Nokonoshima

Yokohama Part Deux

Yokohama

Bring a friend to work

Oidibukuro

More deathless insights into life on the road.

Can You Say Tsukemono?

More enthralling insights from the maestro himself.

Japan For The Other Half

I have written at some length about how one does not have to spend a lot of money to eat well in Japan. But there is a flip side, and that is that you can easily spend A LOT if you want to.  For example, last night I went to dinner with my friend Ahmed at a restaurant called “Inakaya.”  Inakaya is located in the Roppongi district of Tokyo, which is the nightlife part of town that foreigners tend to gravitate to.  Inakaya caters to foreign celebrities and the proprietors of Inakaya showed me a photo album of the glitterati who had been in the restaurant, including, Matt Damon, Stephen Spielberg, Tom Cruse, Edward Norton and Gwynneth Paltrow.  Add to that illustrious list Brad Kelley and Ahmed Al Zahrani.  They didn't take our picture, for some reason. They were quite busy and probably forgot.  Anyway, the concept is simple.  You take a seat at the counter and artfully arrayed before you are the contents of Whole Foods produce and meat sections.  Whatever you see that looks good you point to.  They take some, clean, skewer and grill it, plate it and pass it to you on a long-handled paddle.  There is no menu.  It is truly “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”  But let me give you an idea of what Saudi Oil (ARAMCO) paid for our dinner. 1 grilled giant prawn:$36. 2, 5-inch skewers of (delicious) beef: $47.  2 asparagus spears: $9. 2 skewers of chicken: $11. 2 shitake mushroom caps: $9.  etc, etc.  The atmosphere is fun and lively.  I don't want to know how much the meal cost.  As I got off the subway returning to my hotel I dropped into the convenience store for desert.  A Haagen-Daz ice cream bar for 200¥.  Equilibrium was restored!


INAKAYA  http://www.roppongiinakaya.jp/en/shop.html

So Little Time, So Much To Eat!

Before I ever visited Japan I had heard about how expensive it was. This received truth always seemed to be illustrated by the experience of the hapless business traveler who had to pay $8 for a cup of coffee.  (This was before Starbucks made the 50-cent cup of coffee obsolete.)  As in any new endeavor, things are more difficult and expensive when you don’t know what you’re doing.  Thus I have had the accidental $100 cab ride and the $75 pasta lunch (no alcohol).  If you care what you spend on food the #1 rule is to avoid eating in the hotel.  Hotel food is convenient, uniformly delicious, and service is excellent (and in English), but there is a cost associated with that.  The unfortunate pasta lunch mentioned above was at the Hilton Tokyo Bay.  Today I can easily find a similar meal at a local restaurant for 1/3 of that. One time it was raining and miserable outside the hotel so I thought I’d bite the bullet and see if I could find a “special” in one of the hotel restaurants that wouldn’t break the bank.  I went into the Chinese restaurant in the hotel and found a cashew chicken special for 850¥ (about $8 at the time) and felt quite pleased with myself.  When the waiter asked me what I wanted to drink I unthinkingly asked for a coke.  I enjoyed my meal, congratulating myself that I had beat the system: until the bill came.  The cashew chicken was 850¥ - and so was the coke!  By contrast, last night I went to the restaurant across the street from the hotel here in Nagoya for dinner.  It is one of those places where there is a ticket vending machine at the front door with pictures of the various menu offerings and the cost for each.  I found what I wanted, inserted my money, got a ticket, was met by a waitress who showed me to a seat and took my ticket.  Minutes later I was eating a delicious hamburger steak dinner with roasted potatoes and veggies, miso soup, salad and rice for about $8.50.  Even better, get some tasty udon noodles and tempura for $6.  Let’s see you beat that in LA!

