Higher! in Holland

July 10-16 Okay! I'm on my way to the Hook of Holland via a ferry from England to the Netherlands.Why travel by ferry instead of fly? Because in my head I believe it will be more adventurous traveling on the high seas. Shooting the waves and rocking on the boat. Once in a lifetime. HA! First of all I had to take two trains to get to the ferry. In London I had to dump my backpack (yes I said backpack: containing three months of supplies) because it was so damn heavy. I felt like a donkey. I bought a suitcase on wheels. It weighed a ton.I drag it to the station and the ferry porter drops it and immediately breaks the wheels (thanks for the help)! I then drag the 300 pound suitcase onto the boat. Now let me get back to my romantic adventure on the high seas: The 'ferry' is actually the size of the Love Boat...scary massive. Really big boats and really small planes freak me out.The boat is like a condo on waves...no character. The cabin is really small. I can't see a thing because it's dark outside. In the morning I realize I there is no deck, which means I can't shoot outside on the high seas damn it! Whatever.I'm going to Rotterdam to see my friend Easton who is living and exhibiting his paintings in Rotterdam. He told me to stop by and he would hook me up with tickets to the NorthSea Jazz festival and introduce me to some gallery directors. I haven't seen or talked to Easton in seven years, so it's a reunion.

I arrive, we catch up and immediately head to the festival. When I say immediately I mean within a few minutes of arrival. It was just the beginning..........The festival is insane. Thousands of people and 40 concerts a day for three days. I literally did not sleep. I danced on the rooftop of the building and watched people do the Electric Slide! On the rooftop a guy asked 'Hey don't you live in Harlem!'In concert I saw Inida Arie, Steely Dan, Ornette Coleman, Maceo Parker, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Snoop Dogg and SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE!!!!!!.

All the musicians stay in the Hilton hotel where it is tradition for them to play jam sessions in the lounge until the early mornings. You know I made my way into the jam sessions! One night /morning I saw Wynton Marsalis play 10 feet in front of me! He was walking around like he was in his kitchen. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove saw me trying to keep my eyes open at 7:00 am and said 'Girl, you a sleep!' He later closed the set playing Michael Jackson's 'I Wanna Rock with You' at 7:30 am with the sun in full effect. Crazy.Hypnotic Brass Ensemble killed the crowd with the southern marching band moves.Europeans don't know about that stuff. One woman later said ' They are very good. Very Elastic!' But the REAL SHOW everyone wanted to see was SLY. I was so desperate to get inside for the show, I called my old Harlem friend who gave me the number for his personal ticket scalper, who I told to hold a ticket for me!. I managed to get a hook up with an access bracelet. I was in, with my HD video camera. Gotta document!

Sly has not played a show in over 20 years and people didn't know if he would show. The crowd was crazy with anticipation. I was front and center, you know me! The band was killer. No Sly. The band is playing song number 3. No Sly. Finally Sly's sister who is singing backup yells ' Where is my brother? Somebody go get my brother' and she meant it! The day before Sly was due to perform in Belgium and was holed up in his hotel with 3 prostitutes (who later cheered him on in the wings)! Sly finally came out (when he was good and ready). It was awe inspiring just to actually see him. He doesn't look the same, but he's still got the voice and he's still SLY STONE. I was later told he came down to the jam session at 5am, jammed and got drunk with some people who didn't even know who he was!

One thing I realized is: Musicians are craziest artists of all. Why do I say such a thing?? Check this scenerio out.: At another music festival during the same period a brother named Kool Keith was due to perform his hip hop set. The tent is packed. Kool Keith hands the technician a DVD. 'Oh great. You have a DVD to project!' Kool Keith starts the show and the tech man pops in the DVD. What starts playing on the 200 feet video screens? A home made porno movie! Guess what? They project the DVD throughout the entire show! Needless to say all the women in the tent immediately bolted for the exits!

Anyway, three days of the North Sea Festival had me whipped. Happily whipped. Believe it or not I actually managed to shoot while I was there! I later decided that I needed to make my way to Amsterdam. Back on the train...... Arrive in Amsterdam and check into hotel La Boheme. I immediately crash because the previous days and nights have finally caught up with me. After finally coming to I head for an internet cafe/ 'coffee shop'.Well what can I say....I walk in and immediately get slapped with the scent of herb. Strong herb. Very strong herb. Of course their playing Bob Marley music, what else!

Later I get some Surinameese food and witnessed a bloody (literal)fight in the street. Always in the thick of it..... Ran into Femi a Jamaican/ Nigerian musician who I previously met at the festival. Hooked up with Rico a Jamaican photographer who told me stories of hanging out with Miles Davis, Chacka Khan, and touring with Bob Marley. He later gave me a tour of the Red Light district and tells me a story of when he and Bonnie Raitt checked out a live sex show and the male performer was dressed up as Batman! Gotta love Amsterdam. It's like a mix of New Orleans and San Francisco on a canal. Oh yeah, I actually photographed in Amsterdam too! Good stuff. Next stop North of France