In 2020 during the first Covid lockdown I started collecting photos and making short videos of objects and scenery in my home. They are a response to experiencing the peace and quiet as well as the feelings of uncertainty and restlessness. Putting objects and the immediate environment ‘under the microscope’ is the common thread running through the selection, concentrating on small details. These images were then edited and thematically arranged by musician and photographer Andy Moor and myself. As I am interested in multimedia performances I decided to create a piece combining these images with improvised music which became CLOSE.
The images are equivalent to the music. I choose which image to use, its length, speed and texture and control these as VJ. These choices influence the musicians, as well as the other way around, with the music influencing my choice of images.
The first series of 7 performances was supported by the Fonds Podiumkunsten and took place in various churches in the Netherlands. The music was created by an improvising trio comprised of one pianist who performs when possible on the organ (ideally a small historic pipe organ), one string player (violin/viola, cello or double bass) and myself (cornet and voice).
The pool of musicians performed in differing line-ups for this first series:
Pianists – Marta Warelis, Nora Mulder, Nico Chientaroli and Marielle Groven.
String players- Pau Sola Masafrets (cello), Mary Oliver (violin /viola), Aaron Lumley (doublebass) and Maya Felixbrodt (violin/viola).
For future performances I have added an extra colour of electronics/percussion.
This pool is in the making and Frank Rosaly joined us in one past festival performance (‘The Cutting Edge’ Den Haag 2021 ) and will perform in one upcoming concert in Zaandam (Jazz Inverdan, March 2024).
