Dear music lovers:
After a hiatus of about 2 1/2 years I am again active on line.
It’s been nice to have a break from organising projects,
but now the time has come to continue the work!
Future plans
In May I will have a new, Amsterdam-based quartet, featuring Guillhermo Celano on guitar, Omer Govreen on bass and Onno Govaert on drums. The group will play mostly groove-based pieces which I have not yet performed or recorded. For this group I am also creating some textural pieces based on the ‘folk ballad’ form The low brass and woodwind group, Low, Slow and Wobbly, is also on my mind.
Other activities
This last year I have been making monthly radio shows, the second saturday evening at 11:00 CET, for De Concertzender. It’s another way for people to hear the music that I love. The first series of three was an overview of the early Ramboy recordings, followed by three programs of Mose Allison and four about Jaki Byard. I am now busy with my second program about the music of Dewey Redman.
Here @ Concertzender is a list, in reverse chronological order, as well as some earlier broadcasts involving my music.
The musician-run venue Splendor in Amsterdam is a wonderful place to play and hear music and an interesting organisation. I have been hosting groups of mostly younger musicians there in the past years, and quite a few wonderful groups have passed through. Come on down if you are around.
Coming up in Splendor are:
24 January - a CD release of Omer Govreen’s ‘Garden Crack’ with Adrian Moncada, Nino Balyete and myself
31 January - Lucas Dann & Kresten Osgood
26 February - August 38th - a 9-piece a capella vocal group
2 March - Ab Baars & Krik Knuffke
8 March - Siebren Smink Quintet
16 March - Ziv Taubenfeld’s ‘Full Sun’
30 March - recording - Oscar Jan Hoogland’s LOOT
2 April - Felicity Provan Quintet
Meanwhile Ramboy #39, Amulet has gone into second pressing and should be available again very soon.
According to some it's a 'Golden Retriever of an album'. ________________________________________________________________
Here's what the producer has to say: Chemistry between musicians is a magical thing. Michael Moore and Paul Berner have that kind of magic. When they play, the music seems to flow in a natural unhindered stream, each note being an obvious continuation of what was played before. It was a thrill to be in the producer's seat at this session, witnessing these two masters going about their craft. How they would feed off each other and pass the ball at just the right moment. Observing how they would shape a song into a whole by polishing, simplifying or embellishing where needed, yet all the time being aware of the freshness and immediacy of creating in the moment.
In order for musicians to function at this level, the environment has to be right. Engineer Frans de Rond deserves credit for designing a sound stage upon which Michael and Paul could thrive and create. Frans experimented with various microphone set ups before deciding to keep it as simple as possible by using only the Josephson 700s to record the duo. When Frans was satisfied with the balance of the musicians and the ambient sound of the hall, we invited Michael and Paul up to the control room, hoping they would agree that this was the sound with which we were going to proceed.
"This is us, this is how we sound, this is so real." was Michael's reaction upon listening. Paul just smiled at Frans and said: "Let's play!"
Listening right now to Amulet I marvel at the completeness of the album, how each song sounds as if it could not have been played in any other way. And it is all the more remarkable knowing that Michael and Paul were improvising, making up the framework of each song right there on the spot. And I marvel at the vivid naturalness of the sound, it's as if I am there, standing at the sweet spot where Frans placed the microphone. - Peter Bjørnild
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"There are way too many gems here to discuss here but I will say this: last night, I was sipping on some dry wine, watching candle burn slowly and listening to these discs. Everything fit perfectly and I'm still smiling thinking about it now." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG, sept. 10th, 2021
