Brandford Marsalis. He visited European jazz musicians in their home countries, like this wonderful trumpeter from Norway, Arve Henriksen or Courtney Pine from Great Britain. Brandford’s conclusion was every time : What you are doing is not jazz ! Ha ha…very funny. Of course he touched some ego here and there and the only one who didn’t give a shit (pardon me) was Arve. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “So What !”
I do not think it is of such of an importance to label the music. My music doesn’t fit into the cubbyhole either and I couldn’t care less.
Thinking what it means to be a bandleader. Sometimes I have the feeling that I am quite alone. That you ‘hire’ musicians and for the rest you are on your own. I am aware that this feeling is totally mine, and has nothing to do with Anton and Harmen. I have to take this into my learning moments to become aware of what life is about. One ought not to blame other people for something you feel shitty about but put park the ‘problem’ by yourself. It is not easy. The book “The New Earth” by Eckart Tolle gives me a lot of inspiration to learn these things and the book is also my travelling compagnon. When I read this for the first time I thought wow, I didn’t know my ego was so big ! Ha ha
I believe that everything that you come upon on your path or anyone you meet is important. Nothing is for nothing. You only have to be aware and awake. The concert that night was for the wealthy people of San Diego in a library between the books and the average age of the audience was about 80 years old. The programme that anounced us also indicated by name who gave how much as a gift to the library. It started with 1 million dollars that one person donated !!!! This giving- thing was very new for me and I consider this as being real American. Showing what you have and what you can afford. The presenter is a very nice man, Dan Atkinson, who is actually a musician himself – he plays the lute ! Of course he was taking a risk by inviting a still-unknown European ‘jazz’ trio to the Athenaeum, which has an illustrious music series. The gamble paid off, it was a really good gig. After the performance Dan joined us for dinner and drinks in one of the few places in La Jolla still open. He also reinvited us to La Jola – anytime, Dan ! People seem to be surprised by our music. What I often notice is that they’ve never heard anything like it. I know that our music doesn’t sound like American jazz at all and I wonder whether, besides the fact that we improvise with the material, you even should call it jazz.
One thing occurs to me. A while ago there was a documentary about Brandford Marsalis. He visited European jazz musicians in their home countries, like this wonderful trumpeter from Norway, Arve Henriksen or Courtney Pine from Great Britain. Brandford’s conclusion was every time : What you are doing is not jazz ! Ha ha…very funny. Of course he touched some ego here and there and the only one who didn’t give a shit (pardon me) was Arve. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “So What !”
I do not think it is of such of an importance to label the music. My music doesn’t fit into the cubbyhole either and I couldn’t care less.
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| 11-02: | Combattimento Consort Amsterdam | Rotterdam |
| Rotterdamse Schouwburg | ||
| 11-02: | Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet | Basel |
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| 12-02: | Bart Wirtz | |
| With Loet v/d Lee Quartet @ 2 spieghels, Leiden | ||
| 12-02: | Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet | Vienna |
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| 12-02: | Ronald Brautigam | Antwerpen |
| Amuz/ CP | ||
| 13-02: | Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet | Baden |
| Isebähnli, Baden, Switserland | ||
| 13-02: | Liza Ferschtman | Dalarna |
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| 14-02: | Eric Vloeimans | Brussel |
| Musée Charlier | ||
| 14-02: | Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet | Fürth |
| Blue note, Fürth, Germany | ||
| 14-02: | Ronald Brautigam | Marseille |
| duo recital | ||