Road Time

The traditional Jewish day starts at sunset, the modern business day starts in the morning but the performing day generally starts in the afternoon.  I’m not Jewish so  the first scenario doesn’t affect me much.  When I’m at home I get up at 4:30am and try to do anything that is important before noon, especially writing.  Appointments and other errands are relegated to the afternoon, if possible.  Also trombone practice and any exercise. By the time supper is over I’m operating at about 70% and fading by the hour.  If I’m not in bed by 11pm I am wishing I was.  By contrast, when touring it’s not even relevant to think of the day as beginning when you get up in the morning.  Like a farmer, day begins when the work begins.  For us that is  Lobby call, the time when the cast meets to go to the concert hall, usually some time around 1:30pm.  We make our way to the venue, have a daily sound check and brief rehearsal, eat dinner and then do a show around 7pm.  In that scenario we may not even be walking off stage before 9:30pm and are lucky to be back to the hotel by 10pm.  At this point I am what I like to describe as “tired and wired.”  “Tired” from putting out for the past 2 1/2 hours but “wired” from the adrenalin that’s still having its effect.  After a show I want quiet and it can be several hours before I can think of sleep.  Many performers who wind up with drug or alcohol issues began with the simple expedient of taking meds so they could go to sleep after performing.  A quiet, light, meal and hot shower are my drug of choice.  Bedtime can be single digits, a time I try never to see when at home. Concert mornings, whenever they begin, are spent in devotional activities, reading, writing and light exercise.

9 Reasons Why You Should Visit Tokyo Today

1.  They like Americans here.  I’ve been cursed in France, elbowed in Seoul, gypped in Italy, distained in Holland and refused use of the toilet in London.  That doesn’t happen in Tokyo.  School kids want to speak English with you and have their picture taken with you and stores and restaurants unfailingly greet you with a loud “Irrashaimase”  (welcome!) when you enter.  People are actually helpful.  Try asking for directions in Paris and see what that gets you.

2.  Great food.  Americans squeamish about raw seafood need have no fear.  Food and Wine magazine rates Tokyo the Planet’s #1 Food City and the Michelin Guide rated Tokyo twice as high as Paris! The cuisines of the world are here in abundance.  Fabulous Chinese food, great Italian and Indian food are nearby.  They use knives and forks.  There are over 500 McDonald’s restaurants and uncountable Starbucks so there is comfort when needed.  About the only cuisine that is in short supply is Mexican.  I don’t know why.

3.  Beautiful parks/public spaces.  The Japanese love nature and the outdoors.  That is why Tokyo is full of parks and gardens.  The plazas around restaurants are spacious, clean, safe and graffiti-free.

4.  Western Arts/Museums/Music.  Since the Meiji Restoration (mid-1800’s) the Japanese have had an interest in Western culture.  But it really flourished during the boom years of the 70’s and 80’s.  If you love Western art this is the place for you.  The orchestras of the world make Tokyo a regular stop, not to mention jazz and pop artists.

(This is my orchestra.  Come hear us!)

 
5.  Japanese Culture.  You can get the real lowdown on the samaurai.  So also Kamakura, Japan’s ancient capital is a short bus trip away.  There are interesting Buddhist and Shinto Shrines and temples all over the place.  If you’re looking for a dried-out squid I know where you can get one.  Beyond that I have only 2 words to say: Kabuki Za.

               (音楽 = "music")

6.  Natural beauty.  Mount Fuji stands in the distance and can be visited easily by tour bus or train.   The countryside is a rich tapestry of rice paddies, orchards and tea fields.  Giant swaying bamboo forests and craggy mountains.

7.  It’s safe here.  There are police but they don’t seem to have much to do.  That’s good for you.  Bring granny and the kids.

8.  Shopping.  I’m not much of a shopper but whatever you’re looking for there’s probably a district in Tokyo which specializes in it.  Cool flea markets where you can buy a kimono or interesting pottery.  Did I mention dried-out whole squid? Elsewhere they have Asian fabrics to die for and you can buy plastic food indistinguishable from the real thing.  What more can I say?

9. It’s different.  I mean, really, do you need another trip to Orlando?

Disney On Classic 2009 - Day 2

Rehearsals have begun in earnest.  Sunday we had sectional rehearsals with just the singers, followed by rhythm section with percussion.  Yesterday we had the full orchestra read-through.  This is everyone’s first time actually playing the music, including me, and it is hard work since the music is complex and technically challenging and there are the inevitable mistakes in the score to be found and corrected.  The orchestra is godlike in their ability to find every mistake in the millions of notations I have made.  As the bible says, "There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed." Generally if the problem is obvious they just fix it.  But if not, they converge on the podium when we go to break and either ask me or grab the scores and check it out for themselves.  One can hardly overstate how dedicated they are to doing their best and how supportive they are toward me.  Yesterday was 6 hours of hard work and we were all whipped at the end.  And we get to do it again today!

