It’s been a while I know. I’m in Istanbul, Aliah’s gone on to Tajikistan & is now officially in the sticks. No cellphone service, mon dieu!
Hmm to summarize the last two weeks:
Our time in Vranje (Serbia) was great. We met a very sweet cab driver, Dalibor, who became our fairy godfather, along with his lady Sanja. (There’s a strange gender error somewhere in that sentence, I’m certain.) They translated for us, took us all over town (& back & forth to Vranjska Banja, where we stayed mostly), & even set up a TV appearance for Slavic Soul Party (our friends we were kickin it with there). Somehow, and they couldn’t explain it either, in this town where very few people seem to work (and certainly not those under 35), everyone seems to have both lots of free time & some disposable income. See, Communism worked!
SSP invited me to join them in working with Demiran Cerimovic’s band, Vranjski Biseri (Pearls of Vranje), which was a great experience. I worked mostly with Demiran & another trumpeter (an older guy who used to be in Ekrem Sajdic’s band) & it was wonderful to get the transmission so directly. Both of these guys have tapped into something powerful & deep in their playing, and in their demeanor. They were incredibly generous & open with their information & music. I think my most profound lesson was in relaxed, focused playing at incredible volumes. These guys play so incredibly loudly (of course with dynamics, but their mezzoforte blasts the Menazeri’s fff ten time zones away) & yet with such ease & grace. Menazeri take warning: we’re gettin louder, and softer, if I have my way. I can recommend a good source for earplugs if you wannem. ;)
Then Aliah & I took the incredibly slow overnight train from Nish to Istanbul. Spent a couple of days traipsing, drinking tea under the Galata Bridge (I didn’t realize, last time I was here, that you even COULD go under the bridge; now I see it’s one of the most beautiful places in the city). Saw three clarinet players in the first three hours here. After a few days we moved into her uncle’s friend’s apartment, while he’s in England. (He’s been due to arrive back since last Saturday, and still no sign of him, so I’m still there.) It’s a nice pad in Osmanbey, near Taksim.
As I said, Aliah’s moved on to the goat-lands queasily close to the Afghan border. Since she left, I’ve been running around with my friend and fellow klarnetçi Sammy, stalking Selim Sesler, an amazing Rom clarinetist who Sammy studies with. I’ve been trying to get a lesson for 10 days or so now, and tomorrow’s supposed to be the day. Inşallah. Also just met violinist Hüsnü and his dancer-wife Rehan and hope to study with Hüsnü as well. Days have been kinda slow & introspective, with occasional wanderings into the neighborhoods I’ve never heard of; evenings filled with rakı and Selim’s clarinet.
All the time includes missing all of y’all…