Tumbleweed Stew

---

When you travel with a Ron, you get to hear a lot of music. I could trot out all my favourite adjectives and tell you about Katarina Garcia, lilting her way through a set of Sefardic melodies, making us forget that we were sitting on hard chairs in a Dublin public library. Or Slaid Cleaves, who transformed a monastery kitchen on the Dutch side of the German border into a roadside bar on the dustiest patch of south Texas. Or I could confess to a moment of such intense identification during an Idan Raichel concert, where I sang at full throttle in an intimate venue in Utrecht, only remembering I was Jewish and completely forgetting that I was functionally tone deaf. But then this journal would be little better than a license to bore and I clearly remember promising you no blogorhhea.

For all us granola women, I'd be glad to send you my video of Joan Baez, performing in Amsterdam. I could say a lot about her; greyer and frailer than when I saw her last in Halifax, she has grown more distinguished over time. But in all the ways that count, she is the Joan we remember. Generously, she sang “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” in Dutch ("Waar Alle Bloemen Gegaan Hebben?") and, of course, everyone loved that. When the audience stood for a second ovation, she laid her head to one side on both hands, reminding us it was past her bedtime. Iconic, unpretentious, but ultimately, loving to lie down.


But don't go to bed before you listen to the remarkable pianist Lang Lang, who is so charismatic that he has all little Chinese children taking piano lessons. Impossible not to adore a man with a name like a baby Panda, a superlative musician who manages to look boyish and joyous all at once. (Now, those are a couple of tongue-twisting adjectives that should never show up in the same sentence...)

---

Comments

[Miri]

Musical Variations
What a treat to hear Lang Lang. Thank you for sharing what must have been an exceptional concert. I tried clicking on the forward arrow but could not access any other singer. It sounds like you have experienced a musical cornucopia and a cultural feast. I found Joan Baez the ultimate in graciousness when I recently saw her at Town Hall in New York. She can still mesmerize an audience and that is a true gift. So glad you had the opportunity to see her. I look forward to your next adventure. Love and Hugs, Miri (I MISS MY WALKING PARTNER!!!)

[Marcie]

Love to hear from you, makes me envious. Phone me, I'll return the call straightaway. Things are well here. -Mom

[Fred]

relationships
Is Lang Lang related to Yin Yang

[Betty Purdy]

Beautiful
Oh you two are having such a beautiful trip. I see you are taking in everything. How more beautiful can it get Betty

[carolyn]

lucky to hear Lang
How lucky to hear Lang Lang and at the Concert Gebouw!!I heard him play at the Chan this past year and enjoyed his playing very much. I've only been in the small hall at the concert gebouw which was a wonderful experience, but would love to hear something in the main hall one day. It's good to hear that you two are having such a good time. Carolyn

[zena]

amusing as usual.