Tokyo Nights
Life In Tokyo - Neil Stalnaker
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
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