Disney on Classic 2009 - Room With a View

Having spent so much of my life in hotels I have developed a strategy to be comfortable therein.  The first thing I do is unpack everything, hang it up or put it in drawers and then stow my suitcases where I’m not stumbling over them.  Then I like to hit the street and get some food.  There is something reassuring when you eat that assures you that the place will sustain you.  All of a sudden it’s not so alien. (“Amazing! People eat food here too! I wonder if they use the toilet???”)  I also bring some favorite comfort food from home if I can.  Here in Japan the food can be bland to the debased American palate, so it’s nice to bring something with some serious salt, fat and crunch factor which can go a long way to restoring my sense of equilibrium.  My friend Jack has provided me with the Gardetto’s (Photo) which are lovingly packed and then consumed during the 3-5am “I’m still getting used to Japan time” wakefulness.  To the Japanese this is food from Mars.  Once my Mother visited and brought some Mackinaw Island fudge to share with the Japanese orchestra members.  They cut it up into teeny-tiny cubes and dutifully ate it but it was way too sweet for them to enjoy.  Another time, my son DJ shared his “Warheads” with the Japanese staff and about killed 3 of them.  For me, a piece of sweet bean candy at 4am just doesn’t get the job done.  But that’s what makes the world go ‘round.  I bring along my favorite, most comfortable clothes to wear when I’m awake in the middle of the night and feeling bereft. At that point you might see me sitting in a chair, reading my bible with my hood up.  This is comfort.

Disney on Classic 2009 - Week 1

The rehearsal week is always the toughest.  First of all, we’re all a bit jetlagged and discombobulated from being 16 hours out of kilter.  Tokyo and the Japanese culture are a bit mindboggling for those for whom this is their first trip here.  We’re all getting to know each other.  No one knows where anything is so every decision, from where to eat, do laundry or remembering where my wife packed my deodorant requires some research before it can be accomplished.  So we’re coping with all that and trying to be productive over the course of relatively long days.

The rehearsals the first day are a bit tedious because we’re working on pieces of the puzzle which won’t mean much until they’re all assembled with the orchestra.
Actually, preparation for the tour begins before we ever leave home.  After the writing is done the are 3-4 weeks of learning the music and figuring out exactly how I’m going to conduct it.  Not to be simplistic, but most popular music starts with a certain time signature and tempo and pretty much does that from beginning to the end.  Film music is not so constituted.  Drastic meter and tempo changes can occur in rapid succession as the music is chasing the action on screen.  For instance, there is an 11-measure passage in “The Lion King” where the meter changes 8 times!  The wise conductor tries to internalize these shifts before mounting the podium lest he become a living example of “the blind leading the blind.”  In the same way, the singers rehearse in NYC for a few days before coming to Tokyo on music and even create some fun choreography.

Disney On Classic 2009 Begins

Well, we have all arrived in Tokyo a bit frazzled from the departure preparations and dazed from the 12-hour plane flight and 90-minute shuttle bus ride from Narita Airport to our hotel in Shinjuku.  Tokyo is so big that it is like getting off the plane at LAX and then taking a shuttle to Victorville - but being in city almost the whole way!  We normally land in the late afternoon so by the time you can claim your luggage and clear Immigration and make it to the hotel is it well past dinner time.  Tokyo is a crossroads of the world and one encounters in the hotel lobby Western and Eastern European orchestra members, Aussie vacationers, Arab businessmen and Asians visiting Tokyo Disneyland.  Once installed in my room the first thing I want to do is open my suitcase and hang up and put in drawers as much stuff as possible.  In about a half-hour I venture down to the lobby and meet my Japanese hosts and go out for some good Tokyo ramen, gyoza and cha han (fried rice).  This says “I’m here!” to me.  Another aspect to all this is meeting the new cast.  This year we have 8 great actor-singers from New York and I occupy myself with meeting them and trying to get to know everyone a bit.  Some have been to Japan before but for most this is a first-time experience. I try to remember what it was like for me over a decade ago when I came over here for the first time.  This will be our little family for the next 10 weeks thru thick and thin.

