Amsterdam 2009, Day 8-20

What an amazing time this has been in Amsterdam. Highlights (but not limited to!): playing and hanging with Michael Moore and Michael Vatcher, playing/recording with Anne La Berge, hanging with Mary Oliver, Trevor Grahl, Susanna Von Canon, Han Bennink, Carolyn Munz, Taylan Susam, Dana Jessen, Mike Straus, Sean Winters, John Dikeman, Johnny Chang, Alex Nowitz, Vivian Wenli Lin…eating at De Waaghals, The Golden Temple, Bolhoed and other great restaurants with vegan options…walking, looking, listening…a beautiful and productive time, even with the bad cold the last few days.

But the biggest thanks go to the generous spirit of Nico Bes and all at STEIM, to chats with Takuro Mizuta Lippit about work, use of the space, housing, life, music, embodiment and improvisation. And a huge continued thanks to David Borgo, for getting me over here last year: a dream made real. A great time again this year, not long enough. (Also note: I should be posting my project blog soon at STEIM on my spectral spatialization patch for improvising with trumpet…)

Jeff Kaiser, Michael Moore, Michael Vatcher @ STEIM from STEIM Amsterdam on Vimeo.

Michael Vatcher and Michael Moore
(CLICK on any image to enlarge.)

Vatcher, Kaiser, Moore

Vatcher and Moore

Vatcher

Moore

Kaiser (non)

Sint Olofskapel

???

What about people?

Saw this while looking for tea. Two excellent tea shops in town, Geel’s and Wijs and Zonen. I’d give Geels the nod, better selection, price and quality for my taste.

A shopping mall…!

Two men wrapped in cellophane. In Leidseplein, of course.

The blue light is the moon…

At DNK Smart Projects, Yolande Harris…Now Stripe Time…On tropical rain, dolphins echolocation and the pink noise of pleasure yachts in turquoise sea. A lecture / performance with live manipulations of field recording and video. Now Stripe Time. On tropical rain, dolphins echolocation and the pink noise of pleasure yachts in turquoise sea. A lecture / performance with live manipulations of field recording and video. And…

Seamus Cater, Fritz Welch and Viljam Nybacka…The Folk Music, the Whale and the Sea…Seamus Cater – Rhodes, harmonicas, vocals…Fritz Welch – Percussion, vocals…Viljam Nybacka – Percussion, Ukulele, vocals…With songs and music, three musicians deal with the history of whaling in the 18th and 19th century sense, expanding this to include folk music and the sea. Using firsthand musical / anecdotal texts and writings of A.L. Lloyd, Herman Melville and Bas Jan Ader, DNK’s Seamus Cater is joined by Fritz Welch (Human Sacrifice / Peeesseye) and Viljam Nybacka (Brown vs Brown / .man).

This was a mesmerizing, engaging set that even while being pretty downtempo totally held my attention.

Viljam Nybacka

Seamus Cater

Fritz Welch

The walk home from DNK

I love regional schnapps, so when Jodi Gilber mentioned oude genever I had to try it. Pictured: Three kopstoot. I also tried jonge, which is also delicious…

Johnny Chang, Taylan Susam and me…having oude genever