Tag Archives: NB Lounge

This Friday, the 14th @ Anyway Cafe

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Hi!
Thank you for joining us last night at NB Lounge.
Tadataka and I had a great time with everyone in the house.
We will guaranteed the next Monday will be
an another memorable evening as well:)

BTW…

Did you already make a plan for this Friday?
Not yet? – that’ll be great because I see the chance there!
You did. – do you think you are going to tweak your plan a bit?

I will be at Anyway Cafe on this Friday with Toru.
It is a small cafe in East Village.
I hope you can make it ‘cos I may do some songs that
I normally won’t do in my regular Monday gigs…
Curious? Come and find out.

Friday, August 14
Anyway Cafe
9:30 PM to 1:30AM

34 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003
TEL (212) 533-3412

Mamiko (vocal)
Toru Dodo (key)

**************************

こんばんわ。
昨日のNB Loungeは、湿気と気温の高さのせいか、
暑さをしのぎたいお客さんと思われる方々が
１セット目からいらして、
およよ、リセッションにしては
結構な入りで、ちょっと正直ビックリ。
２セット目から、またお客様の層も変わり、
とても面白い一夜になりました。

古賀まりちゃん、マリアン、
さいひろこちゃんに加えて、
昨日はもう、
大先輩、大、大、大好きな
天野昇子さんが遊びに来て下さって、
尚かあああああつっ、
まりこさん＆ポールさんもお見えになるは！
まりちゃんのお友達の佳子さんも見えになるは！
つるりん（は不在だけれども）のお友達の
中谷泰子さんも遊びに来て下さるは！で、
嬉しい限り。

長年、ライブに通って下さってる
ハービーさんというギター職人の方がいるんですが、
彼もお友達を沢山連れて来てくれて、
とても嬉しかった。
（余談だけれど、ウクレレのこと、アドバイスしてくれたりして
これまたラッキー！実は密かにウクレレを買おうかしら？
なんて考えているのです。ふふふふ。）

タダタカさんも、本当にハッピーな音で、
黒鍵がひとつ壊れてたいたのにも関わらず（正しく言うなら捥げていた？)
そんなこと、誰も気がつくこともなく、
彼の美しいピアノに、皆さん酔いしれていたようです。

が！

きっと、
絶対、
うん！間違いなく、
ワタシが一番楽しい思いをしていたと思います。
本当に感謝してます、たーたかさん。

さて、さて。
ニューヨークにお住まいの皆様
及びニューヨークにご滞在中の皆様
今週の金曜日のご予定は？
もしも、何も未だ決めていないようであれば、
是非、イーストビレッジのAnyway Cafe、どうでしょう？

実は、今日どどさんからお電話を頂いて
急遽、金曜日にご一緒する運びになりました。
初めて出ますし、恐らくトラで入るので、
今後出る可能性もそう無いだろう、と踏んでますので（！）
是非、お誘い合わせの上お越し下さいませ。

どどりん、キーボード弾き弾き
どどりんワールドを構築（笑）。
麻美子、スタンダードやボサ、またそれ以外の曲も
ひょっとして、ひょっとすると歌うかも？なので。

楽しい夜にしましょうよー、皆さん！
金曜日ですし！！
（誘ってます、いや、本当に誘ってますってば。）

9:30 Start、F Tarinの2nd Aveが一番近い駅です。
地図は、下記をご参照のほど…

MAP:
http://tinyurl.com/anwaycafe-manhattan

WEB SITE:
http://www.anywaycafe.com

Monday, Aug 3 @ NB Lounge

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Hello, all.

Just a friendly reminder.
Although I am caught in the weekend boundary of
Sunday after midnight about 26:00-ish…
I am singing at NB Lounge TODAY (technically), Monday, August 3.

Two jet-lag sufferers, Tadataka on piano and myself,
will sing and play our hearts out!
(We both came back from Japan very recently,
and still can’t get out of JPN time completely…)

I hope we can share a merry, summer evening
with you at NB.

