"There's no such thing as canceling a gig, it's either hospital or death," my 86-year-old father-in-law Armin Baptist explains to me.
His humor caries a mischievousness that only musicians have who have been on stage for decades like him. Armin Baptist has worked as a pianist and arranger in East Germany for the stars of his time such as Manfred Krug and Helga Hahnemann.
Nevertheless, there is always some truth in his arsenal of musicians' sayings. A few years ago, he snuck out of the hospital after a hip surgery to give a concert with his band the Kalliope team. For more than 15 years, he has played with Gisela Gulu, also in her eighties, and her son Lusako Karonga.
When I asked him if he would like to retire one day, Armin quotes German humorist Loriot:
"Sorry, this is my first retirement. I'm still rehearsing."
