I have been exchanging mails with Damo since about 2008 and he finally
performed with my band, Øresund Space Collective on Valentine’s Day 2014 and
stayed at my apartment in Copenhagen. We have exchanged many mails and
postcards over the years but this book has really let me into his life in a
totally different way.
It has a been a long and difficult project to make this happen and to
organize it is in a way that is easy to read. No simple feat. Damo has been a
world adventurer since he left Japan in 1968 on his 18th birthday
and never looked back. Always forward to the next adventure, the next musical
creation event. Making things happen in this reality and time and space.
Improvisation is his way of life, not just in music. He is here on this planet to experience life
to it’s fullest. To see, hear, watch, listen and take it all in, learn from it,
become the energy of the moment (for the good and the bad) and use this knowledge
to make himself more experienced for the next adventure. He likes people very
much.
This book pretty much charts all the major events in his life from the
early days of leaving Japan for Sweden and then some travels in Europe and
ending up living in Ireland for nearly a year before settling down in Germany.
He is never really settled though. He has to be on the move always… It is not
his way of doing things. His travels in
Africa were very interesting to read about and the way he just arrives at one
place and books a departure from another country and just goes. No plans about
what to see or where to stay, just on the move to live like Africans, eat like
them, sleep like them, take in the full experience of what it is like to be one
of them. Sitting often, just observing the world. Wow..
Damo also has a normal life for many years after CAN, being a father to
three boys and working several normal jobs, one for a Japanese company for 26
years! His wife also has made a very interesting contribution to the book. After
nearly dying in the early 80s from cancer, he decided it was time to get back
into music again and besides some travel breaks, after 1997, he has never
stopped. Fascinating life.
One very important section is written by Luca from Julie’s Haircut. It
is only about 3 pages long but it explains a lot about what it is like to
perform with Damo, probably spells it out better than any other part of the
book. Great job Luca. There are a lot of small sections like this interspersed
in the chapters that relate to the subject being spoken about from different
people who have played with Damo including some of the guys from Cul de Sac,
Domink von Senger, Alexander Shönert, Jaki Liebezeit and others (wife,
girlfriend, movie maker). The chapters
dealing with his cancer return and near death are quite touching and we are
lucky Damo is still with us. The end of
the book as a pretty extensive discography of virtually all the officially
released recordings from Damo.
I loved this book and what an amazing story. I was lucky to see Damo
perform three shows last year, one of these, the Minami Deutsch and Damo Suzuki Live at Roadburn Festival has just been
released. Damo was sounding great last year. I wish Damo many more years of performing as
he will continue to do this until it is not possible. Damo is the ultimate
improvised world traveler. It is in his blood and genes, that he must continue
to experience human, musical energy and different places for the rest of his
life.. Peace, love and energy.
