Token Dutch Music Personality; Happy New Year

Annette Apon/Louis Andriessen

Because of the time difference New Year in the Netherlands is six hours earlier than here in Florida. It means that the time leading up to tonight's midnight hour comes sooner for someone who was born at the same time and at the same place than for me. I often go back to the Netherlands and this year I went back a lot. Every visit to the Netherlands comes with a shopping extravaganza at record stores. Vinylarchief in Nijmegen is my favorite place to go shopping. This time around, at the Vinylarchief, I browsed through a section labeled "Dutch Avant-Garde" (yes, there is such a thing.) I selected a handful of records from that section but ended up buying only two. One I did misidentify (by remembering a different first name) and, even though it was quite good, I left it behind because it dissatisfied my expectations. The other one I took with me, and I did find that one quite beautiful, Golven (Waves,) soundtrack to a film by Annette Apon by Louis Andriessen. Some musicians on the record were part of the Willem Breuker Kollektief, last year's token Dutch musician, and the record belongs the one of the most played vinyl on my player this past year. There are quite a few tunes from films in this year's list. Music, to me, seems to make a greater impression when it's accompanied by visuals. Golven doesn't belong in this category because I never seen the film. Sound!!! on the other hand, is a on a repeated watching loop on my computer. The film by Dick Fontaine, features the music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and is narrated by John Cage. Cage himself is not in the Top 100 this year but is associated with a handful of recordings as is elaborated in this post from a few months ago.

Dick Fontaine/Rahsaan Roland Kirk

There are still a number of paintings that are finished but not discussed yet. I'll forward one more and wait till next year for the others. I set myself the goal of getting half way with the Top 100 paintings and that's precisely where I'm at right now. The last painting I share here then is a double portrait of the Italian (Sicilian) singer Rosa Balistreri and the Portuguese singer Amalia Rodrigues. The two were friends. Balistreri is the in Top 100 with a song called Mirrina, while Rodrigues almost made it in this year after I was given two wonderful live records of hers. I have now eight records of Amalia Rodrigues, I had yet to make a painting. Both Balistreri (d. 1990) and Rodrigues (d. 1999) are (were) heroes of their respected communities, and both championed a communist/socialist cause.

Rosa Balistreri/Amalia Rodrigues