Tamara van Esch and yours truly have tried to organise this living room show for some time. It never worked out. First Covid stopped any ideas of organising anything for me, then the date we chose proved the wrong one, until 5 October. What took place was unique and most likely will never be repeated in our street.
Tamara indicated to want to wait until her Japanese friends were over and bring them along. They had played together in the spring of 2023 in Japan. This October they perform together during the Aki Tour 2024 (autumn tour) that brings them to several venues in The Netherlands and Germany, including our home!
Usually, I prepare for a show but this time I just wanted to be surprised. I had never heard of our Japanese guests and decided to keep it that way. The set up was different as while singer and songwriters Tamara van Esch and China played their songs, painter Kohei Kondo painted live, magnified by a camera and beamer. We saw him paint a different painting for each song, inspired by what he heard and even paint to the rhythm of a song.
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Photo: Wout de Natris
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Chima, a singer living in Sapporo on the northern island of Japan, opened the show. With her soft and modest voice she brought her songs accompanied by her electric guitar, played with a delicate fingerpicking style, with minor exceptions. All but one song were in Japan. So I had no idea what they were about. The mood she set was enough to enjoy her songs. "Drop, drop, drop", she sang at some point and afterwards said she had tried the Dutch sweet called drop. From the look on her face it was more an experience than something to be relished.
Chima never looks at the audience when playing/singing and totally draws into herself, while not losing track of Kohei. A song can be lengthened at will to make sure he can finish his idea. At times strange little noises came from her direction. Each time she was making them herself. Adding a layer of mystery to her presentation. Chima may be a modest singer, she is able to mesmerise her audience and certainly in association with Kohei Kondo.
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Photo: Wout de Natris
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Tamara van Esch is in transition as an artist. Her records are all filled with Dutch language songs. This evening almost all, including a few songs from her upcoming album (2025), were sung in English. Her music is serious and of the kind that demands listening. In a solo setting that is a given of course. And especially in a living room. She accompanies herself on guitar or on piano. During a few songs she used a loop pedal slowly enhancing her sound with more and more layers of guitar melodies. Timing is essential here to make sure it all fits, while she keeps singing as well. In the mean time Kondo was painting behind her making her songs come alive in paintings. With little drops of paint, water colour, oil, sprayed water, finger nails, using anything from the tiniest brushes to a huge brush. It could all be seen on the screen behind Tamara.
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Photo: Wout de Natris
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Yes, the painting took some attention away from listening but the combination was so perfect. The songs of both artists, no matter how different the two may be in style and singing, came doubly alive. The combination was magical and mesmerising, as the audience showed the whole of the evening
The paintings went on sale immediately after the show and many of the visitors went home with one. We have one of our own living room on which the show is announced. A perfect memory of a perfect evening.
Folks, this show is really worthwhile visiting. On the tour poster on top of this review are the other dates you can see the trio in action. Don't hesitate, go!
Wout de Natris - van der Borght
You can buy Tamara van Esch's music here:
https://tamaravanesch.bandcamp.com/album/tussen-lagen
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