Wa Shoku

“Wa Shoku” is traditional Japanese food.  And you need to know that real, traditional Japanese food, like that eaten by Japanese people in places outside the cosmopolitan cities like Tokyo and Osaka, is nothing like anything you have ever eaten in the United States. Period. I was reminded of this again last night here in Kanazawa at the annual welcome dinner that my boss hosts each year at the beginning of the Japan tour.  I watched as course after befuddling course was set before a group of newbies who, although game to try new things, were given pause as they tried to puzzle out what the dish contained before consuming it. The presentation is beautiful, make no mistake about it.  But what is this bluish-black thumb-sized gelatinous thing that has just been set so artfully before me?  A small squid, as it turns out.  Or is it 2 small squid?  Hard to tell.  Are these potato sticks? No, deep-fried unagi spines.  This looks like some kind of soft walnut...Oh, fish testicles? Oh well, hakuna matata!

Of course, the Japanese are not above exploiting our squeamishness for their own amusement.  Today I was in Fukui doing TV promotion for a concert this weekend.  One of the talking points is always Japanese food and the locals were anxious to get my appraisal of their local delicacy called “heshiko” whereupon a small tray was presented to me which held 8-10 thin, brown anonymous slices. I grabbed the one with the toothpick in it, said “itdakimasu” (“let’s eat”) and stuck it in my mouth. Now, imagine if, when Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt, that she had a mackerel in her hand.  That’s what that fish tasted like.  I commented that it would be great with rice, which received great approval.  Happily, I was given one as a gift which I will be bringing back to the States with me.    

Because of my tenure in Japan I have a hard-won reputation as a lover of Japanese cuisine.  This is simply because I think it is rude to reject someone’s hospitality.  In doing so you reject them and their culture.  To be sure, this approach has its challenges but the rewards are worth it.  So, to paraphrase Kipling, “If you can look at the silver-dollar sized whole octopus in your soup with tentacles frozen in its death frenzy and eat it while others are rejecting theirs, then you will be a man, my son!”

Drive My Car

There is a romantic notion that orchestra conductors are those individuals removed from the concerns of normal people and who wield their magical batons unfettered by any other considerations than that of their own genius.  In certain circles that may be the case but that has not been my experience.  My job as conductor is as a part of a web of interlacing relationships and responsibilities not unlike those of a modern era race car driver.  Auto racing is a team sport.  There is an owner who provides financial backing, engineers and mechanics who design, build and fine-tune the car.  Yes, eventually someone has to get behind the wheel and actually drive the car, but there is a strategy which has been developed beforehand and the driver is receiving instructions as he drives.    This is analogous to my work as the orchestra conductor for Disney on Classic.  I drive the car but this work is highly collaborative, not only with producers, musicians and singers but also lights and sound personnel and stage crew.  The Disney on Classic tour is a complex operation with as many people "behind the scenes” as there are on stage.