Damo

Damo Suzuki with Fuzzy Lights
http://theportlandarms.co.uk/wp/#news

Situation I’ve now, is quite new.
Since 5 weeks, I’m keep away from smoke cigarettes.
I hate to say I stopped to smoke cigarettes, I’m stopping, hey processing, it will be keep this way or that way, I just don’t like to give answer and make my self confusing with new set upped self-law.
Normally, before I go to tour I shave, but this time I didn’t.
It may superstition, so I quit from this and looks like how old I am naturally now, but who cares.
Another new start is a new driver for UK road.
I was looking for someone who has interest to support me drive around. You know since released from hospital in 2017, I better to have someone carry my luggage and take care of my health. It was recommended by my surgery doctor and Elke.
I sent mails to some UK mail addresses I have, as regular UK road driver E-da is busy with his music project which is fine, he is a musician, better do things of his own. Prompt I received a couple of positive replies able to support me on this tour within short time.

Alan is name to appear on this newsletter diary for first time. He lives in London, runs a small company of his own, roots in Ireland, also musician (guitarist) has own music project. When I contacted him, he was recording in studio. He was saying he has interest to join me on tour, as he is curious about musician on the road. I may be not good example to satisfy his curiosity, I’m a solo artist and not a band. I’m not that young, no exciting wild nightlife.
Another “new” thing follows next day, I leave it for now I inform you later, OK?

We made an appointment to meet up at Café, terminal 2 where German flight arrives. I reached that Café very early than appointment. Rules at immigration had been changed: Holders of Japanese and South Korean visitors go same scan control like European citizen. As I’m not a tourist, I’m performer I have to go to another immigration service where controlled my COS (UK work visa for performer) and some short interviews.
Most part of musicians task is waiting, waiting and waiting.
Even I arrived at Café early, it doesn’t matter actuary, as the Café has no pop music or average radio music sort of sound, instead they have classical music BGM, so it’s very welcome.

Alan appeared, not much later beside even my duty at immigration went fast.

London-Cambridge is one cat spring….a comfortable distance.
I woke up early at 4:00 MET this morning, my body needs a bit nap.
So, took a short nap, then we went to an Italian.

Mixed audience, young and old.
As usual spoke with some visitors, one said he didn’t know me and even don’t know what is my music all about. This is his first experience at Network performance and he deeply enjoyed. Oh, thanks. His words made my day and next motivation. Thanks for coming and see you next again. Few other people came from Brighton, they had been at Network performance few times, they’re curious to experience Network at different city, joined by local sound carriers around Cambridge. It’s fine, now a days I’ve some travelling visitors like to witness different music experience. One lady from Scotland contacted me (she also never heard of this project live), she will come to concert tomorrow in London, and she was planning her very special London trip. Thanks for all these travellers, this makes me so glad and proud, you know. It’s gives me so much motivation.

Today’s Network band playing together for long time. Guitarist is a French guy. It’s not special if I had a guitarist, I performed often with French musicians, just I couldn’t realise he is a French as he didn’t have that famous accent in his conversation. Like I’m master of Broken English, French people has very special accent on whatever language they speak, it’s unique and for my ears kind of charm. This young French guy spokes like domestic English people.
You can see I’m not great example for young people, I’m too lazy to learn any kind of language. I learned on street.
Now a day I collect sound carriers 15 minutes before our performance in green room. Talk about this and that, to make relaxed atmosphere, also talk about how we start.
“How we start” is just key of all Network performance. We don’t talk much about music we’ll create. Final part comes naturally anyway. This is free platform, nobody force you to do something. Here you may think I’m lazy again. No, no just I don’t like any plan and system, that’s all. Tonight we send two sound carriers at start on stage and later other sound carriers come on the stage whenever they feel like to join.
After the show I found smiling on faces in audience and sound carriers on the stage.
I didn’t have performance for two months, but my creative ability was just there like if I had show last night.

A kind of perfect day.

Still a mistake……. I didn’t buy night snacks after the show, I need them before I take daily medication tomorrow morning when I get up. My day start with small snacks and coffee followed by medication.

Live Documentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTGor3y0BiE

Damo Suzuki with C.A.R.: Ken Hartwig (Double Bass, Electric Bass), Leonhard Huhn (Saxophone, Electronics, Voice), Johannes Klingebiel (Drums) and Christian Lorenzen (Wurlizer, Analogue Synthesizers)
https://unser-ebertplatz.koeln/c-a-r-kraut-am-ebertplatz/

I’m living in this old city Cologne really long, about 40 years all together (!), recent years we withdraw from scene. We’re living outskirts of the city face to huge park, we can see season change, sometimes squirrels, and rabbits come near, even small bird come flown through open window. My taste, best part of the city.
So, I’m living different world, actually I never affected from this city, in carnival time or any big event that the city brings.

