Monday, August 31, 2009

Berlin 2009, Day 19-25: Farewell!

Neukölln
Neukölln
(Click on any image to enlarge)

I've had an unbelievable time here, I hope to return for a longer stay next year. Wrapping up with a final few pics to post before off to chess with Roy and Keith....

Great video installation! Wednesday I went and saw one of the coolest uses of space....an underground labyrinth through the large intestine of an unused public swimming pool...with video installations in every nook and cranny. I went to a party there a few weeks ago, but this was opening night for the installations...

Stadtbad Video Festival
Stadtbad Video Festival

Installation in the pool
Installation in the pool

More: Pool installation
More: Pool installation

Stadtbad labyrinth....
Stadtbad labyrinth....

Stadtbad Video installation
Stadtbad Video installation

Another shot
Another shot

The bowels of the pool
The bowels of the pool

The pub in the bowels
The pub in the bowels

more bowels
more bowels

Afterwards, caught a train to Die Remise...

Walking to Die Remise, poked my head into a skate park through an opening in the wall
Walking to Die Remise, poked my head into a skate park through an opening in the wall

At the Shillingbrücke Terrace, Die Remise's summer concert location
At the Shillingbrücke Terrace, Die Remise's summer concert location
Keith O'Brien, Roy Carroll, Ed

Thursday nights concert at Loophole, with the FANTASTIC clarinetist Anat Cohavi, and equally wonderful accordionist Hannes Lingens and laptopist Roy Carroll. It was nice to have friends Joachim Goßmann and Johnny Chang there.

Recording mics on a chandelier at Loophole...which later came tumbling down, with no injuries....
Recording mics on a chandelier at Loophole...which later came tumbling down, with no injuries....

Loophole stage
Loophole stage

Loophole stage
Loophole stage

Roy Carroll, Hannes Lingens, Anat Cohavi, Jeff Kaiser at Loophole
Roy Carroll, Hannes Lingens, Anat Cohavi, Jeff Kaiser at Loophole

Friday, visited Ableton's offices, had a great visit with Yukio King, awesome guy who my friend Trevor Henthorn introduced me to, had an excellent chat about education, art, software, life in Berlin. I was also able to meet Jeremy Bernstein, codemeister for Cycling 74 who was also generous by taking time out of his day to chat with me, a great guy...all these folks are so interesting...!

Ableton offices
Ableton offices

Leaving the offices, was once again struck by the sky...

Yet another shot getting on to the train at Rosa Luxemburg
Yet another shot getting on to the train at Rosa Luxemburg

Yet another shot getting on to the train at Rosa Luxemburg
Yet another shot getting on to the train at Rosa Luxemburg

Friday night gig with Keith O'Brien and Roy Carroll was SMOKING. Thanks so much to Roy for setting up all these wonderful musical experiences for me. That night also featured Liz Albee (tpt) and Clayton Thomas (contrabass), who put on a killer set, mesmerizing, beautiful stuff. It was nice to finally meet Liz after crossing paths with her for years, we have so many friends in common.

Phil setting up the recording mics at Salon Bruit, Licht Blick, Kino 77...
Phil setting up the recording mics at Salon Bruit, Licht Blick, Kino 77...

Roy's hands, me, Keith O'Brien
Roy's hands, me, Keith O'Brien

Roy Carroll
Roy Carroll

Keith O'Brien
Keith O'Brien

Soundcheck at Salon Bruit
Soundcheck at Salon Bruit

Soundcheck at Salon Bruit
Soundcheck at Salon Bruit

The next day, chilled out with Chess and Keith at Café Manolo...

Chess at Café Manolo with Keith O'Brien
Chess at Café Manolo with Keith O'Brien

Early Tuesday morning, off to Amsterdam and STEIM. I will miss Berlin, but am looking forward to STEIM, Amsterdam and getting some work done...

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Gigs tonight and tomorrow night...

'Sicilian Kaiser'
Sicilian Dragon with Jeff Kaiser
Jeff Kaiser - 1/4 tone trumpet, electronics
Anat Cohavi - bass clarinet, soprano sax
Hannes Lingens, drums, accordian
Roy Carroll - sampler
Thur 27.08.09, 22:00
Loophole, Boddinstr. 60, 12053 Berlin

'Kaiser Adaptor'
Double Adaptor with Jeff Kaiser
Jeff Kaiser - 1/4 tone trumpet, electronics
Keith O Brien - guitar, computer
Roy Carroll - sampler
Fri 28.08.09 22:00
Salon Bruit, Licht Blick Kino, Kastanien Allee 77

www.jeffkaiser.com
www.myspace.com/anatcohavi
www.myspace.com/hanneslingens
www.myspace.com/royelylyonscarroll
www.myspace.com/doubleadaptor
www.myspace.com/amoebazoid
www.loophole-berlin.com
www.salonbruit.org

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Berlin 2009, Day 16-18

With Roy Carroll, post-caffeine in Prenzlauer Berg
With Roy Carroll, post-caffeine in Prenzlauer Berg. I met Roy when we both were playing at the Sparks Festival at UMN, Minneapolis. An awesome musician from Ireland, who has settled down in Berlin.

