It is autumn here, time to look back and forward. My past summer holiday was spent here in my vintage caravan on the coast, in the company of friends who enjoyed the beach and bbq as much as I did. And: I went on a diet, losing 11 kilos in just three and a half weeks! I attended brilliant concerts: starting on 3 July with Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler who were accompanied by the Metropole Orchestra at the Hague.
Then just five days later I was invited by Crosby Stills and Nash drummer Joe Vitale to attend their Amsterdam concert. After the gig we were invited backstage for drinks, chatting up to the band.(see photo) In the days that follow I sent translations of Dutch reviews to the band.
A few days I went to the first of three jazz gigs at the Concertgebouw, starting with Dame Cleo Laine, who after an absence of more than a year showed why she is still top of the bill. Unforgettable! After the concerts I got the chance to talk to her son Alec, who I had previously met at Ronnie Scott when he played bass with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. On 18 July I went to the Concertgebouw where Georgie Fame sang with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. My friend Ans and I said hello to Georgie and were kindly invited backstage for a few drinks before heading home. In August I witnessed 87 year old virtuoso Toots Thielemans receiving the Concertgebouw Jazz Award 2009, before starting another unforgettable gig! Highlight: Midnight Cowboy!
In August Chris Jagger was over to play Haarlem Jazz alongside Dirk Jan Vennik. I will post some pics later, as well as some footage. It was well-appreciated by the audience and likely to get a follow-up in 2010.
Now it is back to school, but there is more. Two more weeks and my autumn break will start. Time to put my caravan into storage and to start my next job, of which I will tell later.
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