Ebertplatz…I lived near here on two different streets names in two different times. But, it’s a long time before. In my life I moved really a lots of time. You may say I’m life long bohemian.

I was informed it will be stormy today, but it didn’t.
Initiative of this part of the city wants’ event to calm atmosphere here as recently crimes are getting more. So, they like to get positive energy therefore they’re arranging some event regularly here, at middle of pedestrian place. Many young people and some by accident joined. I don’t know any faces, just a few, not difficult to count. I feel I’m stranger at home, feeling like perform at anywhere else.
Sound carriers are all first to see, but all talented young sound carriers that’s nice to know as older Cologne inhabitant like me. Just everything went good and positive energy captured all over the space with 4 or more different exit/entrance, curious or music lover came from all direction and stay with us.
Be one of audience, witness it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZx8AkoSGok

Damo Suzuki with Tavo Castillo (Electric Guitar, Steel Guitar, Flute, Winds, etc.), Jorge Durand (Drums),  Manongo Mujica (Percussion), Junior Pacora (Flute, Charango, Sax, etc.), Daniel López G (Minimoog, Electric Piano, Synths), Luis Alberto Linares (Bass) and Juan Luis Pereira (Electric Guitar, Winds, etc)
https://m.facebook.com/patronatope/

Lima is Mega size city with near to 9 million, 3rd largest city in South America. It’s near to London’s population. Such huge city, we stayed just 3 days even less.

If people think about Peru, generally almost everybody imagine of Macupitvu, unfortunately it’s very far from Lima, also with my up and down condition. It stay like just an interesting place. In the city, You can see many people in folklore, more Inca dominated, black hair, smaller, somehow, it’s exotic. Our accommodation is colonial Finca style not far from city center, also I can rent word “exotic”.

Now, Peruvian kitchen is getting as famous as their Inca culture, you can find Chevicheria (Peruvian restaurant based on famous national food Ceviche) in big German cities. Ceviche and Pisco Sour (Chilean think it’s their original) is its delicatessen. Good kitchen and Peru are connecting in my brain for very long time. So, I have to say I was so happy when an offer came one day as last during planning this South America tour. Even Carlos from Santiago and few other people of South America tell me, they visit Lima regularly just to have fantastic Peruvian foods. It’s s popular in South America.

Picked up by companion of Rafa, prompter, rest in hotel. I rest myself for few hours, when I went to lobby at appointment time, he was already there waiting for us. He wanted to bring us to grill restaurant that was fully booked, not possible without reservation even it’s on Tuesday night. Anyway I was not much interested in grilled thing on this day from heat. We went to Japanese restaurant that was halfway good. Peruvian kitchen is fusion of Japanese, Chinese, German, French, etc. Origin of potatoes is Peru, there are 2 or 3 thousands different sort of potatoes you may find even in market.

Next day, at Lunch, Rafa invited us to (of course) Peruvian restaurant that is really busy, famous restaurant. We had to wait for two hours, walking small park near by. This restaurant I have to visit again, good atmosphere good selection of regional foods. All looks great. Place is really “living”. Worth to wait for table.

Lima sound carriers are well-known respected musicians in this country and relative older people. The show was recorded, this complete live documentation is available on “Romantic Warrior IV” (Publisher: Zeitgeist) as special features DVD. Wasn’t much visitors as promoter calculated, the other hand I have no ideas if someone know me and music? First time perform in the land you visit for first time you don’t know how to expect is very strange feeling. I think people spend their time had good time, perform with local sound carriers with this formation for first time.

Before leaving Peru, lunch together with Rafa’s family in fusion Chinese restaurant. Before departure, We had opportunity for last shopping at souvenir village short before airport.

Damo Suzuki with Carlos Reinoso (Guitars, Keyboards), Walter Roblero (Guitars, Keyboards) and Yaney Salgado (Guitars, Keyboards)
http://planetariochile.cl

Back to Santiago, I’ve 2 days breaks before an appearance in Santiago.

First night we back to the fantastic local food restaurant at Recoleta again….I wanted to taste Sea Urchin again (a kind of junkie effect?) Also wanted to taste other yummy dishes as I missed last time. Football craze Axel made friendship with waiters last time, he sung a song of Colo-Colo, a Chilean prominent football team from Santiago.

