during the nineties I shifted amongst various rational concepts to capture what I am doing. the term improvisation, for instance, seemed to me too loaded with unnecessary associations. I finally realized I could not capture my art on a mere rational level, as it springs more from a feeling dimension, like a breath.. it is in expressing a simple "ha!" that I can give an answer to both where my performances start from, and what I regard as an "answer" to question of the meaning of life

I grew up in a musical family. my father stimulated me to improvise two years before I started taking formal lessons from my mother. I was lucky to have had this start with music, as it created a haven for me of discovery and true play before notes and theory interfered. a natural gift for sound also played a role, of course.

I took piano and cello lessons throughout my schooling years, as well as composition during the last three of those years. I had to do two years compulsory military service before I went to university (those were the dying days of Apartheid when South Africa was virtually a military state). I proceeded to study to become a minister in a reformed church, during which time I played in orchestras and ensembles and continued with cello studies. I cut the theology course short to move over to music, as I realized I could not live my life in spite of my deeper passions anymore. the music studies were also cut halfway through as by then I realized that the classical environment could not sustain my creative urges either. I reached a dead end, almost literally. it was here that improvisation entered as a means to combine my performance and creative abilities, and really, at a deeper level, gave meaning to my life. the following eight or so years were the "street performing" years, as without that, I would not have been able to survive. there was simply no existing audience for full-on improvised performances on a regular basis. I had to build a supporting network from scratch.

Loose pieces with a western classical base, infused with elements of african, eastern, jazz and commercial musics. The overall characteristic is a certain intensity, both towards intensity of feeling and intensity of energy. the stylistic language is wide, resulting in performances that could better be described as musical world-journeys.

The structure and "composition" springs from an inner musical language, grown over years of simply playing "from nothing." I make a strong point that structure is not the exclusive domain of left-brain, predetermined music. The tradition of "free improvisation" or "free jazz" creates the wrong impression that once you create from "nothing" you avoid structure by necessity, whereas structure grows naturally once you allow free expression to grow. To be "creative-in-the-moment" is to get into touch with one's inner self, daring to communicate that. I say communicate, rather than just "express," as getting in touch with oneself implies closing in on one's deeper humanity, a level which is shared by all. "In-the-moment" also implies "in-the-here," becoming more present, also to those around you. Expression alone does not create. Creation happens in making connection, just like sparks only fly when polarities connect. Expression alone remains random. Creativity gives birth to new meaning.

I should add this: if you play off an existing or conscious structure, you diminish the act of creation, and therefore also the quality of the connection. What often happens with such predetermined elements, is that they tend to dominate - structure becomes mechanical (applied), rather than an organic and living part of the whole.

I do not ALWAYS play off a 0 starting point, but that is my primary preference and tendency.

I met Joke almost 5 years ago and recognized a kindred artistic spirit from the start. Her life story has strong parallels with mine, a story of a creative spirit often at odds with mainstream education and performance practices. Her background is theatre and literature, even though she studied piano too and all her work carries a strong musical dimension. This makes for a close affinity when we perform together, most often with her improvising with words on my musical accompaniment. Sometimes her words become song, or hover in-between song and poetry which offers a fresh balance between feeling and rational meaning. Like my own development, hers is an unfolding story that is yet to unleash her wealth of acting experience and abilities into the "HA!" environment. Not only does she add these mediums to my mainly musical scenario, her presence also makes it possible to provide the audience with the interactive "magic" and artistic communication between us on this "in-the-moment" level.

I experienced the break-down of super-rational structures in the face of raw human emotion, both on a social and interpersonal level, as the ideology of western supremacy crumbled through the cracks of its inhumanity. To me, there was a parallel development between political change and my own musical development - from the neatness and cold controls of a Eurocentric milieu to the rough edges and warm ease of the African environment. A shift from the head to the heart. I don't want to over simplify, nor idealize the one or the other. But I certainly became more critical of the West and its impact on the rest of the world while moving closer to the spaciousness found in Africa, both geographically and psychologically. When one adds the reality of our common origins in Africa, this shift - to me, at least - also represents a shift closer to my own deeper and more vulnerable humanity.

South Africa is a world-in-one - the variety is palpable and global realities are brought to your face. One meets the other in a more original form, as we do not have such a strong overarching national identity as the Americans, for instance. It is also the geographical variety that keeps drawing me, an intensity of the presence and beauty of Nature not felt in many other places. I am also drawn to the deep roots of modern humanity found there, and in a strange way, drawn to the country's messiness, the tangible risks of finding yourself in a place where extreme rich and poor live so closely together. Then of course, also to the particular way the human spirit found itself being healed there, the figure and role of Nelson Mandela being but one example of many. I feel at once home there, as I feel challenged like I feel nowhere in the first world - a challenge that my creativity feeds on.

Yes, and more locally. the one does not go without the other, just as a tree can only grow taller by shooting deeper roots. I do believe that a lot of our global problems can ease out if we would empower ourselves more locally.

I could invent quite a few, I think.. But such a statement draws things more to a rationally defined level, with which I always run into trouble. Let's just say, if I do have a mission, it is HA!

I often address issues, but it does not quite make me an activist for any of them, specifically. I think these issues spring more from the life-attitude that evolved along with my performance practise. And yet, certain broad orientations are rather clear to me. First an foremost, a concern for the state of the planet and the fact that we are heading for serious crises on scales humanity has not had before. this calls at once for finding ways to deal with deep trauma and finding ways to alleviate the contributing factors. I am in no doubt that it is humanity's own actions that drives these crises in the first place, from global warming, to species depletion, food scarcity and environmental degradation. It all boils down to the way we relate within ourselves, living too far away from our own natural environments, our own physicality and limits as organic beings. Coming from a theological background, the spiritual implications of this are also close to my heart and mind. Broadly, we have allowed a spirituality do develop that became an escape from the physical world, rather than bringing us into connection with it. On the political front, what concerns me is the concentration of power on national levels, and today, the level of multinational corporations. These concentrations suck the life from the local level where people still feel for each other and know their environments more intimately, fostering a cancerous situation where these big entities become too big to fail.

I am often ask how audiences differ fro around the world. At the core, reactions are very similar. I think the spontaneous character of my playing strikes almost a child-like nerve with most people, which is a more universal mode of response. but then you can have countries where the external responses in general are more muted, and this is certainly not the case with Americans. I appreciate the immediate energy given here by means of solid applauses and sometimes shouts. At the same time, I also learnt that there is a special regard in the States for the individual that rises up and achieve a measure of success, or at least try. Consequently, a strong applause here is not always an accurate indication of how "good" you were on a more objective level. In South Africa, you would soon know if you do not make a strong impression - the real feeling of audiences is more directly reflected. This can be sobering, but then again, audiences in the US are more encouraging, which can inspire you as a performer to a higher level, there and then.

Shall I try to be rational? Expect the HA! (my web site tries to give an impression of the ever evolving HA! performances through sound samples, videos and some descriptions)

A Mandela Celebration concert in upstate NY on 22 Nov. I am composing a song for the occasion and direct the programme which brings a number of art forms and performers together. A highlight to end the year with!