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Dhafer Youssef is on stage. His first breath connects to spirit and intent. Empathic me feels along and holds space for his level of clarity. His second breath is for lyrical prayer. It is a call that soars beyond the hall. With arms extended, he turns circles that bring to mind the poems of Rumi and Hafiz. Though he is a showman, his smile isn’t performance, it is gratitude. His third breath is for his brothers on stage. For them, he is an exceptional and generous bandleader - trusting, guiding, encouraging, giving devotional attention to - all the while aware of the energy of the audience and spirit and his own instrument, the oud. He is is own stage hand moving a stool to and fro between times he sits before the microphone or traverses gracefully to his band mates with his oud, fully employed. His fourth breath is for the audience, “How are you feeling?” he asks. Dhafer is completely at ease and it’s infectious. No prescription required. The stage continues to buzz minutes after the talented and eclectic musicians from Tunisia, Brazil, Norway and Italy have left it. The audience in attendance of the sold-out concert, redefines enthusiasm. They bang the balcony boxes, stomp the rakes, whistle and shout above and beyond hand-stinging applause. Their desire continues. The house lights go on. The gift was given.  #DhaferYoussef #Tunisia #Oud #OudMaster #Vocalist #Composer #Triumph #TivoliVredenburg
#Utrecht #Music #LiveMusic
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My second time to be enthralled by the Ritual Groove Music of Nik Bärtsch's Ronin gave me a new experience: a zen-topia algorithm that pointed to spiritual math and geometric synesthesia. He is joined by steadfast, courageous and extremely talented musical brethren Kaspar Rast (drums), Thomy Jordi (bass), Sha (bass/contrabass clarinet) and Andi Pupato (Percussion/Drums).  #NikBärtsch #Ronin #Pianist #Composer #Awase #RitualGrooveMusic #Utrecht #TivoliVrendenburg #Music #Jazz #Zen #Buddist #Aikido #Synesthesia #ECMRecords
The Gloaming kicked-off their tour last night in Utrecht, Netherlands. My Celtic roots were activated in an aura of pervasive warmth. Heart expanding through each spiraling orchestration, I was transported to ancient battlegrounds, both kismet and unrequited romance, mystic poets and ceremony. Their music, inexplicably though altogether sensibly, is the nature of the Emerald Isle herself.  #MartinHayes #Music #TheGloaming #Traditional #IrishMusic #Ireland #Tour #Violin #Fiddle #IrishFiddle #TivoliVrendenburg #Utrecht #Netherlands
When the night train runs hourly, making it that I don’t put the key in the door until 02:56, there better be a good reason. Ceramic Dog - a Marc Ribot music project - delivered their spontaneous poetic passion last night at Lanteren Venster in Rotterdam. Ceramic Dog is Marc Ribot, Shahzad Ismaily and Ches Smith  There are at least two good reasons to patronize the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. The other one is to melt into the Ritual Groove Music of Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin. Relentless and captivating, their passion and performance earned robust triple-encore that flooded the canals and tamed a marveled audience.  As I approach my third decade of listening to the recordings of Tuck & Patti, and given that I have been privileged to experience them live in concert upwards of 90-times in these years, I have methodically formed an opinion: they are a duo of individual maestros if their life’s calling and craft. And somehow they keep getting better. The concert at Freight & Salvage yielded many surprises. My first time to visit the venue, I was very impressed to learn about its non-profit status and see the eclectic roster of international musicians that grace their stage. Patti highlighted the importance of the venues’ mission. This set a warm tenor in the at-capacity room of people that were clearly there to listen to and enjoy their music. Tuck & Patti’s ability to improvise is legendary, though I didn’t expect to get a tasty preview of the songs they recorded for their forthcoming children’s CD. Patti announced after the reveal that it was the first public performance of some of the tracks. Produced by their niece Annie Clark (musician, composer, performer, designer, disc jockey and filmmaker known also as St. Vincent), the anticipated project will be available 2019. It is bound to become a carpool classic and late Sunday morning pancake-making soundtrack for families of all cultures and ages. If that wasn’t enough, this duo managed to squeeze in a plethora of fan requests, and entertain the attention of the audience for a whopping two-hour concert! If that wasn’t enough, they managed to share more of themselves with admirers for meet & greet after the gig, and before heading back to the studio where they promise to shift into producer, engineer and mixing mode, to bring other artist’s dreams to life. And it that isn’t enough... well, I am left wanting more. I’m on track to reach that 100th concert. I predict saying then that I learned so much from every performance, that each set gave some element unique unto itself - for the room, the audience, for the moment in time that called for it and for the service to the music itself. I highly recommend seeing Tuck & Patti where and when it’s convenient for you and if you’re fortunate to see them at Freight & Salvage, heed my advice: get your ticket immediately upon subscriber availability and arrive early. MANY people were in their general-seating seats an hour before the duo took the stage. These folks know! Now you do too. - Tuaca Kelly, TKMD Field Notes  My first Tuck & Patti concert, 29 November, 1989 - San Francisco State University #TuckandPatti #LoveWarriors #FrieghtandSalvage #Jazz #Duo #Music #StVincent #AnnieClark #Producers #NewMusic
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Field Notes AuthorTuaca Kelly chronicles experience in music and other human culture treasures. Archives
December 2019
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