Saturday, October 29, 2005
Greetings, DAHLINKS!
I'm having a salon at Jazz Spot "J" tomorrow night,
on Halloween,
to close my art show DIGITAL DIARY...
For anyone wishing to get a last look, or to purchase a piece,
this would be the time.
I will be there from 8-9pm.
In the spirit of Halloween,
I will be in costume, and after 9pm,
I will shift my broom into second,
and fly the hell outta Dodge!
Till next time... 
7:37 PM
Thursday, October 27, 2005
An artist friend of mine, Daniel Kelly,
from Kyoto, Japan by way of Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S.A.,
will have his annual exhibitionat Hillside Terrace, Daikanyama.
It will be Oct 29-30.
I will go Sunday.
I marvel at his works...
Till Next Time...
11:42 AM
Monday, October 24, 2005
Tonight is the Jammin' for the Big Easy
concert at B-FLAT AKASAKA.
My appearance slot is 9:20-9:40p.m.
Here is a schedule of tonight's performance:
7:00 -7 :15 P.M. STEVE GARDNER
7:15 - 7:25 FUNKY BEAT INC.
7:30 - 8:10 JAZZ SET
8:15 - 8:25 DAVID RIDNELL accompanied by KALEB JAMES' Band
8:25 - 8:45 KALEB JAMES "PHATE"
8:50 - 9:10 RICHARD NEWMAN "DIRTY FEET"
9:10 - 9:20 DIXIE BUCKSTERS
9:20 - 9:40 JAZZ SET PAMELA MacCARTHY
9:40 - 10:10 JAZZ SET SPECIAL GUEST: JOE LEE WILSON
10:15 - 10:35 KALEB JAMES FAMILY FAIR
10:35- 10:45 PM ALL JAM SESSION
Jazz musicians will include:
James Mahone, Steve Sacks (saxophones)
Neil Stalnaker, Mike Price (trumpet),
Tad Konokawa (trombone),
Tomoya Hara (guitar)
Joe Kamachi, Keisaku Takahashi (piano),
Akio Ando (Bass),
Brad Johnston, Gene Shigemura, Alex D'Allesandro (drums)
A fun night, I hope to see you there!
Till next time...
10:00 PM
Sunday, October 23, 2005
I am saddened to learn of the passing of a jazz
light in this world,
The incomparable, Shirley Horn.
Shirley Horn
May 1, 1934 - October 22, 2005
I have been a fan of her music since I first heard her in 1990.
There was no one like her.
For me, beside the pure enjoyment of her music,
it was a lesson in timing...
I liked to listen to her CD’s for vocal training.
Her delivery was so sustained, with her own unique phrasing-
She made simple phrases, heartfelt.
In a world of garish and ridiculous,
she brought elegance...
She played what I thought of as adult music.
May She Rest in Peace...
No complaints and no regrets.
I still believe in chasing dreams and placing bets.
But I have learned that all you give is all you get
so you give it all you got.
I had my share. I drank my fill, and even though I’m satisfied
I’m hungry still
to see what’s down another road,
beyond a hill
and do it all again.
So here’s to life
and all the joy it brings.
Here’s to life
for dreamers and their dreams.
Funny how the time just flies.
How love can turn from warm hellos to sad goodbyes
and leave you with the memories you’ve memorized
to keep your winters warm.
There’s no yes in yesterday.
And who knows what tomorrow brings or takes away.
As long as I’m still in the game I want to play
for laughs, for life, for love.
So here’s to life
and all the joy it brings.
Here’s to life.
For dreamers and their dreams.
May all your storms be weathered.
And all that’s good get better.
Here’s to life.
Here’s to love.
And here’s to you!
Here’s To Life
-Phyllis Molinary, lyrics- Artie Butler, music
as performed by Shirley Horn
Till next time...
7:30 PM
Saturday, October 22, 2005
I’ve always been a big fan of orchids.
I find them absolutely mystifying in their beauty.
This enchantment was magnified when I also became
a fan of Rex Stout and his Nero Wolfe books...
I’m trying to imagine the thrill that Nero Wolfe;
an avid & renown orchid grower,
would’ve gotten had he discovered this gothic beauty:
The Dracula Vampira...
Is she not, exquisite?
Till next time...
9:39 PM
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY!
Till next time...
10:11 PM
Sunday, October 16, 2005
We had an earthquake here, yesterday.
It wasn't too fierce, but it originated relatively closeby,
in Saitama, so it was felt, alright.
All the years I have been here,
I cannot get accustomed to the
earth moving beneath me.
When I feel the first tremor, I automatically brace
for the worse.
It's those first few seconds that scare me.
Will it intensify?
Or will we just ride it out like a wave on a surfboard...
My son used to have an "earthquake hat"
when he was in primary school here.
It was made of a huge pillow, and it covered his whole head,
like sparring head gear.
I've noticed he covers his ears as a learned reaction
from those days in primary school,
when a tremor gets a little ferocious...
But we're all OK.
I say a prayer for the people in Pakistan,
that relief comes to help them
PDQ.
Now, we brace for another typhoon, slowing coming up the 'pike.
My next two gigs are a private party on Friday, the 21st,
and the charity concert
at BFLAT AKASAKA on Tuesday,
the 25th October.
Keisaku Takahashi has come aboard for this concert.
