Jazz

Brubeck flows. Nobody comes in the little park where I enjoy my breaks from work. The blue portable speaker, a present from Rolf, mixes with the bird singing. Brubeck flows.

I’ve met Rolf a week ago, in Strausberg, at the Urban Communities Convergence Berlin, always busy, gathering wood, carrying water, cooking, cleaning and smiling often. At night he had more time and we were using hands communicating in German and English. I learned he was organizing Hip Hop parties in 1986 in Bremen and he enjoys a lot his synthesizers. He likes Pink Floyd, he liked my synthy protest song and Manu Dibango’s Soul Makossa. On the last day he said “I have something for you” and he handed me a mini portable blue speaker. I went emotional the size of a home. I tend to say it was a question of context, of course, I’d have gone emotional anyway: it was the last day of one of the most beautiful weeks, surrounded by nature and wonderful people.

Arne is an old friend; I met him long ago during another project. We see each other rarely but beautifully. He is one of those beautiful people nothing would ever upset them. A few days before the event we met and he briefly updated me about what was about to happen. He likes my tunes and I was supposed to DJ for a day or two, maybe three. He spoke me about Andrei’s similar sense of humor, him being also Romanian, co-organizer and Arne’s friend. Back home, I checked out one more time the event’s webpage, I noticed “nature”, “sustainability”, “community”, swapped a shift at work and exhaled “Yup, I’m going!”.

Sun was setting. I was in the wrong station, waiting for the next train. I had a busy day at the hostel and now my freshness and smiley face were being fueled by the windy orange fingers of the sun. Time was passing like a crystal creek and Irakli, the beautiful Bulgarian beach, was on my mind. When I finally reached the place, I met Andrei from Iaşi, a wonderful storyteller, just as my dear grandmother, also coming from the area. It was a pleasure listening to him and, during the non-busy moments, we were laughing continuously. We’d invent the Sh#*-o-meter, a mental device that would buzz when vulgarity was to be reached while practicing Romanian slang. On the last day he told us about his availability in supporting us whenever in the mood for other such events around Berlin. I felt like hugging him, which actually happened, somehow.

Viktoria has a beautiful hair and she landed among us out of a fairytale. Excepting Valentin, an excellent car driver aged 13, she was the youngest, 18 I imagine. She bluntly told me I have a beautiful smile and asked me if I plan to settle down. I either replied “I don’t know” or I joked about it. She would like to live inside a lighthouse, or at least around it. She asked me plenty of questions and I answered all of them. She liked my hometown has lighthouses. She couldn’t stop laughing, apparently because of me. In the little park where I enjoy my breaks from work, Brubeck flows and the smallest dog in the world, for the moment, changes my thoughts.

Elena, she was dancing the most. Sometimes, she was looking at me and I was looking at her. She told us about living in her Portugal based eco-community and she was being beautiful. One day, we got in the same hammock for a one on one sharing and listening game exercise. She was warmly gazing into my eyes and I told her about my late grandmother. Eyes glowing, she wished time wouldn’t expire, so she could listen more. She told me about herself and about her intense last months which now were gone, thankfully. I wish time wouldn’t expire, so I could listen more.

Gyorg comes from Uzbekistan and he is an excellent percussionist. He knew about Shuberek because he has Crimean Tatar Mongolian roots, just like me. We cooked vegan balls, we laughed and we spoke about Homo sapiens versus the Neanderthal man. Gyorg is a mixture of wilderness, strength, beauty, fun and heart. Sometimes he was calling me “Chiburekki” because both of us seemed to be craving for that fried dough filled with minced meat and onions.

Nika was on the same ship with Viktoria when they landed among us out of that fairytale. Short, wearing heavy boots, a matching vest and enjoying getting us wood. He knows how to make practical or small things, he could sew and from this perspective I should have insisted for some knowledge. He is aware of various energies floating around us and he is inviting us to feel the same. Inside a small leather bag there was a button and he gave it to me. In return, I gave him a magazine he wanted. On my way home it was him, Klina and Dominik which I hugged last. Home Friedrichshain, not home Strausberg.

We ate like kings, we carried water, we cleaned up the place, me and Klaus we counted spoons and pots, we went to the lake, we did everything. Daily, we experienced intense and deep moments. We DJ-ed taking turns. I didn’t miss Berlin, I didn’t miss anybody, but I was so happy seeing my flatmate again; Lea and Elena, old friends, it was wonderful escaping with them in Strausberg after such a long time no see. No wonder they named the place “Andere Welt”.

We are quiet, around a sleeping fire. A documentary about moss is being narrated by Harry, an artist who drives the tractor and the motor scooter only accompanied by his dog. “The moss can travel to space and back and still survive. This means it can take a – 200 Celsius degrees temperature”. “Respect!”, exclaims Anto and we all break the chakras, again, by laughing out loudly. I am missing Anto, now, with all of this jazz playing. I’d share my sandwich and I’d stop the music, so I can better see her gentle eyes. She laughs a lot, she kicks ass in making jokes and she bursts of emotion. She enjoys conversations and she played dance music. And Lumi, she also played excellent stuff, using headphones and the mixing console.

“Can you lower the music a bit?”, nicely demands Lea, as she was probably trying to have a conversation. Gyorg would like some soul music. Soul, as in Isaac Hayes black soul music? No, just music for the soul. Aha. Delci and Elena would like to dance and they have some suggestions, Anto already prepares a playlist and I search for some matching songs. One laptop for everybody. The music is controlled by various people, we take turns and whenever someone has a request I put it on the other DJ. Just because I’m here it doesn’t mean I played this song. I didn’t set it this loud either. I laugh about it with Arne and Rolf, Brubeck and some present green winds.

I escaped to another country, to another continent, to another dimension. All things live in a harmony which makes me feel embarrassed by a possible gossip related thought I might have. You know, initially, some people seem disconnected, unpleased, or to be asking questions not matching your thoughts as an individual. However, you know about accepting, just like the others and this is a community feature, this is when we start working together and enjoying ourselves. This is when we start feeling home and exclusively thinking of positive thoughts, despite the intense moments which sometimes occur. I have reached both my inner fulfillment and peace, we worked as one and it felt as we could move the mountains.

In August this year my beautiful people will meet again, this time in Romania. I’m stuck in Berlin, but it’s ok. I keep telling them to check out the Black Sea coast or the Danube Delta, for instance. They’ll love it anyway, regardless the location. Nikola’s orange van, during daytime, allows you to see the stars from the inside. A quiet Neukölln park is now chewing my heart, smiling saxophones in my eardrum. My thankfulness and this story could last forever.

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We’re all in a circle, eyes closed. I am peaceful and cleansed inside, so I start stepping forward, right hand stretched. Whoever I touch first will be my partner in sharing, game’s rules. I follow the vivid image last seen before closing my eyes, I visualize it through this darkness and the chances of reaching her hand seem poor, there are too many beings around us. I know she was somewhere on my left and I act accordingly, after all, we might reach our hands. I beautifully feel grabbed by a strong male hand and I open my eyes and her hand, hanging by a thread, was also there. We enjoy the victory inside the hammock she took me at and we start sharing.