23 July 2005
Enrico Rava
I love trumpet. I love trumpet sound, and the way it fits in jazz. And I am happy to have discovered Enrico Rava. He is a great player. I love the way he started, with a lot of experimentation, and then evolved to cooler music. I love his CD dedicated to Chet Baker (another great trumpet player).
Repairing
This weekend I repaired some things at my place. Loes changed Milo's and Kyara's room, so it was very nice to rebuild their computer table. Cutting, sawing, screwing - an easy job. I still have to complete it though.
18 July 2005
Julia walks
Julia walks.
It has been a strange process. Lately she was walking getting support from my hand; but that was very annoying, because she was always wanting to walk, and therefore always asking for someone's hand and support. How many walks, with a bended back, together with her!! So, we encouraged her to walk on her own, without support, step-by-step, and in spite of all our attempt, she would not make any step.
Up to yesterday. Yesterday she decided it was time, and, while no one was stimulating her, she stood up and walked. Perfectly, for her age, no stumbling, no break, just walking, all directions.
What a girl!
It has been a strange process. Lately she was walking getting support from my hand; but that was very annoying, because she was always wanting to walk, and therefore always asking for someone's hand and support. How many walks, with a bended back, together with her!! So, we encouraged her to walk on her own, without support, step-by-step, and in spite of all our attempt, she would not make any step.
Up to yesterday. Yesterday she decided it was time, and, while no one was stimulating her, she stood up and walked. Perfectly, for her age, no stumbling, no break, just walking, all directions.
What a girl!
13 July 2005
Stress
I am a bit stressed lately. I guess it has to do with my work, or more precisely with the expectation I had of having a quiter period, now that almost everybody is on holiday. This is happened, and the confrontation between expectation and reality has been hard to take.
How to deal with it? If I lower my expectations I might become happier, but in the other end I might bow too often to the circumstances and forget myself. I really do not know.
How to deal with it? If I lower my expectations I might become happier, but in the other end I might bow too often to the circumstances and forget myself. I really do not know.
11 July 2005
North Sea Jazz festival
Fantastic, I have been there, and it was wonderful. The http://www.northseajazz.nl/index.asp was full of interesting artists. I went only on Friday. I wanted to see Brad Meldhau, but he did not show up, unfortunately. Another guy took his place, and he was good, and he tried a lot of variations and combinations on standard themes, but it wasn't the same for me, as for a lot of people as well.
After that I went to the stage of ACT, a german label, I believe. http://www.actmusic.com/. There I saw Lars Danielsson, and he was very good, playing cello and double bass, with a lot of nice electronics. He was accompained by a piano player and a drummer.
John Scofield disappointed me. It did not seem like he was playing something nice. They also put him on a too small stage, it was too crowded and warm, but still; I felt people were clapping their hands only because his big name John Scofield was playing. A pity. Nevertheless he played a very nice version of Georgia, from Ray Charles - a lot of artist played a tribute to Ray.
Cassandra Wilson was far most the best act of the show. Too short, that hour and a quarter. She made us dream with her fantastic voice. Her band was impressive, even though I did not know all the names. Cassandra, sophisticated and simple, deep and powerful. I will surely go to a concert of her, if she will come nearby.
My last act was Dave Holland, playing with Jack Dejohnette, Herbie Hankcock and Chris Potter. Impressive act, but I was then tired, and some people in the audience were sleeping (they were playing difficult music, by the way). Dave has an incredible touch, but the one that surprised me the most was Herbie Hankcock, who was playing very sophisticatedly, quite a contrast with his more commercial music.
I am happy I was there - but in the other hand the complete program is not that good, in my taste. There is a lot of commercial stuff, a lot of pop, a lot of big seller; I will prefer a more explorative festival, and with a higher quality standard. No Jamie Cullum next year, please! No Joss Stone....
After that I went to the stage of ACT, a german label, I believe. http://www.actmusic.com/. There I saw Lars Danielsson, and he was very good, playing cello and double bass, with a lot of nice electronics. He was accompained by a piano player and a drummer.
John Scofield disappointed me. It did not seem like he was playing something nice. They also put him on a too small stage, it was too crowded and warm, but still; I felt people were clapping their hands only because his big name John Scofield was playing. A pity. Nevertheless he played a very nice version of Georgia, from Ray Charles - a lot of artist played a tribute to Ray.
Cassandra Wilson was far most the best act of the show. Too short, that hour and a quarter. She made us dream with her fantastic voice. Her band was impressive, even though I did not know all the names. Cassandra, sophisticated and simple, deep and powerful. I will surely go to a concert of her, if she will come nearby.
My last act was Dave Holland, playing with Jack Dejohnette, Herbie Hankcock and Chris Potter. Impressive act, but I was then tired, and some people in the audience were sleeping (they were playing difficult music, by the way). Dave has an incredible touch, but the one that surprised me the most was Herbie Hankcock, who was playing very sophisticatedly, quite a contrast with his more commercial music.
I am happy I was there - but in the other hand the complete program is not that good, in my taste. There is a lot of commercial stuff, a lot of pop, a lot of big seller; I will prefer a more explorative festival, and with a higher quality standard. No Jamie Cullum next year, please! No Joss Stone....
05 July 2005
Meeting noiosi
Mi sto annoiando enormemente. Sono in un meeting enorme dove non ho nulla da dire e devo solo ascoltare. Che perdita di tempo. Quante volte ci e' successo di trovarci in meetings inutili? Cio' che non ho capito e' se il problema sia tipicamente olandese o tipicamente da grande azienda.
04 July 2005
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)