Disney on Classic 2009 Media Week

It has been quite a week here in Tokyo. I don't care to count how many interviews we've given but let's just say that I can go without giving my views on most any subject for a good, long time. We were interviewed by writers from fan and music magazines, newspapers, radio programs, the Disney Channel, websites and even mobile content providers. It has been a joy to share the task with my interview partner, Jen Zappola, who pretty much charmed everyone she met, including me. The interviews are pretty routine and generally revolve around 4 things: "fun facts, feelings, format and finale'." For instance, 1) fun facts: "What was your favorite Disney movie as a child?" (Mary Poppins) "Which is your favorite Disney character?" (Tigger) 2) Feelings: "How did you feel when you were chosen to be a part of Disney on Classic?" (surprised, happy) "What is your impression of Japan and what you are looking forward to while in Japan?" (One would have to be an idiot not to enjoy traveling in Japan. It's GREAT there.) 3) Format: They will ask about the various parts of the program in detail, especially inquiring as to "the highlight" of the program. This is always a bit problematic for me as I tend to see the show as a unity. The "highlight" for me is at the end when the audience all stands up applauding and weeping with joy and I feel like I did my job well. There is a theme each year and we are usually asked to explain it. This is the hardest part, since the idea is always very simple (i.e. "Promise") and doesn't hold up well to a lengthy explication. The more I try to say, the more I realize that there isn't really that much to say. I yawp on, like Miss South Carolina at the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant, mouthing incomprehensibilities. 4) Finale': We usually finish by being asked to send some sort of "message to the Japanese audience." This amounts to an earnest invitation to everyone to come to the show. Do this for 6-8 hours for a few days and see how you feel.

Back From the Wilderness...First Anniversary

I came across this old email message this morning:

From: bkelleymusic@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Back from the wilderness...
Date: March 24, 2008 5:48:13 PM PDT
To: bwstaff@boneswest.org

Dear Bones West,

I am a guy who laid down his trombone 20 years ago for some stupid reason ( I was too busy to practice or something). I picked it up again 2 months ago and have been working my chops back into shape - a slow process to say the least. When I came across your website and discovered Bones West it seemed too good to be true! I'm writing to see if you are still meeting and if I could join you some Saturday morning. I know your website says you meet every Saturday but I live in Glendale and want to be sure before I head out.

Thank you,

Brad Kelley

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

Thus began an improbable return to playing after I had thought those days were over forever. I had pretty much quit playing when we moved to California in 1986, mostly because I was just so busy writing, producing, and raising a family. Over the years I would have the occasional dream that I was playing and would always get a pang whenever I heard a good trombone section. The initial motivation to get my horn back out came in the form of a potential opportunity to lead a band on tour as a non-playing conductor. But for me, there was no way I was going to stand in front of a big band and not do SOME playing. The reality of the gig happening was (and remains) rather remote but was just enough to cause me to get my horn out of the closet in January ('08), clean it, and begin to blow a few fuzzy, tentative notes. My son DJ was witness to those first awful weeks of trying to remember where the horn actually fit on my face. Then came the joyous, laborious work of relearning how to breathe, articulate, move the slide, and the zillion other things one does naturally when playing any instrument. As with any new enthusiasm, I began to surf the web looking at relevant (trombone-related) sites. By purest Providence I happened upon a page within a page within a page that listed trombone groups. Named there was "Bones West," a non-audition group founded by the famed bass trombonist George Roberts which met every Saturday. This led to the email cited above. The leader, Len Wicks responded that yes, they were meeting and that I was welcome to come. So it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I made my way to the rehearsal the following week. I felt like the prodigal returning home after many years in exile. I was sure that I would stick out like a sore thumb but the group was large enough (40-50) that no one even seemed to notice. And those that did were more than cordial. Week-by-week my chops have gotten stronger. The natural goings-on of the group provide lots of opportunity to talk shop and the occasional special guest who would come speak to us or appear with us in concert (Ralph Sauer, Bill Watrous, Dick Nash and others) is also an great opportunity to learn and grow. To me, it feels like having a lost limb re-attached. There have been, and continue to be, hurdles to overcome along the way. But IF...IF...IF...the gig happens: I will be ready.