What at first seemed like a tear in the fabric is now beginning to be a broadening of the whole. The shores of the North Sea begin to feel like a natural part of me - a familiar sight, with friends to visit with, places to go, wishes to attend to, promises to others and myself to make good on, all cranking up the wheelworks pretty good these days.
 I love that I ride a mountain bike to rehearsals, usually storming into rehearsals drenched and wind blown. Quite a picture I am sure; especially these days with the do a little on the larger side of life, inclined to spring from the middle and head in all directions. About thirteen kilometers to rehearsal every day, back and forth, rain or shine, sometimes sweet, sometimes savory air through Dutch dairy country. Best remedy for 22 year-old prima donnas or any man over fifty.
 Putting together a new quartet to tour in tandem with the new release slated for September. I am so in love with deadlines (add to that dark chocolate, 75% cocoa minimum) Our work is cut out for the next 10 days or so. But honestly, I feel like a kid in toy store. Great musicians make it that way.
 About to record a couple tracks with Uropa horn section on the new work on the 11th at a farm studio in Amersfoort. (More sweet and savory) Uropa is truly something. Bone, alto, and trumpet - such a distinctive spread yet such a singularity of sound - if my penny catechism serves me right, something like the mystery of the Trinity. Let's see . . .
 One of Holland's national treasures, Bert van den Brink and I are about to give a few duo concerts in Europe and Canada. The piano man has quite the load on his back, having to learn and commit to memory twelve new songs. Twelve tunes with very involved piano arrangements. He refuses any such compromise as would be sanctioned by the axiom 'good enough for jazz'. He's a shameless fusspot for detail. Each chord, each cadenza, the dynamics coming from and going to the next bar, the way his little finger leads and defines melody, his sense of time and taste all make him a wonder to watch and listen to. What's more, what a memory; such that I have not seen in a man until now. Easy to credit or blame his blindness for his acute sense of hearing and huge storage capacity. Perhaps natural compensation may have something to do with it. But to walk with Bert is to try to keep pace with a man who is keenly awake, quick on the uptake, full of banter and wit, well versed on practically any subject, a holy terror with buttons and knobs, and a pointed, most shameless thorny sense of humor. Nope, in the end, I think candle power has most to do with Bert's glow.

Gino

December 2007
I sit here in my favorite pin-striped, cotton baggies I snagged for a song a couple years ago at a Danish flea market, anything but ready for prime time, ready to take stock of the year in passing. Though I need not give it too much thought. It was a good year, in fact, a very good year. Another little island of content along the river that rushes to the Great Sea. Got a shoe box with over 50 poems, 20 songs, and on a week's flight of fancy, a libretto, with some finished verse and melody set to a musical about the infamous and iconic anti-hero, Don Juan. (The tales and nature of Don Juan being many, I decided a fusion of all of them, including Lord Byron's Don Juan, would make for the character I thought most interesting) I will continue to chip away at DJ over the coming year.

Be getting to the new recording in a couple of weeks. Think I have written some of my best. (What else am I to think) Long days and nights of silence and loneliness have given birth to the Muse once more. I have let her work her wonder on me. I am a lucky man to have some of the best talent in Holland coming to Portland in January: Michiel Borstlap, Bert van den Brink, Karel Boehlee, Hans Van Oosterhout to name a few. Think it's quite apropos, in light of the the new work being titled, The Dutchbeat. One more little side note: couple days ago I sang at George Lopez's surprise birthday party for his wife, Ann. (a pretty, spitfire of a Cuban woman) The whole thing was a shocking pleasure. George came to my dressing room minutes before my performance. I usually brace myself tightly for such circumstances and try to put on my best face, shake hands with a firm grip, and try to be up on the latest weather. George broke with all tradition of the Hollywood star - didn't have to resort to our respective forecasts. I found myself talking to man: a warm, humble, straight as an arrow, heart big as the sky, kind of man. George readily admits to both his good fortune, and lingering adversities. He lives each day with gratitude. He is anything but the walking cliche of riches and fame, wearing success like a pair of store-bought pants. Still on European time, the throat felt a little gritty and raw. But those honest moments of exchange between George and I suddenly invigorated me. I became quite content to be right where I was. The set went rather smoothly, highlight being George and Anne subbing for back vocals on I Just Wanna Stop - a little rough but great theater.

Back home from LA. Good to be with Tricia and Anton. I will make a point of being present this Christmas, careful to guard against that blank look and not wander off into the spheres too much, leastways not mid conversation with an in-law. Gino

Gino

Sunday, Nov 25th
Took a train to see a trio this aft in Amersfoort, at Bora. Pianist, Bert van den Brink. A sweet, out going, passionate, blind, and indisputable genius. Smaller, more diminutive man but rolling thunder in his digits and chain lightning in his brain. Man, I was taken for a magic carpet ride. 'Heaven, I'm in Heaven' (that is, the ol' ditty) he coyly called, 'Seven, I'm in Seven', playing it in 7/4. (like a straight 4/4 only every second bar a beat is dropped) Mind blow. He played the head, comped, ragged, strode, soloed like it was a nursery rhyme. Guy next to me said I was gaping. Pure joy, though I felt like a winded butterfly catcher. The rest of the trio, (drummer, bassist) were my exact cup of tea too. Great players of space, from void to every shade of sound. No gratuitous licks, just music.The whole set induced esthetic arrest in me - sang their praises in my sleep. Been a while since that happened. The Dutch are up to no good I tell you. Gotta see and hear for yourself.

Gino

Touchdown, Holland, finally beginning to unwind. New Orleans slowly coming into focus. The point tapers, edges sharpen. Sometimes when the spotlight hits the eye, and people become a sea of silhouettes, the mind travels where where it may go. Nothing can stand in its way.

Could be 1975 or could be 2007, I thought to myself. Either way I was happy to be on that stage, getting lost in music, singing with all I could muster for folks in New Orleans who have been with me from the getgo. All of us in disbelief of the years flown by.

Hail to the boys in the band. They put out their best. Drummer, Rein of course, kicking and leading and daring the others to keep up. Randy, Sandy and Allen stickin' with him. These boys were hitting me pretty hard from behind. What else could I do but try and rise to the occasion and give it my best. The air on stage was thick with thunder. Had me an inch off the ground for days. Barely enough sleep, yet full of fire. Saw some of the devastation first hand before I left. The houses marked with x's. Reminded me of the main reason I decided to play New Orleans.

Time to reorient myself. Got several concerts to do, including a couple as duo with Michiel and some as trio along with Buddy and Ricky. Such a different slant, different approach to the same themes. Keeps me chasing and in wonder.

Haven't been to Paris in almost ten years. Got it on my mind. Can't help but wonder if people will remember and come out. Richard, the promoter just sent me a photo of L'Espace Cardin. Seems like a fine hall to play. More on the brain: conductor, Jaap Van Sweden and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Haven't been to the Concertgebouw in many moons. I am told there is a child prodigy who will play the piano parts to Canto. Hear say he plays Chopin perfectly. More wonder. Gotta couple of masterclasses to give in Utrecht first week of December. New stars in the heavens are created by the energy of older stars before they go, astronomers say. I think it works the same here.

Finally, gotta get together with a couple of big band orchestrators and hand them some new charts. We're gonna have to scramble to get 'em done in time for the Metropole big band concert on Dec 14th in Hilversum. Hell, do I love to sing with them - 58 way hip musicians, able to play just about anything you can dream up. Not sure if it's open to the public or not. Either way, I'll sneak a few friends in through the back door.

Gino