Tokyo Nights

Saturday, December 31, 2005

Eating My favorite Breakfast....

Yes, it's 1pm and I'm just waking up. I'm having my favorite breakfast...OATMEAL! Yes, Oatmeal. It's great on a cold winter morning.

Written at 12/31/2005 12:56:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

More Rings Are Found Around Uranus

haha....just couldn't resist this headline....^_-

Written at 12/31/2005 12:13:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Friday, December 30, 2005

Went To The Movies....

Sittin at Starbucks in SATY (Tobu-Nerima) and decided to go and see a movie. Recently not many good choices. So, I went to "Dick and Jane", a new Jim Carry movie. It was....ok. Kind of entertaining. But, I have to say, I just really enjoy going to the movies, sitting in the theater, watching a movie on a big screen and having a snack. I'm really not so concerned about the movie. I've been like that since I was in elementary school and used to go to the Saturday afternoon double features. ...used to pay about $.50 for a movie in those days.

Written at 12/30/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Heard The Mingus Band @ the Blue Note Tonight...

Just got back from the Tokyo Blue Note! Heard the Mingus Big band tonight. They are in town all week, finishing with a New Year's Eve performance on December 31. Mannnnn..they were on fire! It was sooo great to hear that fire and passion and spirit in the music. This is really an all-star band. Members include:

Eddie Henderson(tp),
Craig Handy(sax),
Abraham Burton(sax),
Seamus Blake(sax),
Wayne Escoffery(sax),
Ronnie Cuber(sax),
Alex "Sasha" Sipiagin
(tp),
Jack Walrath(tp),
Conrad Herwig(tb),
Ku-umba Frank Lacy(tb),
Earl McIntyre(tb,tu),
David Kikoski(p),
Kenny Davis(b),
Johnathan Blake(ds)

I heard so many great soloists. Everyone sounded terrific. But, Eddie Henderson really stood out in my mind. I could always hear the "blues" in his phrasing. Yes, he can play as many notes as anyone else and put them in the correct place but, he has that "thang" in his playing. Of course, the band had to do an encore and to my surprise, Tommy Campbell was in the "house" and went up and played his ass off on the encore. It was really a great night. It was so important for me at this time to hear "that sound" from back in the "states". There's just nothing like it.

Written at 12/29/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Scenes From Last Trains In Tokyo

Written at 12/29/2005 02:42:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

My Eye

Written at 12/28/2005 01:10:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!!!

Written at 12/27/2005 11:56:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Mount Fuji....

I saw this beautiful photo on the internet. It was taken by Charles Hansen.

Written at 12/27/2005 11:54:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Just Finished Sushi/Sashimi.....

Tonight, I ate hotate (scallop), kaki (oyster) and anago (eel) and was drinking atsukan (hot sake) and had miso soup.

Written at 12/27/2005 11:44:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Monday, December 26, 2005

Wagashi.....

I'm home tonight having a rare night off. We are just relaxing and having tea and wagashi. Wagashi are wondeful Japanese sweets that appeal to all of the senses. These sweets were very important hundreds of years ago in Kyoto.

TORAYA
KITCHOAN
CHANOYU

Written at 12/26/2005 09:01:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Sunday, December 25, 2005

A Day In Shibuya
December 24, 2005

Written at 12/25/2005 02:52:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Merry Christmas........

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Written at 12/25/2005 02:05:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Went To An Onsen (hot spring) Today...

Today, I took Tobu Tojo Line from my town (Kami-Itabashi) and went about 1 hour northwest of Tokyo to Shinrinkoen Station. Then I took a bus for about 15 minutes to Heritage Resort and Tokinoyu Onsen (hot spring). It was soooo relaxing being outside and trying all of the different baths. Also, had a great dinner.

Written at 12/24/2005 01:58:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Having Trouble...

