Played tonight at Mahou no ryu in Oizumigakoen. It was my first time at this club. Such a nice club. It has a really nice vibe. The owner and the staff were so kind and made us feel very welcome. The owner and I had a nice sound check before the gig. I felt really comfortable from the start because we took some time and got the sound right. The club was completely full. So many came out to hear the music despite the rain. So the conditions were great for making good music.

The band (East/West Unit) is preparing to do a tour of Japan from September 30. So, we are rehearsing and practicing a lot of our original songs. Tonight was a nice opportunity to play a lot of our new things. It's not an easy thing to put a band together. Of course, you want to have good players but, you must find players that get along well with each other and are easy to work with. We want to have a "band sound"...we want to create our own "vibe". Then we have to learn the music. All of this takes time. For many of us musicians, we get called to run out and play gigs for events, LIVES or parties knowing that we are going to be playing the from the same list of standards and with band s that are basically thrown together for 1 night only. However, in forming a band you have to be patient to let the "process" unfold. It takes time. Learning the songs takes time. Each member has to practice the songs at home and "live with them" for a while. We meet and rehearse when we can make time in our schedules. Eventually, we are really familiar with the songs...have them memorized and don't need to have the paper around. Then, the band can really start to make some music. But, it takes time to get to that point. I came to the gig tonight thinking that I knew the songs. But, I quickly found out that I didn't quite have them in my memory or sub-conscious, yet. I don't know why right now but, I was kind of nervous tonight. I found myself wondering what the audience was thinking. I wasn't able to really focus on the music. My attention kept getting diverted away from the music.

I'm happy with the progress of this band. As we continue to get familiar with these songs, I feel like all the members are growing and stretching and beginning to communicate musically on a level that we couldn't touch a couple of months ago. It's really a beautiful process to watch unfold. I hope some of the people at the gig tonight will continue to come out over the next few months to check-out the band again and again. I think they will be surprised during the next few months.

As a bandleader, I have to be a little careful. Music is a special thing and musicians can be very sensitive people. I would never want to say anything that would hurt a musicians confidence. It's almost like being a coach. I put a certain combination of players together and give them some material. But, it takes time for this process to unfold. I can see so much potenial in the band now. It's almost like doing a sculpture. The masterpiece is already in the stone. It's a matter of carving the stone down to the point where your vision becomes a reality. It's hard work. Sometimes I push players to "dig deep" within themselves...to get "outside the box"....to play in a style that is maybe a little uncomfortable. I really have a vision for this band. However, it's a long process.

Tonight had a couple of interesting situations. We actually had a few kids at the gig. It was great! There were a couple of mothers that brought their children to hear the music. They didn't know each other before tonight. It's unusual to have any children at a gig but, to have to different mothers bring their kids was really unusual. My birthday is February 6. Tonight there were 4 people at the gig whose birthdays are February 6. I couldn't believe it!!!

I'm soooo sleepy. I actually just fell asleep while doing this blog. Tonight was great. It was a very important night in the development of this band. Thanks to all of you that came and inspired us to do our best. And a special thanks to the guys in the band. I really appreciate your effort and willingness to take time out of your lives to play music with me.