Mostly studying, or should I say, trying to study for my qualifying exams...but still getting out and about

I'm still in wonder that walking around randomly...you still see this amazing architecture.
I'm still in wonder that walking around randomly...you still see this amazing architecture.

more

and more

and more and

more and more and more

and more more

satellite dishes everywhere...
satellite dishes everywhere...

Palindrome in Kreuzberg
Palindrome from a bridge in Kreuzberg

the other way...
looking the other direction...

Ausland recording session...
Ausland recording session...This session was a true joy. It is awesome to have this time, to do concerts and record with such fine musicians who are also just plain nice people as well.

Roy setting up for trio recording session with...
Roy setting up for trio recording session with...

Hannes Lingens, snare drum
Hannes Lingens, snare drum

Roy
Roy

Hannes
Hannes

Hydrating post take one...
Hydrating post take one...

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Berlin 2009, Day 14-15

Club der Polnischen Versager
Club der Polnischen Versager
(Click any image to enlarge)

Summary of the gig: Awesome! We had a lovely audience, and the guys I played with were smoking. Harald recorded it, so I hope to hear it soon and maybe make it available.

My view from the stage
My view from the stage

Jürg and I setting up
Jürg and I setting up

Phil Skaller setting up: his rollup keyboard, horns, bells, whistles...
Phil Skaller setting up: his rollup keyboard, horns, bells, whistles...

The stage (drums off to the left)
The stage (drums off to the left)

Harald Thieman, percussionist and our host...the drums were in the dark, so no pictures of his beautiful set and random objects...
Harald Thieman, percussionist and our host...the drums were in the dark, so no pictures of his beautiful set and random objects...

onstage
onstage

Jürg onstage
Jürg onstage
(Thanks Jason Ponce, for taking the above two photographs)

The day after the gig, I took another full-on tourist day...Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg, Unter den Linden, Alexander Platz and Neuköln.

Getting off the train at Prenzlauer Berg and asked the question we all want to know the truth about.
Getting off the train at Prenzlauer Berg and asked the question we all want to know the truth about.

My destination (tip from Roy Carroll) was Benjowski Tea, truly fantastic tea shop. Despite the proprietor's immense dislike of Pu-erh, she had a lovely selection, of which I did make a purchase.

Benjowki Tea
Benjowki Tea

Benjowki Tea
Benjowki Tea

Benjowki Tea
Benjowki Tea

Teeater, Phil Skaller's cousin's tea joint
Teeater, Phil Skaller's cousin's tea joint

Teeater
Teeater

Getting on the train to Unter den linden
Getting on the train to Unter den linden

Should've read the news, got off in the middle of the Marathon...!
Should've read the news, got off in the middle of the Marathon...!

Russian Embassy
Russian Embassy

Russian Embassy
Russian Embassy

The finsish line: Brandenburg Gate
The finsish line: Brandenburg Gate

Reichstag
Reichstag

Reichstag
Reichstag

Building by the Reichstag
Building by the Reichstag

Reichstag
Reichstag

Reichstag
Reichstag

Reichstag
Reichstag

Reichstag with TV tower in background
Reichstag with TV tower in background

on the Spree
on the Spree

I ran into a random old time string band...
I ran into a random old time string band...

random architecture in Neukölln
random architecture in Neukölln

Having a pilsener at Fuchs und Elster
Having a pilsener at Fuchs und Elster

Sowieso, in Neuköln
Sowieso, in Neuköln

Mikaele Pellegrino, guitar
Mikaele Pellegrino, guitar

Mikaele Pellegrino, guitar
Mikaele Pellegrino, guitar

Mark, the proprietor
Mark, the proprietor

Watching Crix X and Sarah Dietrich improvise to La Jetée
Watching Crix X and Sarah Dietrich improvise to La Jetée

Jason Ponce and Paris at the Schluck Sprecht
Jason Ponce and Paris at the Schluck Sprecht

Paris's place, around the corner from my apartment, has been my hang. A great guy, fun to hear his stories of his travels.