１ヶ月の滞在で本当に充実した音楽生活でした。色々助けてくれた友人達には感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。
I came back to Japan from New York the other day at last. It was an only a month but very quality time for me to do the music everyday. I'd like to express my appreciation to all my friends there who supported me a lot with not only around my music but also my peace of mind with satisfaction.
報告はいっぱいありますがとりあえず、今回の目的であった「Mark SoskinとのDuo Live.」についてのよもやま話し。
I had a long and lots of private stories but at first, I'm gonna talk about anything about " My performance duo with Mark Soskin. " under the sun.
ニューヨークに到着後、レコーディング以来、毎回そうですが、
まずはMARKとディナーに出かけて色々な話をするのが実は私のHAPPY な時間です。
今回もお土産はMARKの大好きな日本酒です。
日本食、スパイシーフード好きな私達は今回もアッパーウェストの日本食レストラン「HARU」で待ち合わせしてビール、日本酒を飲みながら盛り上がりました。
Recently, it's became to be an our usual thing to have a dinner almost at Japanese Restaurant each time after my arraival since we had recording in 2013.
It is actually my precious time to talk with Mark for a long time. I always bring Japanese "SAKE" as his favorite souvenir. As we both love Japanese food and spicy food, we enjoyed Japanese food and drinks at restaurant " HARU" .
さて、２８日のLIVEは最初、私の誤解で８０分の１セットの予定でしたが、
５日ほど前にCONFIRMATIONの連絡があって午後８時から１１時までお願いしますと言われて、結果３セットとなりました。
今回は私とのLIVEの直前にMARKがSmallsでLIVEレコーディングが２日間もあったし、この寒い１月でも信じられないくらい彼は忙しいスケジュールだったので、どれだけゆっくりと時間がとれるのかなあ。。と思っていました。
Then, I thought that our gig was for 80 min. However, it might have been my misunderstanding.
When they called me for confirmation 5 days before gig, they said that it was from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm, you could organize time schedule by yourselves but normally most of musicians were doing 3 sets.
I was thinking about our reharsal before my trip.
Because Mark seemed to be very busy and also included his first time live recordings at Smalls for 2 days even a slow winter business seasons.
でも私の数年来の友人のおかげで前回までとかわりなく、好きなだけ使えるスタインウェイのピアノとマイクなど音響システムの整った広いSPACEが私にはあったので、ゆったりとした時間の中でMARKとのリハーサルをする事ができました。これも毎回の私の至福の時間です。
というのも、ワインを飲みながら大好きなピアニストと二人でゆっくりと音楽を創り上げる作業、時々休憩しての世間話、もちろん、音楽の話も沢山。
今回は自分のピアノも聴いてもらったりして。。気がつけば数時間。。いつもこのゴージャスな学びの時間に感謝してます。Happy!!!
However, I was so lucky woman....I had the same atmosphere to do the music at gorgeous huge living room with the Steinway grand piano and Microphone with the greatest sound system.
My best friend gave me a space anytime I wanted, so I enjoyed reharsal with Mark for a long time as usual. It is also my " happiest moment."
さて、ニューヨークのジャズスペース、色々ありますが有名どころのBirdland, Blue note他以外はSmallsでさえ、１５ドル程度のチャージで日本と比べると本当に安いです。
多くはノーカバーであとはチップとなります。
私達の場合もノーカバー、５ドルミニマムドリンクでした。
Anyway, as you know well, there are a lot of venues for Jazz in New York, but many of them have no charge system with only tipping or just 15 dollars or 5 dollars except famous jazz club or bars, like Birdland or Blue note etc. It's cheaper than Japan.
As for us, they took no cover charge with only 5 dollars minimum drink.
