Oct 5 th was the day of the Blues Festival called The Super Blues session at the Chicago Rock Blues and Soul bar in Osaka. I had thought is was just some local this bar only thing. As it turns out it is part of a larger music venue that is held once a year. I had no idea.
I arrived fair early the start was at 5:00. I went direct from a very informative Kyudo practice which I will write about later or next. Which is still later than now, so later is a good word. Digression…
I arrive early as I in front of the place grabbing a few pictures some other young musicians show up. They are checking me out, I nod to them and let them pass ahead of me to the club. I arrive at the door there is a bit of a back up, seems there are already a fair amount of people there so there is a bottle neck at the door. I kind of hang back. Slowly I start into the door. The owner sees me and says. ” ah Fuu san, yokoso. Hire? I did not understand but nodded. He ways me through the people back up and takes me to the stage area. There he wants me to play Bass for a guy doing a hawaiian song on a steel guitar. I say , ok. and the guy hand me sheet music. I am thinking ok not a big deal. There is a cord chart here. The guys shows me what he is following and the two songs he picked out. Hawaiian paradise and Blue Hawaii. Ok, he is ready and starts. The first song went terrible. My fault for listening to him, not counting. I was listening for the changes and should have just counted from the sheet. My bad. Next song blue Hawaii, Matsuo-san my band leader shws up and says he will play cords. Big help. blue Hawaii I had heard and played before, a long time ago. This time i counted and read rather than just listen and read. It went much better. That done we finished.
Matsuo-san introduced me to the drummer playing with us since our regular drummer was not there. I was thinking this was suppose to be a loose Jam session. As it turned out we were the opening, head liners of sorts.
We ended up doing four songs. Me singing three. That was the big deal. A real Black American singing the blues. The songs went well, as did the recordings I did. Last time it sucked. This time I got the digital unit working and recorded the show.
Matsuo-san’s girl friend also videoed on my camera after I showed her how it worked. So I got some decent material to review after ward. I am getting used to playing and singing again after years off. So my comfort level is increasing and I can stretch out more with performing.
So around the second song I am watching the people in the room build up and felt like we were hogging the stage time. However it was all good. Those there enjoyed hearing a native speaker sing. Still. I felt kind bad, so we stopped after four songs, to let another group on perform. As I am leaving I am asked by a couple of bands to sing with them. That was quite shocking. I had to decline. I wanted to get home before the typhoon which was approaching hit and i would have to walk in the rain from the train station. Not cool with my equipment. So I politely said no, another time and slipped out.
ON the way home after leaving the club, we stopped next door for dessert. A treat from Matsuo-san.
On the way out again this time to the train station, outside of the bar there were several musicians playing there on the street, just jamming and enjoying the evening.
It was a good experience overall and nice to feel appreciated. A big fish in a small pond.
Zen's Sekai I - Japan 