Munich with Laila

May 13, 2007

Returning to Munich where Laila Muhs and her children, Stella and Raphael, are my anchors.
Once again Laila has organized a group of singers to work with us for the week-end.
But first we will do a gig at the Unterfahrt, the local jazz club. I love to sing there because the vibe is very good, and the audience loves to listen. It is a great challenge to be in this atmosphere of jazz, complex charts and musical reference, and to do completely improvised sets.
I have invited Roman Seehon, percussionist, and Christian Doepke, pianist, to sit in with us. Very exciting to add a harmonic instrument to this mix and a second percussion instrument. I watch as Joey and David meet Christian and Roman. There is a pause in the air as we begin the sound check. Then the music lifts off and I sense that we all breathe a happy breath of, “Oh this will be great.”
The evening is terrific, full of feeling and great musical moments. We have 6 young children in the audience as well as teen-agers, Stella and Raphael and lots of singers.
I love this night. The second set has segues from one idea to another. Rather than stopping and
receiving applause, we settle into the next musical mode. This allows the music to drop in deeper and deeper.
Thanks Christian and Roman and to Joey and David as well for trusting.
The workshop is strong, with David, Joey and I team teaching. I think it works really well for the students, but we notice as the days go by that it is very intensive for us because we never stop.
One of the studies of this tour is how to give to the students all day and save enough for the
improvised concerts. We had a great conversation about the depth of the work during the day,
physically and emotionally and then how to get clear enough to do an improvised concert.
It takes time to empty after a whole day of this musical exchange. Next trip we would be sure to have the concerts on a separate day.
Did I say how great the night train was from Arnhem to Munich? Not easy to manage a full day
of teaching in Tilburg and then a concert directly after and then rushing off to the train from Tilburg to Arnhem and then the creepy mid-renovation of the train station in Arnhem waiting for the night train not sure which one it was or which track it would really be on. Finally we board the City Night train with the kind help of the steward of our wagon, a darling guy from Brazil. We find our private cabins where we will sleep. Of course David is longer than the bed, but he says he will manage. He has to manage this all through the tour. I feel for him each time he looks at his bed for the night. We are all however, grateful for the privacy and the clean, efficient rooms especially as we walk the wagons to go have dinner and we see so many people trying to be comfortable in chairs or 6 beds to a room. I am so grateful that Johanna convinced me to have private rooms. We have a very good dinner together, the three of us, talking about our teaching and the way we have come to perceive our work that has so much in common. We walk back to our rooms. I love closing the door and having my own window on the night as we roll through Germany. I sleep so well and wake by the tap of the Brazilian steward who brings tea and breakfast to the cabin. Morning comes as we roll into Munich.
That is a great way to travel.
Back to the work in Munich:
There are several students from other years as well as new voices to hear. We move from
technical, percussive and bass study to free improvisation study. I love teaching with the two
of them. I find myself agreeing with the things they say and the way they approach the work.
What a great joy to find one another as I sense they like teaching with me as well. Like having
family in the deepest part of life.
Thanks to all the singers who gave so much and were willing to stand on the edge of what they
know and be willing to learn. See you in another year. Keep studying…
On to Mannheim.