My quest continues to make the most of post-lockdown life in Brussels. It’s been a year since the second, more arduous lockdown started to gradually come to an end. And yet, I’m still discovering many activities that have only properly bounced back to life now that the pandemic appears to be in remission (albeit not over, even if the government and much of the public choose to forget. Whilst people still fall ill, masks are no longer a requirement anywhere in Belgium, even on public transport).
More and more of my outings centre around Jazz. I attend a musically-accompanied Sardinian buffet in Etterbeek, organised by Internations' Girl About Town, Gloria. Although having spent almost three decades in the City, Gloria is a newcomer to Internations. A veteran amateur events organiser, the platform is her ideal outlet. She's more than making up for lost time.
That evening, entertainment is provided by an Italian duo; a vocalist and pianist from Tuscany. The spread is delicious and the group put on a very good show. I ask the singer if she knows where I can find more of her tribe. As much as I enjoy being a spectator, I sorely miss performing music. No, she replies, apologetic. She's not lived in Belgium much longer than I. Her experience thus far has also been heavily defined by the pandemic.
It’s more Italian, Jazz-related delight at Brussels’ famous L'Archiduc bar that Saturday. I’ve heard much about its live events since I moved here. Like so much else, any opportunity to sample the goodness has been put on hold because of the 'Rona. Live music has been one of the last aspects to recover.
As if to compensate, every weekend the L’Archiduc welcomes punters to enjoy free afternoon performances. For the rest of the month, I make it a point to pass by each week.
That Saturday, the Enrico Le Noci trio are headlining; a new discovery for me. It’s not your archetypical bass, drums and piano combo. Enrico is joined on guitar by an Aussie pianist alternating between the Hammond organ and Rhodes and one of his compatriots on drums. I love me some Guitar Jazz. (As if in preparation, I’ve been immersing myself in Wes Montgomery for days.) The trio’s musical texture is gorgeous. That’s not something to be taken for granted with Jazz ensembles, where the ‘wrong’ combination of instruments can have the effect of cancelling each other out.
Enrico’s trio takes me back to the beloved guitar Jazz and 70s fusion joints of which my uncle was fond when I was growing up. It's still an ever-present part of my musical palate till this day.
Le Noci’s vocals occasionally interweave with the melody lines of his guitar, à la George Benson. The choice repertoire is a mix of Jazz standards and soul-influenced originals. I’m in my element. During the break I converse with the band, indulging my starved-would-be muso side. I effuse about all the amazing acts – classic and contemporary, that will be passing through the region during the summer and autumn; Herbie Hancock, Gilberto Gil, Robert Glasper...I mention to the Aussie that his countryfolk, Hiatus Kaiyote will be coming to Holland, where the trio is based.
Small world. He’s familiar with Nai Palm and co from the Melbourne scene. They're good mates, in fact. He went to conservatoire with the bassist and pianist and has the pictorial evidence. A compliment about his organ playing segues into a lively discussion about faith – my interlocutor being rather cynical having played as a musician-for-hire at various churches. Our conversation is only interrupted by the resumption of the second half of the set.
I share this buoyant experience with Fredricka the next evening, whilst taking a stroll in Bois de la Cambre. The weather is still on our side. It will take a chilly turn within days.
Our friendship is in the embryonic stage but with a clear eagerness on both sides. We've socialised a fair bit since first meeting a few weeks earlier.
Unconsciously, our discussions tend to veer towards the emotive and profound. Fredricka describes me as intense, as is she.
A few days later she sends me a measured but frank text that she wishes to take an indefinite break. She feels she’s rushed the friendship and it's become overwhelming. I receive the text with mixed emotions. On one hand, I see her point. I’ve also had doubts about the velocity of our relationship, amongst other reservations. Fredricka’s message is polite, mature and sensitive (unlike the somewhat careless approach of others). I’m nevertheless re-traumatised to a degree, in light of recent relational disappointments. Fredricka is not unaware and takes this into account. It’s the right decision, I agree. That doesn’t make it altogether painless.
Now, more so than ever, I decide to ‘own’ my alone time. I’ve long been self-sufficient and content in my own company. I’ve never stopped attending events for fear of being on my J’s. Lately, however, it’s often felt like a last resort. Lockdowns -as necessary as they became - have deepened a feeling of solitude. That's not unique to me. Yet add to that a very mixed experience trying to find community in Brussels – again, greatly affected by the pandemic- and any time spent alone can feel like too much. As an antidote, I’m determined to regain my sense of agency.
Soundtrack: Fingerpickin’ by Wes Montgomery & The Best of Ivan Lins by Ivan Lins
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