A Summer Evening in Provence

It is summer in Provence. We are in La Farlède on a lovely evening and there is a band in the village square. The lights are strung across the plane trees and there is a hint of lavender in the air. The village has gathered there and the band is playing Piazzolla's Adios Nonino.

We arrive just as Vincent Houdijk starts a creative credenza on the vibraphone accompanied by a nearby motorbike. Then the band joins in to fill in the rest of the notes. Don't miss the vibraphone "assistant" who appears and interupts Houdijk, 4'45" into the piece.

The arrangement is credited to Peter Kleine Schaars and is the best band arrangement of Adios Nonino that I have ever heard. The band is no village band but is rather a symphonic wind orchestra,the Vakantieorkest AdHoc, which reforms every year (hence the name AdHoc) in the Netherlands for a 10 day performance tour into the smaller villages of the Provence region of France. It was led this year by Sander Teepen, his second year in that role. I hope he brings back AdHoc next year.

You can hear more AdHoc at JDSchaftenaar's YouTube channel. I particularly enjoyed their performance of Lord Tullamore.

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