Monday, August 3
@ NB Lounge
7:30 PM to 11PM

NB Lounge is located on
111 E 56th Street
between Park and Lexington Avenues.

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Tadataka Unno (piano)

No Cover, No Minimum

MAP

本日は、月曜日、NB Loungeの日です。
久しぶりに海野さんも日本から戻り、
時差ぼけ組の二人が
ココロを込めて！お送り致します。
（日本時間あ抜けきっていないので、
感覚的には、朝から歌っているような？
セットが進むにつれハイパーになる仕組み？ですか？
ひょっとして？）

皆様のお越しをココロよりお待ち申し上げております！

ベースを持って遊びに来て下さる方も
いらっしゃるようなので、
何気に楽しい夜になるのではないかと、、、
うふふふ。

あ、休暇（２）の日記は明日以降に更新したいと
思ってますので、今暫くお待ちを、、、って一応予告だけ。うふ。

Good night!

Thank you so much!

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I was given an another wonderful evening on last Monday at NB Lounge
supported by many of music lovers and devotees.
AND Happy Birthday, Midori-san – once again as a recap of the evening!

Toru was as wonderful as usual – musically and humanly.
He has shown me another Toru’s cosmic wonder,
and I was totally drown in his world.
By the way, he looked really enjoying the evening because
we heard him even SING. Yay!

Thank you, Dodo-san!

***
Now, the announcement:

The next Monday Jazz at NB is August 3.

As I have mentioned before,
from that day going forward,
Monday Jazz is going to be EVERY MONDAY.
Yes. I said it – it’s going to be WEEKLY.

Mamiko=Monday
Monday=NB
NB=Mamiko

The simplicity is a gem.
I love that.
You love it, too.
Don’t you?

On Monday, August 3, Tadataka will be back in New York
from the successful tour with Satoshi Inoue and his own engagements in Japan.
I know that many of you were wondering where he was.
Now you have an idea on what to do on the first Monday in August –
Come and hear us!

I guarantee you it’s going to be wonderful and
get even better with your presence:)

Monday, August 3
from 7:30 pm to 11PM
(3 sets)

NB Lounge
111 E 56th Street
between Park and Lexington
Click here for the map!

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Tadataka Unno (piano)

No Cover, No Minimum

***

… I am writing this blog at home
while I’m watching TV and packing my suitcase.
Where am I going to?
I will let you know after I come back…

27-29-28-46-17-9

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“A kiss makes the heart young again
and wipe out the years.”

This is what a little paper inside of my fortune cookie said.
I liked it.

It’s not a fortune that won’t be counted on.
It’s not a stuff that disturbs you, me, nor everyone.
It is just a sort of an “unsaid” truth that many are aware of
or at least can agree.
Or perhaps…

perhaps you won’t agree, but
you might find yourself smiling when you read this phrase.

I really liked it, and wanted to share with you.

OK. Now, let’s talk about my next gig.

The next Monday, July 20 is NB Lounge.
Toru is going to play for me again.
We are looking forward to seeing you, everyone!

Monday, July 20
@ NB Lounge
111 E 56th Street
(bet. Park and Lexington)

7:30 PM to 11PM (3 sets)

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Toru Dodo (piano)

No Cover, No Minimum (thank god!)

“chotto” good news

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“chotto” good news = “a little” good news

I’ve been singing at NB Lounge about twice a month
(almost bi-weekly, not quite) since April.
I am very blessed with wonderful pianists (thank you, Tadataka-san & Dodo-san),
great staff, great supporters of jazz.

As soon as I have started to sing at NB,
occasionally I was asked why it’s not every Monday.
I thought about it in each time someone asked:
what would be the pros and cons on “not” doing in weekly basis.
There were bunch of small reasons and concerns that I could list up,
but in short, I wasn’t be able to give a clear answer for that.

