Cello stuffs

Cello lesson in Amsterdam again today, trying to loosen up that bowing arm. It has a tendency to tense up trying to stop the bow from tipping over or falling altogether. Gravity, innit! Seán Bergin put me in touch with Harald Austbø, a cellist and improviser who lives in Amsterdam.
He's a student of Ernst Reijsiger, the composer and cellist who's written music for a good few of Werner Herzog's films (including "Wide Blue Yonder" and "Cave of Forgotten Dreams"). Beeeyyooootiful!

In the course of the lesson, talk of portability came up. I started playing the cello eight years ago for many reasons, but its portability (compared to a piano anyway) was one of them. Hundreds of bus journeys later -"Would you not play the tin-whistle?"; "I'd say you have some trouble getting that under your chin!", cue gales of laughter - I realise it's maybe not the most portable.

Still and all, hats off to those who try. Here's Harald on mini-cello with the Bakfiets Band. This clip from a concert of Werner Herzog film music is beautiful, and round 8 minutes in you can see Ernst Reijsiger playing the cello standing up. Apparently he walks around with it sometimes too.

And, a bit less successfully by Woody Allen in "Take the money and run".

The brilliant Herv released "Portable Music, Vol. 1" last year, made with Nintendo DS, Korg Monontron and (I think) an Ipad - a practical solution to having a very long bus commute to and from work. Get that show on the road, as they say!

Gig tonight in Zaal 100

Come on down! It starts at 9 p.m., all details are here.

Zaal 100, De Wittenstraat 100, 1052 BA Amsterdam.

Amsterjam

Headed up to Amsterdam yesterday for a jam with Tobias Klein and Raphael Vanoli. Tobias plays clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone, Raphael is a guitarist, and both of them use electronics along with their respective instruments. Yesterday was wonderful, that flotation tank feeling from abstract improv, and the bass clarinet is a big velvetty swoon-machine. Plus, the studio had a window, so we could see snow falling outside (minus 23 centigrade last night in Eindhoven - winter came late, but it's here now!). Just beautiful.

They're amazing musicians, wildly prolific and proactive, involved in loads of other projects, including Lackritz, Knalpot and Spinifex. I've come into contact with a lot of (for want of a better word) jazz musicians over here, and technical ability and prolific collaboration is a big part of (let's call it) jazz circles. Left to my own devices, I'd write and write, acquiring the technique necessary to play my own music, but not stretching myself any further.

With that in mind, I'm getting a cello lesson next week in The Dam. It's been three years since my last one, time to get back on the horse. Tis a life's work, eh.