This is my conversation with Erik Visser. It took place on 3/7/2021 from his home in the Netherlands
Flairck is a Dutch musical ensemble formed in 1978 around guitar virtuoso Erik Visser. The group has varying members dependent on the project. Their musical style is a blend of folk music, jazz and classical chamber music, with touches of blues. The music written by the members of the ensemble is often centred on an album theme and is played with a wide variety of acoustic instruments.
The name of the band is an original composition, derived from the French word 'flair' and the Dutch word 'vlerk', which means 'a nimble fingered hand' or 'wing', but also 'rowdy young man'.
Flairck started as an instrumental group, playing acoustic instruments and composing the majority of its own material. They play a form of chamber music, classically influenced new 'traditional' music.
The group has played in many countries including Indonesia, Japan, Australia, and North and South America. The group toured France with Georges Moustaki and recorded an album with producer Mike Batt and singer Maggie Reilly ("Sleight of Hand", EMI).
After two years of preparation Flairck released its first album in 1978. "Variations on a Lady" went platinum in the Netherlands and received three awards including an Edison. The second album "The Lady's Back" (1979), went gold and received several distinctions including an Edison. Over the years Flairck has released 17 albums. The third album "Live in Amsterdam" was released in 1980, "Circus" in 1981, "Flairck and Orchestra" in 1982, "Moustaki and Flairck" also in 1982, "Bal Masque" was recorded in 1984, "Sleight of Hand" in 1985, "Encore" in 1986 and "The Emigrant" in 1988. In February 1989 Flairck received the Gouden Harp (Golden Harp), The Netherlands' highest music award.
"Alive", a live double CD, was released in 1990. "The Parade" (1992) was based on the paintings of the Dutch medieval painter Hieronymus Bosch and the CD "Chambers" (1994) on the work of the Belgian surrealist René Magritte. In 1995 the CD "The Chilean Concerts" was recorded and released in South America. "The Golden Age" (1996) was set in the 17th century and based on the true story of a Dutch sailing vessel. In 1997 the group spent three months in Chile composing and recording music for the photographer Roberto Edwards' project "Cuerpos Pintados". In 1998 the tour "Lijf" celebrated the 20th anniversary of Flairck. In 1999 the "Symphony for the Old World" incorporated 9 musicians, including 4 soloists from the four corners of Europe. The CD and video "Symphony for the Old World" were released in the year 2000.
"Circus Hieronymus Bosch", a cooperation with acrobatics theatre group 'Corpus' and based on the paintings of the Dutch mediaeval painter Hieronymus Bosch, premiered in 2001, in Den Bosch, followed by more than 80 concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium. "Circus Hieronymus Bosch" was recorded as a DVD and released in 2002.
Because of the success of this unusual circus show the cooperation between Flairck and Corpus continued the following year, resulting in the opera "Lucia the Moucheron", which premiered on September 21, 2002 in Middelburg, Zeeland.
In 2003 and 2004 Flairck stopped touring for the first time in its 25-year history. Erik Visser decided to take the time to settle some old scores: together with editor Piet Zweers he prepared the final musical scores of "Symphony for the Old World", "Circus Hieronymus Bosch" and "Lucia de Moucheron". Flairck released these music books online.
In 2004 and 2005 Erik Visser worked on a solo tour called "The One Man Parade" traveling through 45 Dutch theaters.
In January 2014 Flairck returns to Chile to lead "World Music Festival 2014" ( Festival de Músicas del Mundo 2014), performing in Santiago, Viña del Mar and Concepción.
In 2017, Pablo Ortiz teamed up with new musicians to form the next generation of Flairck. The new line-up started to present new compositions while empowering Flairck’s characteristic acoustic sound.
In 2020, hindered by the global pandemic, Flairck started a crowdfunding campaign for their new album. More than 60 people pitched in and Flairck released their first new album in years, Back Alive.