When opportunity knocks, we all know that
we shouldn’t give too much time to THINK because it will be gone pretty fast
(of course, we should think and judge in some point!)
After I had a little conversation with the staff at NB,
I gave myself a time to think seeking opinion to my trusted partner on this gig.
Then, I decided to push one step further…

I will be at NB Lounge on every Monday from the month of August!

Now, you don’t need to think much of when I am singing at NB.
All you need to remember is:
Mamiko will be at NB on Mondays of every week.
Easy? I think so.

So… this was my “chotto” good news to share with you today.

[Schedule]

Monday, July 20
7:30PM to 11PM
at NB Lounge

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Todu Dodo (piano)

Mondays, August 3,10, 17, 24, and 31
7:30PM to 11PM
at NB Lounge

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Tadataka Unno (piano)

ちょっと良いニュースを、と言っても大袈裟では決してないんですが。

4月から続いている、毎月二度のMonday Jazz at NB Lounge、
この8月から毎週月曜になることが決まりました。

色々、考えることはありましたが、
せっかくお出で、と言われたのですから、
チャレンジしてみようかしら？と。

毎月曜、ってなったほうが
覚えやすいですか？
そうでもないですか？（笑）

皆が、ふっと立ち寄れて、
楽しい時間、
リラックスできる時間を過ごせたら
とっても嬉しいですし、
ここでお友達が増えたり、
誰かが恋に落ちたり（！）、
そんな風景の一部に自分らの音楽が含まれていたら、
益々素敵だなー♪なんて、勝手に思っている次第（笑）。

晴れの日も、
曇りの日も、
雨の日も、
ココロを込めて歌います。
ちょっと、”歌うたいのバラッド”なココロモチ。
でも、ひとりの人に歌うのではなくて、
ワタシの歌を聞いてくださる皆様に、
ですけれども。

これからも応援、よろしくお願いたします。

雅威さん、ありがとうございます。（あ、これは私信です、完全に。）

昨晩のNB

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昨日の夜はとても楽しかったです。
前々からお会いしたいな、と思っていた方が
ふらっと立ち寄って下さったり、
久しぶりに会いたいな、と思っていた方が
これまたふらり、立ち寄って下さったり、
初めてお会いした方もいれば、
見知らぬ通りすがりの方も心地よい距離で混じっていたり、
セッションでは顔を合わせるけれども、
ギグに初めて来てくれたあの方や、
いつもワタシを笑顔にしてくれる素敵な彼女達…
本当に、有難いです。
皆様、どうもありがとうございました。

で、がめーず報告（笑）。

どどさんは、本当は、宇宙人、ですか？ひょっとして。
（って、どどりん、ワタシのブログ読んでないですよね。make sure…）

嘘です。そんなこと決してありません。分かってますってば。

でも、凡人の麻美子には見えない、何かを見ていらっしゃる、
そんなピアノを昨日もまた奏でていらっしゃいました。
FYI: 7/20もToru Dodo様とご一緒させて頂くことになりました。
次回のがめーずに、ご期待あれ。

ＮＢでＯ氏に一杯御馳走になった後（ご馳走様でした）、
えりかちゃんと博子ちゃんを誘惑して、
ギグの後、家でプチ飲み会。
楽しかったです。
お引き留めしちゃってごめんなさい。
でも、ワイン、美味しかったということで、ご勘弁の程を。

話は飛びますが…

つくづく、キーの設定の作業、というか
選ぶ作業は、面白いな、奥が深いものだな、と。
大学時代に学んだ曲の、当時のキーが
今、合うとは限らないので、見直し、移調なんかを
頻繁にしちゃう今日この頃。
（それは、自分が年をとったというのを正面から受け止めている、
とも言い換えられるわけでして。ぷぷぷ。）
でも、全然大丈夫なものも多くあります。
そのあたりが実に面白いんですが。

