Ow!
Although the cashflow this year did not really allow me to go, I decided a week ago, after a lucrative offer of a friend’s friend to go anyway… to the 30th edition of the North Sea Jazz (NSJ) Festival in The Hague [NL].
This year even more crowded than last year, I made sure to be in time for the performances I really wanted to see, and in and between those, I just let myself being pushed from stage to salon to hall and enjoyed everything I heard.
To give a small review:
- I started with Chaka Khan, supported by the Metropole Orchestra. After the superb performance she gave last year in Paradiso Amsterdam and because of the reputation of the Metropole Orchestra, my expectations were high…
Well, I do not know how to say this, but it seems Chaka had a few drinks too many, or had been pleasantly affected by some other joy-enriching good. It was awful! She was singing slacky and sometimes even off-key, had almost no connection to the orchestra, had ask what would be the next song and by whom it was written and was just falling back on the fact that she knows how to shout out… really loud. Could not take much of this and so I left after only 5 songs.
- Because I already had a late night the day before I felt like sitting or even lying down for a moment… In the Jan Steen Salon this was perfectly possible. I lay down with the rest of the crowd to listen to a very soothing and relaxed performance of Phil Woods Quartet and String Orchestra. Nothing but BIRD here, so I really enjoyed the laid back way of performing by Phil and the nice interaction with the strings. The solo performance on clarinet by Joachim Badenhorst (I believe) was a very refreshing act.
- Then I took my time to find a good spot to listen to a girl I knew from 1 song only… Katie Melua. To keep it simple: I am in LOVE! This girl is the better version of Norah Jones in the timid songs and knows how to perform in the up-tempo and bluesy tracks. Besides being a real treat for the eye, her voice really hits you in the right spot. She performed wonderfully and was warmly embraced by the crowd. Many kuddos to her band, I like to see no-nonsense artist who simply know how to create the real deal. This was very pure and complete. Purchased her cd right the day after and already am looking forward to the next!
- And while talking about pure… Robert Cray. This man plays blues straight from the heart… into yours. This performance was double special: While being touched by his voice and his pure play on guitar, I was really touched by just looking at the audience… how the people experienced and felt this performance. I really like watching people, and watching people getting lifted is even more satisfying.
Then I had to make decisions…
- Watched part of the performance of Pete Philly & Perquisite, a Dutch hiphop formation. Pete is unbelievable, I think Holland does not know what big talent it has. His flow is swell and his lyrics profound… expect this to exceed in short period of time!
- Watched a really small part of The Reverend: Mr Al Green, this man knows how to create that atmosphere of love…
- And then… seated audience only, so only a limited number in the audience and I was there: Rita Reys. The Grand Old Lady of Dutch Jazz performed like she was 16… excited on stage and with a killing sense of timing. ALthough her voice not anymore all that, this 80(!)-year old still catches that sublime feeling of Jazz… with a capital J.!
Feeling I had missed too much I settled down for the last thing I had to see:
- Raphael Saadiq, the former member of Lucy Pearl. Starting of completely the wrong way: Loads of noise, harsh and loud guitars and more rock than jazz… He probably noticed that the crowd did not feel him, he managed to change his performance in what we were waiting for: Strong Lyrics, more jazzy/soul music and most important: connection with the audience.
It was good. Too bad I only had change to be there one day, the other days were also packed with bigger and smaller names worth mentioning, but I really enjoyed this.
It was the last time, after 29 previous editions, that NSJ was in The Hague.
Next year Rotterdam, my hometown, has the honour of hosting this magnificent event and with that, a huge pressure to set an atmosphere like there has been in The Hague. Difficult, but possible.
We will see waht the future brings… good music will always be there.
