Manafonistas

Marc Johnson speaking / Marc Johnson: Nardis, from Overpass / Feature 1: Solo clarinet: „Light Line“ by Chris Speed (Bert Noglik)  / Masabumi Kikuchi: Improvisation, from Hanamichi / Don Cherry: „Festival De Jazz De Chateauvallon 1972“ / Feature 2: „Organic Music Societies“ (Karl Lippegaus) / Maridalen speaking / Maridalen: from Maridalen (Jazzland) / Nils Petter Molvaer: Stitches (VÖ: 27.8.) / Feature 3: „Was hörst du?“ – Eva Klesse“ (Hendrika Entzian) / Marc Johnson: Samurai Fly,  from Overpass (VÖ: 27.8.) / Marc Johnson speaking

Es ist eine spannende Sendung geworden, glaube ich. Special thanks to Lukas Fehling who set the controls for the heart of the sun, technically speaking, and to Gerd Daaßen who exercised the norwegian words „Blir det regn i dag, tru?“ like a funny mantra of its own kind. 

I can’t quite believe we actually played at the Acropolis last night. There were so many, many reasons why we might not have. Any of the band or crew could have tested positive or been told to self isolate any time in the two weeks up to the gig. Brexit makes moving musicians and equipment profoundly challenging. And then there was the heat! It hit 43 degrees in afternoon on Tuesday while we were setting up, the highest Athens has experienced since the 1987. Even with shade and fans running, laptops became unusable, and we have a lot of them. They only started cooperating at around 8pm, chopping out set up time to pieces. To add to the drama, wildfires burnt out of control to the north, and ash started to fall on stage.

But it did go ahead! A particularly exciting concert for me, as mid way through I switched from being an on stage technician, and started playing keyboards on some wonderful new material from Brian, plus some classics like By This River, Julie With, And Then So Clear. I realise I’ve worked with Brian for 15 years, but getting to play those songs live was extraordinary.

Despite of all the disasters – or perhaps because we spent so much time anticipating them – everything went without a hitch. There was a nice family feel on stage with Roger playing a set from Mixing Colours with live treatments from Brian, followed by a some beautifully atmospheric songs with Roger’s daughter / Brian’s niece Cicely. Leo Abrahams, who’s been playing with Brian for 20 years also provided beautiful guitar soundscapes from halfway through.

Lovely as it was to play, I’m very glad that it’s over, and that I don’t have to spend every waking minute expecting equipment to melt.

Ein Filmteam ist für die DGG vor Ort, an der Akropolis. Aber hat das Konzert der Brüder Eno gestern Abend wirklich stattgefunden – die Feuerbrünste im Norden, die Hitze. Wer weiss mehr? Pink Floyd hatten es in Pompeji jedenfalls sehr viel angenehmer, was Klima und Umgebung anging.