ちょうど2日前にかなり大きなブリザードが来て大雪となり、公共機関、学校、銀行、スーパーマーケット、などなど殆どがクローズとなり、私も友人宅に避難して一夜を過ごし、もしかしたら私のLIVEもなくなるかも。。。と心配したものです。日本の友人からも心配しての連絡がありました。
でも幸運の女神は私を見捨てず、なんと翌日にはブリザードも去って、とっても寒かったのですが天候も回復し、じょじょに日常がもどりました。
突然、LIVEの時間が倍になったので、昼間にMARKから連絡があって「今夜GIGがあるから来れるなら楽譜も持ってきて終わったらLIVEの話をしよう」との事でした。
A very big sudden blizzard pounded New York states just 2 days before our gig.
Most of public offices, schools, hospitals, banks, and supermarkets are closed . I stayed at my friend's apt to evacuate blizzard to survive for a few days because they already had preserve many foods and drinks to get through it. I was wondering a little bit about cancellation of a gig coming very soon. Some of my friends in Japan also asked me about how I was doing or surviving.
Luckily, Lady Luck was smiling on me.
Blizzard passed quickly away from us by next day. We could return to our daily life.
The day before our gig, Mark called me to come to his gig at night to talk about our's tomorrow.
さて、tomijazzは初めての場所だったので、micチェックなど様子もわからないのでどんなに遅くとも３０分前には到着するように言っていながら交通事情で、学校でレッスンが７時まであったMARKよりも遅れて到着した私でした。。。ごめんなさい！
すでにMARKはなんとCDを飾って、テーブルで本を読んでいました。
私は小さなスーツケースからワンピースを取り出してトイレで着替えて、スノーブーツからブーツに履き替えて、CDを出してMARKのCDと並べて、ピアニカを取り出し、簡単なマイクのチェックを済ませました。
On 28th night, it was cold with strong wind....I asked Mark to come to Tomijazz at least 30 minutes before 8pm, but I couldn't get there on time because of traffic jam. Mark has already sat and was reading a book to wait for me at the table infant of the piano.
He has also displayed his two CDs on the music stand and put the tiny reading lamp on the piano. He was perfect to prepare for the gig before I arrived!!!! ( He changed his shoes from snow boots,too.!!!!) I was soon sorry to be late.
I rushed to change from my cloths and snow boots to a dress and long boots in a bath room and displayed my CD next to Mark's and took my Melodion ( Mark called this but I usually called keyboard harmonica.) from my small suitcase and then checked the volume for microphone simply.
友人でシンガー＆トランペッターののGeorge Stellaがマイクやビデオ、など準備をしてくれました。ありがとう、George！！！
でも会場内のダークなライトでは予想に反して準備した曲のコメントも全く見えず困ったなあ～と思っていたら、、MARKがニヤニヤしながら「SETSUKO, プロフェッショナルはこのライトを持ってこないとだめだよ～！！！」と楽譜につけたライトを指差していたのでした。。。いつも運良く子供みたいにお膳立てしてもらってる甘えた私は、「自分で最悪を予想して臨まないとニューヨークではやってけない」とまた当たり前の常識を恥ずかしながらこの年で学びました。！！！
My singer's friend George brought mic and videos who can also play Trumpet. He is very nice friend, Thanks George!!!!
There was very dark inside jazz bar so I hardly read the papers for song names and some informations I wrote on previous day. When I released an explosive sigh over looking at my papers, Mark was talking to me over pointing his tiny lamp with grinning face " Setsuko!! You should always bring this type of lamp because we are Professional musicians!!!! ha ha ha."
I learned another important issue of preparations to protect myself to do the best at any place as a professional musician again in New York. ( I've been just lucky to do anything in Japan because of some gentle people taken care of me.......)
会場はすでに一般客でかなり埋まっていました。
次々と私の友人が顔を見せてくれました。。私はカメラを持ってきていながら充電切れで結果、知らない間に友人のBENが素敵な写真を撮っていてくれたので助かりました。
There were filled with many people enjoyed chatting and drinking who I didn't know.
Then some of my guests were coming and sat on a table. One of my friends Ben took some great pictures by chance. It was really lucky for me to have them because my camera didn't work by out of battery.
そしてあっという間の８時。みんなの温かい目が見守る中、LIVEがスタートしました。。！！
At last, we started performing with everyone watching and listening us...!!!!!
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