I like this restaurant, I recommend, surely next time I visit Santiago, I come here again. It’s always nice to have a favorite restaurant everywhere, it make easy dairy flow. Find good eatery is not easy thing, an expensive restaurant is not always serving good foods. If you cook by yourself and idea to do, eat out is often problem as you have perspective to see it critically. Home-made food is anyway best of all. Unfortunately, many people believing paying much meant tasting better foods. I don’t support any places with over high price that is not well balanced. Often even it’s not using organic local glow material.

Every day very hot dog days, next day we went totally touristy, found ourselves in tourist bus. Wherever we like we can jump in and out. It may easy to know the surface of the city. We get out at Market place, I like this place just everywhere. Place like Santiago, we can find many possibilities to eat fresh fish.

Walk through busy street filed up with never ending river of people after people on streets under lazy sun. Suddenly, sound of drumming caught our ear, it brought us to the direction it come from. We fund a fantastic attraction, street music: amazing Chinchineros!. You may saw them somewhere, they’re performing on the street in many countries. Here I fund this for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOiXkEzcY-c

The festival ground is far from the city center, we certain amounts of people get in transit Bus, drive through busy city. My performance was late afternoon, visitors are slowly coming in.

What a surprise, one of sound carriers, I know from my last show here in Santiago more than 10 years ago. Carlos, a contact friendly funny guy, knows many different things from his journey abroad. I had good fun with him. The instant band was all together 4 sound carries including me without drums. 3 other sound carriers each of them guitar/Keyboard, a very seldom formation, basically non-category music. Young audience get into our act. As you may know some times I’ve no good condition. I left the spot after the performance not long after the performance.

I was invited from Carmen invited alongside Lee Ranaldo and others to spend two days near to Valparaiso. Carmen lent a house and she brought camera team for her documentation.

Valparaiso is a very special, whole city is like pop art museum with graphite after graphite, very colorful in local special light, it’s nice to walk around to view all those art works. We’re quite amount of people, nearly to 10 people. It’s sometimes problem to get seat at restaurant.

Carmen is leading us, but sometimes she disappear somewhere for short, so we’re lost. The city has few cable cars which is I think, symbol of the city, but it’s very steep. We were wondered when we saw Halo, nature theater. It’s really mysterious even in the daytime. (one of my wish is to see Northern Light one day.) We had fun, Carmen brought me oyster as I was speaking too much of this delicatessen, I may made her nerves?

My habit since long is buy souvenirs with feeling. We’re at one cafe, I ordered espresso, I liked this espresso cup a much, I asked a waiter if I could buy. I bought directly 8-cup sets of espresso. I was like a happiest child this moment, you know. My souvenir, I buy with feeling. It’s don’t attract me all those souvenir goods at souvenir shop.
I’ve small collection of figures at home, I like figures. While I’m window shopping, some figure is talking to me déjà vu effect.

While I’m writing this, figures behind my desk is smiling. A black accordion player with long legs…ah, from Hebden Bridge, a pretty young girl with smile, somewhere near York at Market, but made in France? A lady in folklore costume serving chocolate from Cologne, art museum.……

They give me all positive energy, you cannot imagine.

I’m collecting different things, but not with fanatic collector spirit.
As I said it’s with feeling….. A philosopher said collecting things is from weak character. It’s doesn’t matter for me at all.

Damo Suzuki with Anla Curtis (Guitar), Mariano Domínguez (Bass), Fernando Kabusacki (Guitar), Matías Mango (Keybord), Roberto Petinatto (Sax) and Fernando Samalea (Drums)
https://ndteatro.com.ar/

I’m so tired, whole day sleepy.

Buenos Aires is one of my favourite cities in Latin America. The city has feeling back to Paris in 20’s of last century…. Sentimental, something tragic, romantic (if I know this word correctly) and melancholic. Houses and streets passing by, feels come back to home. I can remember many parts of the city even last time I performed here was more than 10 years before. This is 3rd approach at same venue.

Axel researched (spied) surrounding of the hotel which is so closed to the venue while I had a light nap. From my wish we wanted to go somewhere I can eat oyster even I don’t know the material comes from near here I wanted to walk a bit, we found a restaurant in very noble hotel, which was looks very attractive, it has many different meats hanging from ceiling in special glass room at entrance. At the reception, I asked if they have oyster. A lady receptionist gave us negative answer and saying, “there are places you can have oyster, unfortunately nearest place is 10 minutes by taxi.”

