For this kind of project,
I ask for a few photos,
and a few questions about the subject,
and the person commissioning me,
to make the finished work
have a personal touch...
My client was very happy with the results!
Here is my "End of June 2011" iPod update :
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Main Title (Ed Wood) - Howard Shore Marie - Django Reinhardt Rain Dogs - Tom Waits Friends - Led Zeppelin Di Me - The Gipsy Kings Above the Clouds - Amber Llorando Se Fue (The Lambada) - Kaoma On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez; feat. Pitbull Absolutely Not (Hex Hector Remix) - Deborah Cox Flat of the Blade - Massive Attack First Light - Brian Eno, Harold Budd Midnight Rider -The Allman Brothers Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band; feat. Clarence Clemons
Habibi (Sawah) - Ishitar Alibar Brazil - Django Reinhardt Indio Gitano - Don Pullen; pf, James Genus; bs, Lewis Nash; drs Memories of Green (Blade Runner) - Vangelis Lilac Wine - Nina Simone Here's That Rainy Day - Bill Evans Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin Desolate Mountains 1 - Jan Garbarek Desolate Mountains 2 - Jan Garbarek Desolate Mountains 3 - Jan Garbarek Chan Chan - Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa, Ibrahim Ferrer, Ry Cooder, and The Buena Vista Social Club Piano Sonata in A major ('Alla Turca') K. 331- 1st mov. Theme, Andante grazioso / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Mitsuko Uchida
Nao Suzuki played wonderfully;
a lovely compliment to my vocals...
The weather was perfect,
it was a magical night-
The show was sold out, the cafe was full.
Set list:
How About You?
Cheek to Cheek
What'll I Do
I Could Have Danced All Night
Look for The Silver Lining
Haru Yo Koi
Intermission
Stage 2 :
Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
On The Street Where You Live
Here's To Life
Let's Misbehave
Both Sides Now
Help Me Make It Through The Night
(I played my resonator guitar on this tune)
Rt. 66
Encore: All Of Me
I want to say thanks
to my loyal fans & friends, who came out.
Thanks to my son Michio,
who carried my guitar,
and recorded (and edited) this video...
I wore my Aunt Nina's heirloom crystals
with a black velvet tunic,
thanks to my sister Wendy...
Together with a satin/velvet/silk/lace
black tiered gypsy skirt,
a gift from my mother.
Roses, their scent intoxicating,
compliments of a neighborhood garden...
My art show will continue till 5/20, Friday,
so stop by, if you're in the neighborhood!
I have a few others to thank,
for my show happening.
My son Michio,
for not only carrying and helping me set up,
but this beautiful photo,
he took of me on Mother's Day for the poster,
and his bi-lingual help with the text...
Thanks also to my friend Iijima-san,
for her inspiration and translation abilities,
that helped get the ball rolling...
Thanks to my Ikebana group; Iijima-san, Lorna, Valerie, Rebecca, Ahm Mar, Ponchan, & Shindo-san,
for their lovely flower arrangement
placed at my show...
Thanks to my English Conversation students, and Miki & Akie,
for their friendship and support...
And to my friend Hiroshi,
for his friendship and support.
Ms. Nao Suzuki, for her musical support...
To my family and friends from afar, who support me
with encouraging words;
my dear sister Wendy,
for her continued kindness...
Thanks to Akio Ueda,
for his support.
And Mr. Onodera,
at Cafe Miwa,
for his warmth and hospitality,
and thanks to all my fans who bought tickets
to my sold-out opening party...
I have been following instructions
as everyone else has been
in trying to deal with things post earthquake/tsunami/nuclear emergency/aftershocks/radiation exposure, etc.,
here in Tokyo.
The most recent issue is Tokyo tap water.
I don't dread the water,
as much as I do the lack of information
that I can get my head around.
I just got back from the early trek to the supermarkets.
I am in good shape, so far,
but bread is tough to come by, for now.
No sooner it hits the shelves, and it's sold out!
If you think rice is the main staple in Japan,
I'd say bread was running a close second...
The American Embassy in Tokyo
concurs that we are not in danger, at present.
I keep checking regularly for reputable news updates...
Last night, another earthquake, not aftershock, hit;
a little nearer to us than the big one on Friday.
A magnitude 6.1, epicenter in Shizuoka Prefecture...
We are all contacting each other,
keeping the support going, while weathering this.
I'm going to meet with my girlfriends today,
for a cuppa and exchanging of info.
Everything's strange Recalibrating balance; Friends, coffee, and talk!
Yesterday, Michio and I
took the bike ride to the supermarket.
I was dreading it, to be honest.
The last time I shopped was Saturday,
and I stocked up for a couple of days, then.
But that was before the planned power outage messages
broadcast in the streets, and on local TV.
I didn't know what to expect.
Luckily, Michio's university canceled classes for 2 days,
so far, so he was able to help out at home...
We got to the market, and a long line was waiting.
People on it were orderly, calm, and low-key,
except this one old dude who must have Tourette's syndrome,
or something,
as he kept uttering a loud "bakayaro!"
at no one in particular...
People in line paid him no mind,
and it gave this surreal situation a quirky human quality...
2 women stood on the sidelines,
and in between their utterances of "sugoi",
they took turns taking photos of all of us standing in the long line.
Rather than lose my place in line to go smash their cellphones,
I let it be.
More trouble, I don't need.
But I felt it annoyingly in bad taste.
There was a man standing at the entrance informing people
that bread and CUP NOODLES was sold out.
Once we got inside, there was produce,
some meats, and most other items were still on the shelves,
and we stocked up for a few days.
The long lines were due to crowd control,
so that the shopping experience was not a mob scene of panic,
but calm, where you could have a list, pick up your items,
and split.
I was very relieved of that,
and would like to commend the supermarket employees
for their consideration of peoples' frazzled nerves...
I have water stored, for a precaution.
Power outages that were supposed to happen yesterday,
and early this morning, did not.
But an aftershock woke me up at 5am.
It's day to day, for the time being.
But about now, 2 weeks on a beach that doesn't move,
would'nt suck!
So far, there has been a fair degree of normalcy;
I've been able to shop in the supermarket,
the phones & email working,The Internet, etc...
The trains are running slow;
no express, only local, which means slow going.
Cedar-pollen hay fever masks have been prevalent,
for some time now,
this is street "normal"-
But the prospect of wearing
a wet face mask, and covering up exposed skin
to go out today, for radiation protection
is quickly losing its "tee hee" factor.
I'm trying to keep perspective
and mindful of how lucky we are to have survived
when so many others have not...
My concert for tonight has been cancelled due to the earthquake
this afternoon...
I was riding my bike to my station, to get to my gig for an early rehearsal.
About 2:40pm,
the ground started weaving, then shaking violently.
I got off my bike and just stood in the street,
watching the swaying electric wires, as they clanged back and forth.
I felt a little scared, standing there.
Soon after, I was able to contact my son, at his school;
he is fine, but unable to commute home.
Then, my mobile phone service went out.
Trains were stopped, so no way to leave,
or return, or contact anyone!
I am greatly disappointed to cancel my show,
but thankful to God
we survived.
Photo: Michio Yves Ueda