I'm having trouble with the last Podcast (#15) that I uploaded. It's one of my first attempts at doing a video podcast. I think I didn't get correct compression on the music tracks and the file is too big to work properly on the internet. I'm really busy the next 3-4 days and nights. After that, I will try to upload again. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

Written at 12/23/2005 02:33:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

December 22, 2005 Jeff Curry Interview
Shibuya Video

Written at 12/23/2005 05:25:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Cool Gig Later Today.....

leaving in a while to
do an afternoon
rehearsal.

have a cool
gig tonight
with rio hibino
and
her husband norihiko at tasaku in shibuya.

i'll be using
my effects
"box" on the horn tonight.

hopefully,
i'll be back on the blog
later with some video and pics.

Written at 12/22/2005 11:59:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Podcast #14

Traditional Japanese Breakfast
This is a very short clip describing a traditional Japanese breakfast of natto (fermented soybeans), rice, miso soup (with tofu, leeks and seaweed), nori (dried seaweed), pickles, a raw egg (most people stir and pour over their rice but, I just drink it) and tea. We put a hot mustard, leeks and soy sauce into the natto and stir and then pour over the rice. This breakfast is great for energy!

Written at 12/21/2005 09:04:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

SLOWBOAT.....

Ryo Fukui with Barry Harris and drummer Leroy Williams during a break in the action

One of my favorite jazz clubs in Japan is SLOWBOATin Sapporo. It's run by Ryo and Yasuko Fukui. Ryo is a great jazz pianist out of the Barris Harris tradition. Today I got a really nice Christmas card, beautiful calender and a photo and flyer of their recent event, hosting Barris Harris' performance in November. I used to hear Barris Harris a lot when I lived in Washington, D.C. Sometimes I went to his workshop in New York. He is a really great teacher and one of the few living musicians that had any direct connection with Charlie Parker. In October, 2004, I went to Sapporo and played a few nights with Ryo and his trio. I had a great time and fell in love with Hokkaido and Sapporo. Most of my favorite Japanese musicians have come from Sapporo and Hokkaido area...why?.....I don't know.

SLOWBOAT

Written at 12/21/2005 12:51:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

EAST/WEST UNIT @ Airegin 12/28/05

I hope to see you there!!!!

Written at 12/21/2005 12:48:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

"SPECIAL" LIVE FOR JAZZNIN MAGAZINE.......

Written at 12/20/2005 08:06:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Monday, December 19, 2005

Feel Like Crap....

I had to force myself to go to that gig tonight at the N-- Y---- B--. I guess I went for two reasons...1. to play with Tom Pierson (just absolutely one of the most creative human beings I've ever encountered)...2. the money. I hated being in the room. I don't think I can do the last gig (next Sunday...the 25th....Christmas!!!). Anybody out there want to sub for me? I did meet some nice people tonight. Meg from Kobe..Chiyo from Niigata...Riyoko from Tokyo...Makoto from Tokyo. And I had the usual American/Canadians that sat there with a disgusted look on their face because they had to endure our music. I guess thats why I live in Japan. I have to go half-way around the world to play music created in my own culture.....that's so sad. Anyway...I'm home now....feel like crap.....gonna have a late-night snack (I know I shouldn't)...sit here at the computer for a while and try to "wash" the ugliness out of my system.

Written at 12/19/2005 01:13:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Bags Under My Eyes....

Ok....I know.....it looks crazy. There I am, laying there with slices of potato on my eyes. Well in the past 6 months or a year I have developed these dark circles and "bags" under my eyes. I was checking the internet and found several websites that suggested using slices of potato on the eyes for about 10 minutes. Crazy? Probably......

In the second photo, I'm listening to music while doing the "treatment". Maybe this will be a new product....instead of an iPod, maybe I can develop an iPot. It kind of looks like my earphones are coming directly from the potato slices........

Written at 12/18/2005 12:26:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Nice Gig.......

had a nice gig tonight at mahou-no-ryu with east/west unit. club was full with a lot of nice people. i really enjoyed the 1st set. at the beginning of the 2nd set, i suddenly started to lose the feeling and then it was kind of "downhill" for me the rest of the gig. we finished but, they wanted us to do another tune. it's hard to believe that people could be enjoying so much while i'm struggling so much on the "inside".

