For Example/Workshop Freie Musik - 1969-1978

Misha Mengelberg (1978)

Berlin, 3/24/1978

Jost asked me to write something for his book. Free Music Production looks somewhat younger than Instant Composers’ Pool – our 10th anniversary was celebrated last summer in Fort Amsteldyk – Zuid, Uithoorn. We were on summer time in Holland then and Alex, who didn’t know this and who is otherwise always very punctual, arrived around an hour after Evan - with whom Alex was to play - had already begun at the piano in order to express pianistically his travel experiences.

I just arrived in Berlin last evening around 10.40 p.m. – possibly one or more hours too late – and this possibility was no longer open to me. Fortunately, neither Peter Brötzmann nor Han Bennink, with whom I was supposed to play, nor the public very seriously missed me (I’ll pepper things up for you tonight), so this lateness of mine didn’t cause any lack of friendliness.

Festivities of this kind are perhaps a little dangerous – one thinks, probably, something must have happened in these 10 years – it’s not impossible, but what’s definitely clear is that we’re a little nearer the grave. To be sure, Free Music Production is somewhat bigger than we are, but I suggest – not mincing words – that when we’re in the Old People’s Home for former avant-garde organizations, we play each other then only old records out of the heyday of the 70’s.

Translator unknown

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