Tag Archives: Tomi Jazz

August/September Schedule

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Maybe I am addicted to NY1. Being addicted may not be a perfect word… but for now, I will take it ‘cos it works. Keeping cable plan just to feed my NY1 urge is my big question on my monthly household budget. To be precise, just to keep myself available in the morning for Pat and Roger, I am paying easily $60 or more monthly – and checking the weather included. I guess it’s $2 per day if I converts it to daily. $2 a day. I can’t even judge if $2 a day is luxe or not (haha!). I guess again I am going to keep you, Pat and Roger for this month and accept myself being one of many NY1 addicts…

Speaking of weather, this Monday, the 8th has a sunny mark on the forecast. No rain on Monday is totally welcomed by NB Lounge! Despite we have still no piano at the lounge, we continue our music from 8PM – 11PM (I appreciate Toru’s effort for bringing his keyboard!) As usual, there’s no cover charge nor minimum. Please join us, grab your fav. drink, and chill.

Monday, August 8
at NB Lounge

    Mamiko Taira (vocal)
    Toru Dodo (keys)



NB Lounge at the Lombardy Hotel
from 8PM to 11PM

111 E56th Street
(bet. Park and Lex)
New York, NY 10022



Just a heads-up for September…

I will be back to Tomi Jazz on Wednesday, September 21 with the same band from the last June, Toru Dodo on piano, Steve Whipple on bass, and Tomoaki Kanno on drums. I have a really good feeling about performing in quartet, and want to seek more opportunities along with my other projects. Your support showing up at Tomi Jazz, for instance, means a lot to me. Please mark your calendar on 9/21, and continue your support not just for Mamiko 4 and “live jazz” in New York.

明日、二月二日は富ジャズです。

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昨晩のNBは、しっとりとした大人の夜となりました（明らかに平均年齢が高かった！）。
お越し下さった皆様、どうもありがとうございました。
来週の月曜日、７日は引き続き、百々・麻美子組です。
何度もブログやらFacebookやらでリピートしておりますが、
来週の月曜日を逃しますと、この百々・麻美子組のデュオは４月まで御預けですので、
是非、是非、「どどりーん、いってらっしゃーい！」の気分で、７日の月曜日は
NB Loungeへお越し下さいませ～。

さて、さて、ついにやって参りましたTomi Jazzのお届けする特別企画、
Nights of Senri Oe: Day 2、いよいよ明日です。
こうしてブログを打ってる今も、新曲の歌詞を覚えようと
必死で音源を聞いているっちゅう（笑）。
今日も、本来でしたらTomi JazzさんにいってDay 1のトリオの応援に行くべきなんでしょう。
でも、ワタシは家で練習する予定です。（うぅぅぅぅっ、ごめんなさーい。）

    ま、これには色々ありまして。
    歌詞カードをじっと見ながら歌詞を覚えるっていうのが
    結構苦手で、実際に何度も歌いながらメロディーもコードも歌詞も
    みんな一緒に体に叩き込まないと駄目なタイプなのです。



今思ったんですが、２月２日、２が二つ並んでますね。
デュオも２ですね。セット数も２です、ちなみに。
２が沢山ありますねー…って、（笑）


明日、お世話になりますTomi Jazzさんは、
ちょっと懐かしいような、居心地のよい空間、
東京、私鉄沿線にある、皆が気軽に立ち寄るような
敷居の低い、そんなイメージがあります。
お洒落すぎない、でも落ち着きすぎもしない。
実際、入り口も半地下で隠れ家の要素も持ち合わせていたりして。
メニューだって、日本のバー・メニューの王道を行っています。
これは、居酒屋さんや、所謂ジャパニーズ・レストランには真似ができません。

そして、ここで

ジャズ

なんです。
それも、レコードをかけるとか、CDをかけるとか、有線を流すとか、
そういうのではなくて、ちゃんと

ライブ・ジャズ

です。贅沢でしょう？
初めて富ジャズさんに遊びに行ったとき、思いましたもの、
うわ、日本だ、ジャズだ、これ、贅沢だ！って。

    手に届く贅沢。
    ワタシにも、貴方にも。



その富ジャズで、今回、senriさんとご一緒するわけですが、
senriさんとのデュオがどんなもんか、とワタシの視点から見ますと、、、
イディオムはジャズかもしれないけれども、
お互いに培ってきた音楽を素直に交えよう、
といった感覚でワタシは捉えています。
だから、自分の引き出しの中のものを
色々引っ張り出して、向き合って音楽やってるって感じです。

正直なところ、歌をうたう方の前で歌をうたうっていうのは
照れるんです（って、そういうこと、ないですかね？シンガーの皆様。）
でもって、ミュージシャン歴の長いsenriさん、大先輩の前でうたうってのは、
さーらーにっ照れるっ、照れるんですよ。
（そう見えませ～ん、って一斉に色々な方に言われそうですけど。）
でも、どうひっくり返っても、ワタシは私の音か出ないので、
開き直ってお手合わせ頂いてるというか（笑）。
ちょっとは想像、つきましたでしょうか？どんな感じか。
やはり、実際にお聞き頂くのがベストでしょう。