Written at 12/18/2005 01:54:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Sketch #13

Written at 12/17/2005 11:59:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Friday, December 16, 2005

TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!!!

MAHOUNORYU WEBSITE

Written at 12/16/2005 10:17:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Feel The Music...

i really dislike it when people are just sitting there and trying to intellectualize my music. i want people to "feel" the music. i like to see people move to the music...tap their feet...clap their hands...get up and dance.

Written at 12/15/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Recent Newspaper Story.....

Here is a newspaper story about my recent concert (November 17) in Kagoshima, Japan with Teddy Kinjo's band. This was our first concert of a 3-week tour of Japan. We played all Kinjo originals. His music is a unique blend of Okinawan-Japanese-Jazz.

Written at 12/14/2005 10:46:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

EAST/WEST UNIT @ Mahou-no-ryu 12/17/05

Come out and hear the band this Saturday night at 7:30 and 9:00pm!!!! We are playing at Mahou-no-ryu.

Mahou-no-ryu
tel: 03-5387-1599
1-37-2 2f
Higashi Ooizumi
Nerima-ku

MAHOUNORYU HOMEPAGE

Written at 12/14/2005 12:09:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

JAZZNIN Magazine Interview (Blindfold Test)...

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Marco Mancini, editor of JAZZNIN. and doing a blindfold test. Marco was very kind and played some interesting cuts for me. Some of things I was familiar with and some of them I didn't have a clue. During the last 5-10 years, I really haven't spent much time listening to trumpet players. I did plenty of that from high school well into my 30's. I usually listen to piano players, tenor players and drummers. Now, I am really trying to find "my voice" and I'm not really interested to sound like someone else. But, it was fun to talk with Marco, who is a tremendous supporter of jazz. You can buy JAZZNIN at any of the major bookstores and it can also be found at many of the jazz clubs around Japan.

Written at 12/13/2005 11:59:00 AM by neil stalnaker.

Monday, December 12, 2005

EAST/WEST UNIT @ Mahou-no-ryu 12/17/05

(Please click on photo)

Come out to Mahou-no-ryu this Saturday and join us for a night of great music!!! I'm REALLY excited about this band.

Mahou-no-ryu
tel: 03-5387-1599
1-37-2 2f Higashi Ooizumi
Nerima-ku

1st stage 7:30pm
2nd stage 9:00pm

Written at 12/12/2005 09:10:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Ahhhh..I Love Makin Music...

Written at 12/12/2005 04:25:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

New York Bar "Gig" Finished.....

I'm happy to announce that after December 25, I won't be playing at the New York Bar anymore. Got the "word" that my contract (which expires Dec 25) isn't being renewed. Maybe it seems kind of strange to you that I'm happily announcing the end of a gig. I stayed in the gig a lot longer than my "gut" advised. But the end isn't a surprise. I played a 3-month gig there May-July 2003 with a singer. During that gig, the hotel brought in a new food and beverage manager from Germany. He started to try and make a lot of new changes. Very quickly, the Japanese "system" started to "beat him down" and kill the new ideas. One of the first things he did was to stop using the Japanese music agency that was handling the "Sunday night" music at the NY Bar. They wanted me to take it over which I did. I brought in the best musicians I could find in Tokyo and I think we did a great job. Every week I have been playing for customers from all over the world and they are always extremely complimentary about the music. However, not long after I took the job, I started to hear rumblings from foreign managers about comments coming from the Japanese managers and "back office" personnel. Things like....Neil is unqualified....He isn't an official "agent"....Neil doesn't have a proper visa...Neil is too friendly with the customers...We don't trust Neil....and on and on. Haha...I always laughed it off. Not qualified? I used to do concerts at the White House, weekly concerts at the Smithsonian Institution, Montreux Jazz Festival and on and on! Not qualified as an agent or broker? haha...I've been hiring musicians for my bands and setting up and producing events and concerts and festivals in the USA for the last 15 years. I was doing a few million dollars in sales each year as a lumber broker (agent) in West Virginia (the hardwood capital of the world) for several years. Trust? Why wouldn't they trust me? I have played there about 350 nights...4 sets a night (unheard of in Tokyo) and I was late 1 time (about 2 minutes). I always paid the musicians BEFORE the 1st set (show me a gig in Tokyo where that happens!) unless I was out of town and then I would do a bank draft. I came in there and played several nights with the flu (fever and throwing up all night). I came in there and played with my jaw the size of a grapefruit from an infection in my gums. I never cancel Visa? For 5 years I had a teaching visa...6th year I had an "artist" visa and now I have an entertainer visa. Friendly with customers? YES! I'm from West Virginia. I'm extremely friendly!!!! Don't like it? Stay away from me! I'm from the south. We are friendly people. We are open. We often have a smile on our face. That's the way it is. I AIN'T changin. There's a lot of jealous people out there.....