I am so glad, because although I can play with any musician
who is happenin,'
a singer's relationship with their pianist is a beautiful thing.
Till next time...
7:29 PM
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Kinmokusei
The scent of these tiny Orange Osmanthus flowers,
or Kinmokusei as they are called in Japanese,
pervades the air.
Funny, how every year I recognize the fragrance,
and how every year I feel differently about it.
Lately, I have been so busy with my art show,
and my music gigs,
but to be honest, this year the fragrance finds me a little depressed.
I feel homesick.
It's been 5 long years since I've seen my family or friends
in NY.
It used to be my battery charger, to see them all...
I thank God for my son Michio
and for the friends I have here in Tokyo.
But I guess it's just the human condition to feel this longing;
or as Cyndi Lauper sang:
I got a hole in my heart that goes all the way to China!
Tonite I will sing with my long time friend Stan Gilbert, on bass,
and Aoki, Hiromu on piano,
at Club Kei, Akasaka...
Till next time...
9:05 PM
Monday, October 10, 2005
The Concert for New Orleans at the FCCJ
went well.
Miz 'Mela Mac had 'em dancin' like dey wuzzon
Bourbon Street during Mardis Gras.
There were four numbers in my show.
An instrumental to start off, called K-Blues
written by Keisaku Takahashi.
The band :
Pamela MacCarthy- vocals
Keisaku Takahashi- piano
Motoaki "Moto" Makino- guitar
J J Vicars- electric bass
Scott Lathem- drums
The second tune was "Do you know what it means (to miss New Orleans")
Third was a tune written by Steve Goodman
and recorded in 1972 by Arlo Guthrie called
"City of New Orleans"...
The J-Belles kicked butt.
The J- Belles:
Julianne (back up vocals)
Joni Davidson (back up vocals)
Then, my final number,
"When the Saints go marchin' in".
You know how that went.
Incidentally, Joni, of the J-Belles won one of the raffles.
She got two tickets to Havana, Cuba!
The chairman of this shindig, Glenn Davis,
said about 25 big ones were raised for the benefit of New Orleans.
Not too shabby.
FINALE!
It was fun to see some musicians I haven't seen in awhile:
Alex Easley, Jerry Vicars;(Jerry & the Hip Swingers) Steve Gardner,
Tom Holliday, Anna Quinn, Takashi Yamada, (Big Bang Orchestra)
& Mike Price.
And, I met a few new ones:
Jazz vocalist; Diane Witherspoon,
Spanish vocalist; Jorge Diaz,
and guitar/bassist J J Vicars.
J J filled in on my bandstand on bass, but his main axe is the guitar.
I'm just collecting my breath, I tell ya!
I'll be doing one more
CHARITY gig at B FLAT, AKASAKA, on October 25th, Tuesday.
Here's my music playlist forHalloween 2005:
Voices in the dark- Enigma & Deep Forest
You & I- Rick James
Moldavian Song- Emir Kusturica and No Smoking Orchestra
Enchanting Transylvania- Lenny Bruce
Transylvanian Concubine- Rasputina & Marilyn Manson
Seasons- Jeff Beck
Tsardash(Violin Solo)- Hungarian Gipsy Orchestra
Sweet Lullabye- Deep Forest
How soon is Now? Psychedelic Furs
Comfortably Numb- Pink Floyd
Alice's House- Psychedelic Furs
Hong Kong Gardens- Siouxsie and the Banshees
Journey to Transylvania (soundtrack Van Helsing)- Alan Silvestri
For my Lady- Moody Blues
Batman Returns- Danny Elfman
Sally's Song ( Nightmare before Christmas)- Danny Elfman
Coeur Vagabond- Cafe De Paris
Till next time...
5:19 AM
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
My show went up on Saturday, October 1st,
at Jazz Spot "J", Shinjuku.
Michio helped me carry and set up all 16 pieces
of DIGITAL DIARY.
Later that night,
I met a lovely vocalist who's performance
was that evening.
Her name is Aoi Ushijima.
She asked me to sing a number with her trio.
I was happy to oblige.
An elegant lady, with a lot of style...
Later, my friend Michael took me to dinner,
at our favorite Indian restaurant.
Tonight is my opening party.
I have a great quartet joining me:
Keisaku Takahashi- piano
Motoaki "MOTO" Makino- guitar
Kazuo Midorikawa- bass
Yosuke Hase- drums
Here's my new list of tunes for moody October:
It won't be very long- Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers
The Speed of Sound- Coldplay
Twelve Thirty- The Mamas and The Papas
Money- The Flying Lizards
Till I hear it from you- The Gin Blossoms
Hello Old Friend- Eric Clapton
Lady Marmalade- Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash
Moondance- Van Morrison
Come, Let us go back to God- The Soul Stirrers
Pet Shop Boys- Being Boring
Bulgarian Melody- Deep Forest
Indian Summer- The Doors
Save it for later- The English Beat
Rainy Night in Georgia- Brook Benton
The Ghost in You- The Psychedleic Furs
Both Sides Now (2000)- Joni Mitchell feat. Wayne Shorter,
and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
A man in my shoes runs a light
and all the papers lied tonight
But falling over you
is the news of the day-
Angels fall like rain
And love is all of heaven away...
The Ghost in You
- Psychedelic Furs
Till next time... 
9:41 PM
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Photo: Michio Yves Ueda