これから色々なことが出来そうな気がしますし、
どんどん変化していき、成長していくと思いますので、
その出発点みたいなところを、一緒に体験していただける、
そんな夜になると思います。

皆様、明日はTomi Jazzでお会いしましょう！


Wednesday, February 2
Tomi Jazz Presents
Nights of Senri Oe Part 2

    Shows: 9:30 PM & 10:45 PM
    Cover: $10
    Minimum: $10

    Senri Oe (piano)
    Mamiko Taira (vocal)

    Reservation is recommended!
    Call 646-497-1254

Tomi Jazz
239 East 53rd Street, Lower Level
(Bet 2nd & 3rd Avenues)
New York, NY 10022


Nights of Senri Oe

Thank YOU! and the next week *wink, wink*

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Thank you so much for the last Monday.
It became a wonderful birthday.
I was so, so touched by (YOU!) your presence.
I also received many messages through facebook, mixi, text, phone, etc.
Thank you very, very much.
You guys are the best of the best!

So. How are you all doing in these days,
particularly those who live in NYC dealing with
slashy snow-flooded streets?
I am doing terrible walking around block to block
(picture my
“wonder-how-can-I-cross-the-street- without-wetting-my-feet” look.)
I think at least I pretty much ruined 2 pairs of boots.
(now that can be a good excuse to buy a new pair in next winter!)

Besides that…

I was given some homework from my brother the other day
(lemme call that way for now),
and I am learning a couple of new tunes.
I don’t think I haven’t learn new material for a while.
(When I say “learn”, I really mean “learning” with a serious effort
– can’t forget to add the JOY onto it. Yep, I am enjoying it.)

Anyhow, I was checking out several recordings of the tune
on iTune, YouTube, you name it – whatever I can put my hands on.
I think I have downloaded about…
6 tracks out of 3 dozen of available tracks.
I like some of them, but some are OK (just as the reference, I say.)
Then, I started to check YouTube, and found
Ray Anderson’s recording from 1991.
It sounded really good, and saw the credit of performers.
THEN, I was stunned when I saw the pianist’s name.
It said Fumio Itabashi. Gosh, that’s my teacher!
Very Natsukashii feeling ne…

I liked the recording, so I started to search on the net
if I can still get the CD copy.
Luckily I found it on Amazon in used,
and the price was less than $1 and about $4 in total with the shipping.

WOW

in many ways.

SIGH

in many ways.


    I don’t know if Itabashi-sensei remembers me or not, but
    he is the one who consciously or perhaps sub-consciously
    directed me to pursuit in field of singing (odd? perhaps).
    I was taking his jazz piano classes without any previous knowledge
    nor experience. I didn’t even now who he was in jazz field.
    (needless to say… people in the class was all grown ups who know who he is, and who is pursuing the music career seeeeeeeeriously.)
    He basically gave me the first taste of jazz like…
    a bad (or can be cool) parent gives a kid the first taste of
    coffee or beer or something kids won’t drink.
    (is this PG13 expression? or worse? lol)

    Anyhow…

    The year 1991 was when I was in college in Philly.
    It is about 20 years ago.
    So… this recording might be when he was in his late 30’s or early 40’s?
    I don’t know his age, but it shouldn’t be so off.





    I can’t wait to hear entire album.
    Being here in New York, I can’t have a chance to experience him playing as a sideman… doing sort of straight ahead stuff with his usual gracious, decisive, fearless and dynamic play 🙂





    This is the year 1984…
    so, this is the year I just started to study with him.
    (… that tells a lot in terms of my age. hahaha.)

    Kakko iine, Itabashi-san.



Now, before I go offline…
Here is my schedule for the next week.


Monday, January 31
NB Lounge
7:30 PM to 11PM
111 E56th St (at the Lombardy Hotel)
New York, NY 10022

No Cover, No Minimum

If you have missed us the last Monday,
I urge you to come and join us for this one on 1/31
and/or one on 2/7.
There are 2 more gigs left before Toru goes off to his Japan tour.
Let me repeat: 2 more gigs! 2 more gigs!!




I have one more gig in this coming week.
This is one of the nurturing projects that I’ve been involved with,
and it’s getting interesting.
Of course, I really enjoy working on/with/for.
(FYI, I said “one of.” Which hopefully gives you the sense of
“more” to come. Lemme give you a super *cheeky smile,* my friend!)

Quoting the words Senri from here…

週刊NY生活　平成23年1月29日号

it will be in “minimal” setting with the “thrill.”
Indeed.
That’s what “duo” is for.
Don’t you agree?

I hope you can join our musical journey…


Wednesday, February 2
Tomi Jazz
9:30 PM to 11:30 PM-ish
239 East 53rd Street, Lower Level
New York, NY 10022

    Nights of Senri Oe: Part 2
    $10 Cover, $10 Minimum

    Senri Oe (piano)
    Mamiko Taira (vocal)

For reservation:
646-497-1254
Nights of Senri Oe


P.S. 長くなったので、日本語のブログは改めて違う項で書くことに致します：）