判断の基準は、人それぞれあるんでしょうけれど、
ワタシとしては、どのキーに持って行けば
自分の一番、艶のある音域を有効に使えるか、
みたいな部分と、どのキーに持って行けば、
言葉が一番クリアに聞こえるか（言葉を伝えきれるか）
という２点がフォーカスにあります。
もちろん、一番高い音と低い音が自分の歌える音域に入っているか、
といった音域の幅を確認するのも必要ですが、
それは、ステップ１の次元じゃなくて、
むしろ、ステップ１の前の、ゼロの段階のような気がしてなりません。

昨日も歌っていて、ああ、もっと上げて大丈夫だな、って思う曲や
下げても面白いかな、って思った曲、
途中で転調させようかな、と思った曲、数曲ありました。
週末にでも違うキーを試してみよう！なんて。

なので、次の週末のテーマは移調、です。

自分メモ：あと15晩

Monday, July 6@NB Lounge & Okimiyage

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The relationship can bring new things as mutually influencing each other in the course of relation building, and the new things can last even after the relationship is over. Those new things can be something habitual – good or bad, something like or dislike, etc. – and become the familiar things, the things associated to the particular. Regardless of what kind, those familiar things of yours are definitely an “okimiyage,” the gift from the past that keeps reminding you of “him” or “her” in time to time.

Experiences of dining or sharing experiences through the palate are perhaps the strongest and yet the most delicate memories that remain throughout our lives. Then, your memories come back into your reality very often and tickle you with the flashbacks of words you said and heard, joy and laughter, and the seasons with the light or the darkness and so forth. When I bite into a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie, it brings back the memory the Summer in 1998. When I just saw a slice of red velvet cake, it always reminds me of the diner on West 125th Street and a table I used to sit with him… something like that.

Now the time is Summer. According to the stars and planets above, July is a big, big romance month for Aquarians (!). Did you hear that, all of my Aquarian sisters and brothers? Ah-ha. Suppose I met someone in this month. I wonder…. what would this person bring into my life and how I would embrace the new. How would it enrich my days while he’s with me and after he’s gone. I really wonder.

Life is good.

Life will get even better if you come to see me on Monday, July 6 at NB Lounge;)
Toru and I will serve you 3 sets of lovely music.

Monday, July 6
NB Lounge
111 E 56th Street
(between Park and Lexington)

From 7:30 to 11PM

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Toru Dodo (piano)

No Cover, No Minimum

人と付き合うことで、今まで好きじゃなかったものや、トライしようなんて思いもよらなかったものにオープンになること、あると思います。あの順応性ってのは、愛の成せる技で。ワタシも、今まで口にしたことのないようなものを、好きになったり、かなりありました。まあ、食べ物だけに限ったことではないですが、何気に食べ物って、多いと思うんです、対象として。ワタシに限って言えば、上では言っていませんが、例えばビーツ。食べようなんて思いもしませんでした、彼が好きじゃなかったら。あと、ココアの味のシリアルとか、ファラフェルなんかもそうかも（笑）。あー、でもどうしてもトライしても駄目だったものもありますけどねー、羊の肉とかはどうも駄目（汗）。

恋人だけじゃなくても、誰かと出会う事で、新しく好きになるものが増えたり、お！って思うようなことに遭うっていうのは、なんだか素敵なことだし、また、その新しく自分に加わったものを、味わったり、手にしたりする毎に、それを出会わせてくれた人を思い出すのも、素敵なことかな、って。

これからどんなものに自分をエクスポーズしていくのか、ちょっとだけドキドキするな、って。水瓶座、運いいらしいですしね、７月だけと言わず、今年全体が。ふふふふ。ガメーズの皆さん、いい感じらしいですよ！

Langan’s, MJ, and NB Lounge…

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Evening at Langan’s…

It became a fun evening on last Saturday, the 27th, with Reggie Q at Langan’s. People were nice and it was very relaxed feeling. (thank you, Reggie.) As Satoshi told me, it was Irish place – bar was filled with beer drinkers… Hahahah.

