JJ Cale call him the breeze. It was in the seventies and family and me staying on the Dutch beach where we celebrate the summer. As kid we spent our days walking over the beach watching the sea playing around, swim and have the good life. The beach nearby Amsterdam in Zandvoort was a great place there was a racetrack where we see the formula one racing in the time Jacky Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi where still racing. But there were also e beach pavilions where people go for the day. There was in those days a favourite where hip people where coming. Sandy Hill was that place and for boys you run around there because they have all kinds of fun stuff like Willie Jeeps, a Dukw or old Opel Blitz trucks. They have some left over WW2 stuff. It was also the first windsurfer’s paradise in Holland I guess. But there was something more and that was the music of JJ Cale was the music they like at the Sandy Hill in those days. The other band they like was Little Feat. JJ Cale Naturally was the favourite and Call Me The Breeze was the super hit. For me JJ Cale is also the summer because that music fits in the summer so perfect. The groove is so relaxing that it slowdown your moves in life. But I get older and I lost JJ Cale a little bit out of the ear and eye because I became a rocker of louder music. In the eighties when my heavy wind lay down and my name changed into BluesJan there was JJ Cale back again. I was working and I start collecting records and JJ Cale was collected and never leaves me anymore. I start reading and find out all those bands who inspired by JJ Cale. Of course Clapton and there was Dire Straits who build their success on JJ Cale’s sound. It was always good by me and I find out that He played guitar on Neil Young’s Comes A Time album. JJ Cale music was also coming back to me and some artists in your life are more important that you ever understand. You realize that when they left for good and their music is what it is but it stays in your heart is like losing a very good friend. I had the same feeling with Levon Helm, Rory Gallagher & Doug Sahm. But JJ Cale was everywhere in the music of my friends and my own music to and he was someone you wanna talk about because I never saw him live playing. It was weird because last week Rikkie my brother and me talked about the hopes JJ Cale was coming to Europe and then we are sure watch him. But the end was the news and looks outside and saw the sun happy shining and starts crying. I put Call Me The Breeze in the player and the summer is there again but there is that empty feeling. JJ Cale is the breeze for always but a soft and gentle one. I know I go to Sandy Hill this week and sit there and watch the sea and drink a beer on the man who was a long time friend in my musical journey. Thank you JJ Cale.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 12:31:48 +0000