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In memory of my dear friend Luiz de Boni He was really a wonderful man and a true friend. Since Wuppertal 2013 I had a special contact with him and since I was wearing a Kayak tee-shirt he was very interested in my personal interests in music. We had long conversations and when we had our dinner together he was my companion on the dinner table and the conversations went on and on. He sang for me the Kayak song See See the Sun. Of course I was surprised he knew the song. When there’s not only a man in LA or in Norway interested, even in Brazil was a fan who knew so much of Kayak.
We promised each other to keep in touch after Wuppertal, which really happened. Luiz played the Kayak song in his studio and even made a clip. A marvellous version of the song and I promised him to send the clip to Ton Scherpenzeel – bandleader of Kayak – with whom I had frequently a friendly contact. Ton was very surprised to know that he even had a fan who knew so much about Kayak in Brazil. As you know, we have surprised Ton a few more times with the visits of some Palers to Kayak concerts.
I have send Luiz the DVD of 35 years of Kayak. He was so happy, and told me that of all the music he has heard in his life there were three groups his favourites: 1 Procol Harum; 2 Kayak; and 3 Renaissance (the edition with Annie Haslam). We had nice conversations via e-mail and several times he asked me when there was a chance for a new Palers’ Band concert. He strongly wanted to join us again. Hence the reason that I tried for a new possibility for the Palers’ Band at Zoetermeer.
I think it was last November Luiz wrote there was a ‘little’ problem. He had a tumour in his head, but after the operation he would recover soon, so no problem at all. Now we know where it has ended. At the time I got no answers any more, I decided to mail his daughter Leka. She explained to me what was happening and wrote the Latin name of Luiz’s tumour. Guus, my all-time music friend is also a doctor, and I asked him what this meant exactly. Guus told me this was the worst tumour to get: it had been in his DNA since he was born and there is a great possibility for an "explosion " sometime in someone’s life. 95% of the people with this condition will not survive.
That was what Leka told me later too. In the first weeks after his operation Luiz played piano in hall of the hospital every morning at 9 am: I have it on video! Leka informed me all the time and we became very good friends. She is a wonderful daughter and has told me lot about her father. She explained me the situation at home: her mother and father were divorced and since she was thirteen she chose for her father, and she felt so happy with him. She sang sometimes in Luiz’s band. When Luiz became more and more ill her mother helped in care. So that was still possible!
But I’m happy to know Leka. She’s so brave while she knows that her second-best friend (I think her husband is the first!) is no more. I’m sure we all share the same sympathy for this remarkable and friendly man, Luiz de Boni. Here are some pictures of the guy we will never forget – with the permission of Leka.
(Thanks, Hans) |
Maybe you
know Leka is pregnant and I got a picture in which
Luiz was holding her belly. So sad he never sees his
grandchild (it will be a boy, Leka told me). And
this week I got a rehearsal video of Home Loving.
I never knew this was filmed so it was surprising!
And see: I was wearing the Kayak T-shirt! And now it
has all come to an end. I cannot tell you how sad I
was.|
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