Other than the room not being good for live music (acoustics are horrible....hotel never has the piano tuned cause they say its too expensive...etc) the main reason that I'm happy to finish this gig is racism towards Japanese musicians. One Sunday (without knowing), I brought in a fantastic Japanese piano player. One of the very best players in Japan. The management went crazy! During the 1st set, I could see a lot of activity in the back of the room. Staff running around and talking to low-level Japanese managers. After the set, the European manager came to me and gave me hell for bringing a Japanese musician into play at the New York Bar. I was told that the New York Bar is presenting an "image" of "NEW YORK JAZZ". Oh my God! What a joke! These customers are the most wealthy and traveled group of people in Japan. They are not stupid. Well, anyone with half a brain knows that jazz is a very, very international music, especially in New York City!!! I wanted to quit. I talked to many people about it. Everyone suggested that I stay and try to slowly bring some change. So, I stayed in the gig. Sometimes, I have been asked if I'm still doing that "racist" gig. Well, maybe I have been able to cause some slight change. Last night, the piano player was half Japanese, half Korean and had lived in Australia for 12 years so, he speaks English like a native English speaker.

I got an email last night from a Japanese friend (from Osaka) I haven't spoken to in about a year. She asked me how I was doing. It was about midnight and I was very "down" because I disliked playing that gig so much. I told her that and also told her that the gig was going to end on the 25th. She wrote the following back to me (which I have heard from at least 25 other "fans" in the past 2 years):

"Neil, I haven't been in touch with you for a long time, so it might not be a good idea that I speak honestly like this without enough understanding or consideration. A couple of years ago, when you got a job at New York Bar I got very excited. I went there twice to see your gigs secretly (I know you hated that!) but honestly speaking, I never liked there. It's a great place for dating but not so great place for enjoying music. I remember I was so embarrassed being there. Once I was with my male friend, but he spoke too much so it was pretty annoying for me (soooo disturbing!!) Neil, think positively. It might be a good chance to leave there. You might loose money, but I don't think you'll loose anything of what you really seek for. I'd prefer to hear your music in a more suitable musical place for you than in a snobbish dating-spot bar like New York Bar. It might be a turning point to get a better offer for you, so just enjoy playing there for the rest of days. Just ignore the stupid!"

I don't mean to make such a big deal out of this gig. I'm not unhappy at all to finish this gig. I did my best every night. I only have wanted to draw attention to what some people call "image" and others call "racism". There is no place for it in this world. And there is absolutely no place for it in music!!!! I hate seeing non-musicians manipulating and leveraging musicians with money and misrepresenting something as beautiful as music. Jazz music is an art. It's a thing of beauty. It makes me sooo sick to think that a group of people that can't even play a musical instrument can be in a position to so totally misrepresent such an art.

Written at 12/12/2005 02:05:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Addiction #3

Performing...playing trumpet..playing gigs...playing live

When I'm playing, I'm happy. When my schedule is empty, I'm depressed. It ain't about the money.