One small non-musical thing that made me go “AH!” was when I saw Edward Burns pix on the wall behind where I stand. (Edward Burns is the actor-film maker-writer from/of New York City. He creates interesting movies, and I really like his stuff.) It was no way for me to figure out the relation to Langan’s and Ed Burns, but it must be something to do with the city’s Irish network(!). Anyway, it was nice to sing in front of Ed Burns’s autographed pictures… Yes, just pictures, nothing more than that.

MJ. Yep, that topic. Everyone talks about it.

The death of Michael Jackson stormed and swept away our somewhat “ordinary” week in June, then made it into something no way near to be called “ordinary.” The impact of MJ’s passing was the overload on the top of Farrah Fawcett’s passing. The funny thing is that I personally don’t have much of a strong connection to MJ’s music in terms of what I do in daily (singing jazz). However, it was shocking enough to talk about it, moan about it, and reminisce about it. I wonder why, but perhaps I don’t need to know why.

On that day, I was at Loehmann’s on Upper West browsing through Final Sale racks of “purple tagged” items (an additional 40% taken off at the register!) My phone rang although I was at the basement. It was from Marianne. She asked me what I was planning to do that night, and added “BTW,” then told me that MJ died – with teary voice. I reacted with a quite loud voice that people around me can clearly hear in 10 feet radius, “WHAAAAAT? Michael Jackson Died?” The old lady who looked like about 60 years+ jumped right in to our conversation saying “I know, I know. A friend of mine was talking about it, and I didn’t believe it. So, did he really die?” 3-way calling (… ah, sort of) continued about a minute without feeling any awkwardness to it. It was almost mandatory to share the news with the stranger right next to you who is hunting dresses from the final sale racks…. I guess this is the power of iconic figure like MJ over ordinary people like us, me and the lady at Loehmann’s.

OK. Announcement…

Next gig is on Monday, July 6 with Toru Dodo at NB Lounge. Toru is back! I hope you all can join us 🙂

Monday, July 6
7:30 PM to 11PM
at NB Lounge
111 E 56th Street (bet. Park and Lexington)

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Toru Dodo (piano)

No Cover, No Minimum

Sat, June 27 @ Langan’s

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Forgive me for such a short notice…

I will be performing with Reggie Quinerly Trio
on this Saturday, June 27 at Langan’s Bar and Restaurant
on W 47th St. between Avenue of Americas and 7th Avenue.
The first set starts at 9PM.
No cover. (We all love that, don’t we?)

Please stop by!

Saturday, June 27
Reggie Quinerly 4
at Langan’s New York
150 W 47th Street (between 6th and 7th Aves.)
http://tinyurl.com/langans

Start: 9PM
End: 12:30

No Cover

Reggie Quinerly (drums)
Toru Dodo (piano)
Brian Holtz (bass)
and
Mamiko Taira (vocal)


View Larger Map

FYI:
Monday, July 6 @ NB Lounge
7:30 PM to 11 PM
Mamiko on vocal, Toru Dodo on piano

Monday, July 20 @ NB Lounge
7:30 PM to 11 PM
Mamiko on vocal, Tadataka Unno on piano

Monday, June 15: Mamiko @ NB Lounge

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Hello, all.

Finally we see the sun today – Yeeha!
I just took a short walk to get Café au lait from Joe,
and picked up some grocery from the corner store.
I love the weather today, now I am convinced that
we will have Summer for sure (hahaha.)

As my header says, this Monday is my NB Lounge day.
I hope you can come and join us.
Tadataka is back, and we will play for you three sets of wonderful music.
AND!
There is no cover nor minimum.
Bring your friend and let’s have a great time!

Monday, June 15
NB Lounge (http://tinyurl.com/nblounge)
7:30 PM to 11PM
(3 sets)

NB Lounge is located on 111 E56th St. between Park and Lexington Avenues.

Mamiko Taira (vocal)
Tadataka Unno (piano)

FYI:
Monday, June 15 Tadataka Unno (piano)
Monday, July 6 Toru Dodo (piano)
Monday, July 20 Tadataka Unno (piano)