Tokyo Nights
Life In Tokyo - Neil Stalnaker
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Jam Sessions In Tokyo......
Just got off the phone with a new guitar player that has moved to Tokyo. He called to find out where he should go to sit-in. Wanted to know where the sessions are. I hated to do it but, I had to give him the same message I was given by a long-time friend when I arrived (all excited and ready to jump into the action) in Tokyo. I was told that the sessions are for the people who have no gigs. A little later I found out these people are usually called amateurs. It was weird. I kept going out to these all night sessions and waiting for great players to show. People were always asking me if I was professional or amateur.

It's a shame.

I remember moving to Washington, D.C. in August, 1982. I started going to sessions all the time and I remember how my phone started ringing from people who had heard me or heard about me from other people who had been at sessions that I played at. Same thing happened to me in Pittsburgh, Baltimore and New York.

The session was a place to learn how to play. Learning from others who were a little more experienced. There was competition but friendly competition. Sometimes the sessions were terrible. Sometimes I played so badly. It didn't matter. Sometimes driving home after a session, I wanted to sell my trumpet and quit. But I didn't. Because the next session was sometimes soooo great. You could get refreshed and energized and feel great for weeks. But also, the session was a networking place. A lot of business happening. It was kind of like a party. People were happy. People would encourage someone up on the stage. Everyone yelling good words to a player when he/she played something soulful or passionate.

In Tokyo, there are some sessions but......there is no "session feeling". Kind of feels like I'm getting my 3 minutes to audition for an amusement park gig or something. Feels like when I'm sitting in a waiting room at the doctor's office. Anyway, it's a shame. The Tokyo scene could be soooo hip. There are a lot of good musicians here. A lot of clubs/concert halls/studios. But there is a big hole in the center. No session scene.
Apple Store Written at 5/09/2006 02:23:00 PM by neil stalnaker.