Written at 12/11/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Walking In Aoyama

Felt a little better today. So, around noon I went to Aoyama and Omotesando for the afternoon. I just walked around looking at shops and department store windows and noticing creative ideas. Took a chinese herb bath in Ikebukuro. I have a special place that I go for the bath. I've been going there for about 3-4 years. It costs about $20 but, you can stay there for up to 12 hours. They have a special room for sleeping. So, you can do the bath and sauna routine for 30-60 minutes and then go and sleep and come back and repeat the process. They also have a room in the mens locker room with korean women giving massage. The massage costs about $50. It's really an incredible place. When I go there regularly, I never catch colds and/or flu.

Written at 12/10/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Friday, December 09, 2005

Stayed In Bed....

So tired and sick from the tour. Stayed in bed most of the day. Trying to eat healthy...fruit...rice/natto...cranberry juice...ginseng tea...etc.

Written at 12/09/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Sketch #12

Written at 12/08/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Return To Tokyo

Finished the Teddy Kinjo tour last night. The band left Utsunomiya this morning in the van to return to Tokyo. I didn't really want to go back. I stayed in Utsunomiya for a few more hours walking around and checkin it out. Spent some time (as usual) in a cafe. Finally, I bought myself a shinkansen (high-speed train) ticket and was back in Tokyo in 50 minutes. The countryside between Utsunomiya and Tokyo is very nice.

Written at 12/07/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Tour...Day 21...Utsunomiya

Left the hotel in the van around 10am. I woke up early and went to McD's for pancakes and sausage. Soon after leaving the hotel we had to make a stop at Denny's for about an hour to meet the club owner for breakefast. So, I ate natto (fermented soybeans) and rice. We got back on the road and drove about an hour and had to stop again for lunch! Teddy likes to turn a 2 hour trip into an all day affair. Finally arrived in Utsunomiya. I took a long walk around the city and ended up at Starbucks. Had a great gig atKingdaijing. Club was packed...a real jazz atmosphere. after the gig I went to a Korean/Chinese place and ate gyoza. The was the last gig on the tour. I really enjoyed most of the tour even though I was sick the whole time. About a week, I got a really bad cold and it's still going strong. It was great making music everynight and I love being out of Tokyo and going to other cities in Japan. The people are so friendly and the food is great!

Written at 12/06/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Tour...Day 20...Akabane

Short trip from my house to Akabane (by taxi). Checked into the business/capsule hotel (unbelievable!!!!) and to the club for a sound check. We did a nice 1st set and then had to go upstairs to a small shop that makes Kagoshima style food. I had a couple of bottles of sake with dinner. I almost never have anything to drink with dinner. This gig was in a karaoke club. Everyone was really nice but, it was just like being in another world. I can't describe it. After the gig there was unlimited food and drink. It was cool (for a while) then, I split for another meeting....

Written at 12/05/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Tour...Day 19...Kasai, Tokyo

Nice gig tonight at Artemes in Kasia area of Tokyo. Full house. Many friendly, enthusiastic people.

Written at 12/04/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Tour...Day 18...Day-Off

Day-off.....resting......

Written at 12/03/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Friday, December 02, 2005

Tour...Day 17...Shinjuku, Tokyo

Rehearsal at 4pm with a new saxophone player and then the gig from 7:30 -11pm. After the gig we went to a bizarre little club and had food and drink. Went to bed around 6am. I'm sooo glad the tour is coming to an end. I cant keep up with the 24 hour schedule!!! I haven't played at Shinjuku "J" for a long time. The main reason is that I never liked the way the trumpet sounded in that room. Seems like the new staff has made some changes and the acoustics are much different. I might be stopping by to talk to them soon about doing a gig there with my band.

Written at 12/02/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Tour...Day 16...Day-Off

Day-off from the tour today but , I had to teach trumpet at Senzoku University until 3:30pm and then I went to Mejiro for a recording session until 7pm and then to Ikebukuro for a gig with my band, EAST/WEST UNIT at 8pm at Miles Cafe.

Written at 12/01/2005 11:59:00 PM by neil stalnaker.

Contributors

Previous Posts

Archives