The space at this restaurant at lunch time, good amount of visitors, quite busy, mainly business man, research dishes from shoulder, we decide to stay at this hotel restaurant, may be a little bit of laziness from less sleep and matter of the weather out side…grey colored sky rain might fall next second.

Fish dish, I ordered wasn’t that good. Maybe it wasn’t that bad. Since I take medication after my last surgery, taste I catch in my mouth is some time bitter no matter of what I eat. Axel like to celebrate, ordered his first Kobe-Beef. He eat huge amount of breakfast during our trip together. So, happy to see someone in front of me, enjoying and having good appetite. He shared me a bit of his Kobe. I never had Kobe before, this is for me too first time. It’s so yummy!

Audience here is always very thankful, I had many hugs after the show. Like last two appearance here, Anla Curtis joined as sound carrier guitarist.

Day in Buenos Aires was short. Buenos Aires is place I must go back again.

Damo Suzuki with El Mató a un Policia Motorizado
https://m.facebook.com/clubparaguay/

Expect Buenos Aires I’d never been other city in Argentine. Hired festival taxi to airport. The driver, handsome James Bond like middle age hotel driver in black suits told us, it takes 10 hours from Santiago to Cordoba by car, the destination of today. If by any chance, next time we are here, then we rent a car drive through Andes, yeah. This would be nice.

Manuel and Melissa, organisation team of today, picked up us from airport through local atmospheric colorful something- nostalgic student city of Cordoba. I had smells like these.

South America is so crazy about football, practically easy to communicate with this theme. Begin of conversation. Then I spoke about one of my favorite player, Mario Kempes. He is from Argentine. Manuel was quite surprised, he might never thought I know name Mario Kempes, he is happy to hear domestic hero’s name from other football junky from far another football junky continent. Especially he never expected. Story came back to 1978, year Argentine won World Cup final against the Netherlands at the Estadio Monumental. Now, I know Mario originated here…Cordoba!

Cordoba is 2nd largest city in Argentina and a university city.
I quite like University City everywhere, I feel with energy of young people, hope and future. The city is laid back, not hectic that I experience later.
Our hotel is a colonial style building. It brought me to 20’s of last century.
Middle of it grandfather elevator. He is still active on his post, just looks getting old, but tells many stories.

Argentine? Meat!
100% same answer comes, even from vegan-tribe. Yeah, I’m in Argentine, even I’m not really meat eater, but I have to try meat as generally people eat here. Local food! Lunchtime is near, we went to foods mall at this time in late noon open. Once I heard from local, good quality meat is just for export, local people eat miner quality meat. Anyway in Argentina, meat is main, you don’t miss.

Sound check start 3 hours later than schedule timetable, this delay hardly biting door open time already. Nobody except staff and few sound carriers. Is nobody interest in this sort of music? Booker says no worries, we just have another time.

Door open time sound check with two formations as I’ve two stages tonight with two instant bands. Around 23:30, suddenly visitors come from every direction and fill up space so tight to next that I never expected as at door open time nobody was there.

After get heat in the space, party in endless hot summer night. Get back to nostalgic hotel at 4:00 short nostalgic dream.

We’ve only few hours to sleep.

I was in the car to Düsseldorf Airport. Due to hard snowfall, it wasn’t possible to go further after just a kilometre, had to change the plan, have to use train. Snell tempo on Autobahn, every driver is very carefully (he/she didn’t pay back all credit spend on their car yet? Ha, ha……a stupid joke! No, no everywhere is totally in stress) If I had to stop for long on Autobahn in traffic jam, surely miss my flight 100%. From my nature I have enough time calculated before every flight. The day like this is perfect that I’m still flexible enough, if you have enough time you make it better.

We came back home, now start from beginning. Went to Cologne central station, mass pot full of passengers, here also in chaos. Trains are delay after delay, totally out of schedule. But, I have no choice, train is still relative safe for this situation. Delayed train with full of passenger, this continued at airport, many flight were cancelled. My flight route possibility is to fly to Santiago, via Amsterdam or Paris. Fortunately the organiser of the festival in Santiago booked flight via Paris. I have to say what a luck, they had good hand, man!, we can fly to Paris in time, if they booked via Amsterdam we were not able to fly and all my schedule may mixed up. Who like this kind of situation? Then it’s stress to arrange new flight ticket, thousands of passenger may change flight, calculable troubles.

This South America trip is attended by Axel, a contributor of my website and the adviser for computer solution when I get problem (you know, I’m from anther generation, I’m not keen on this society. It may sound excuse.), we know each other since almost quarter century. I’m very thankful to him, visited me on every Monday while I was in hospital. We meet up at Sushi bar at airport, usual meeting point when I use this airport.

I have many problem with diarrhea, a side effect on my surgery, have to run many times to WC. It’s very uncomfortable situation. This day toilet in airport was dirty and chaos. You can’t imagine some people are crazy, a fool or maybe an action artist. Open toilet door I fund mountain of the product correctly mounted on toilet seat, looks like (or must be) this anonymous artist create it by intentionally.

Transit time was really long at Charles de Gaulle Airport, eatery here is not something, baring like a fake-Japanese-Sushi on conveyor belt that you may find a lots of cities in UK, same chain restaurant. Seems to be many international flights are gone, here and there getting stony silence, just few flights are left to start this day from this terminal, waiting for departure, some shops are already closed. Is that action the artist at Düsseldorf Airport, is following us, flight same destination? I fund again in this mount of nature human product on toilet seat, incredibly this time also with intention. A strange coincidence. Anyway it’s may not the thing I have to talk. Just it was strange intention.

Paris-Santiago took 14 hours. My longest flight since long.
This trans Atlantic flight was full, quite tough, bottom and feet are getting painful. I have to do something to kill time, better read books instead watching at those average standard movie collection on flight. I carry few books with me, but today I don’t have concentration, I switch board amusement. Watch at “Danish Girl” (Tom Hooper 2016), some sports channel, even Liverpool – Everton 4:4 in 2013, Rugby Australia – New Zealand that I didn’t see till the end. As usual on trans Atlantic flight sometime turbulent. Food, I took vegetarian couscous, not worth to tell.

Arrived Santiago, a lady was waiting for us, she arranged taxi to Hotel. The city is modern with many skyscrapers. Every South American Capitol cities are huge, many people come look for job in big cities, not much possibility in province. Who knows in Europe, Bogota, Columbia has more than 9 million people and 2nd largest city in South America? Last time, 10 odds years ago in Santiago I had less than 24 hours to stay. this time I’ve time to see more of capitol city of Chile. Today we’ve just here for transit.
Tomorrow we’ll move to Cordoba, Argentine.

It was for me necessary to rest after long flight while Axel was active exploring the city, later he reported me atmosphere of the city and folks are kindly, for him this is first trip to Latin America. Summer in December, fresh pressed juice is best drink you can get, we fund exactly what we want at an organic café near by.

We had an appointment with Carmen, organiser of the festival at hotel lobby.
She remind me of someone I know, I said her she must be this star sign as she had same like one I remind. She was quite surprised. Carmen moved to same hotel too she said while she has her office somewhere in the city, she can get a room to use as her office for free of charge as she booked 100 rooms for this festival at the same hotel. Later joined by 4 young lady friends of Carmen, one of them from Australia has her birthday today. We must celebrate! Someone said. First we took dinner (red wine is cold, it seems to be normal here) then had, Pisco Sour: National drink of Chile and Peru. (Both countries believes original is from own country.) Now a day you can find Peruvian restaurant more often than few years ago, this mixed drink is getting popular. Then we all moved to visit a sold out concert of a Canadian main stream band in arena, which is not my world, I quit them short later, take walk, enjoy night breeze. Short later Axel joined, drive back to hotel in comfortable night sky.
End of first day.

Next evening we went with good amount of people around 10 to fantastic local food restaurant at Recoleta, North of the capital city. Friendly atmosphere and interesting buildings. When I saw Sea Urchin in menu, I was happy and excited, I didn’t know people eat here. Expect Japan I had only in Italy until now. What a luck, I say. It’s one of my favorite food. So much Sea Urchin on dish. In Japan it’s very expensive, just I wonder how much cost like this amount in Japan, it’s so attractive in front of my eyes. You know if you go to Sushi bar, Sea Urchin is generally most expensive. At one Sushi Bar few years ago, I paid 8 Euro for one Sushi, Sea Urchin on it.
We ordered many different dishes to share, but I feel I took main part of Sea Urchin dish. It may shame.
During dinner suddenly I felt not good I went hotel alone by taxi.
Unfortunately, didn’t have main dish. Jason, one of organiser of Fuji Rock Festival, he was in this party said me later, I eat too much Sea Urchin, that’s reason I felt bad… May be he is right. One thing is sure I have to come back to this restaurant, I like this space.