DAYS
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Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse
~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
from New York / U.S.A.
Atsuko4Jazz
Jazz Singer
Lives and works in New York/Hometown, Nagasaki.
In 2000, I came to study Jazz in New York, the home of Jazz.
Time flies and it's hard to believe I've lived in this city as long as babies grow up, but I never get tired of this music-filled city.
I would like to express my gratitude that I have been able to live in this city because of jazz.
I hope to share with you stories about my favorite city, New York, and the wonderful New Yorkers who live here.
6.20.2025
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Nostalgic Memories, the 9th Avenue International Food Festival
I recently visited the 9th Avenue International Food Festival, a street fair held on 5/18 and 5/19.
Looking south on 9th Avenue
Street fairs are pedestrianized streets on weekends, lined with food stalls and miscellaneous stalls, where people can wander around and enjoy themselves. Street fairs are a popular event in New York City during the early summer and summer months.
This time, 9th Avenue from 42nd Street to 57th Street was turned into a pedestrian paradise, and as the name suggests, food was the main attraction of the street fair.
The best part of this food festival is that it is international in nature, with food vendors from many different countries, and restaurants that line the 9th Avenue area setting up food stalls.
So, Let me show you how international it is through pictures!
Grilled corn! Plenty of butter, PLEASE.
Greek skewers, souvlaki!
Fettuccine boldly tossed in Parmigiano cheese!
Wow! Paella!
Our matcha, very popular in New York!
Jerk chicken in Jamaica!
This is a Peruvian dish!
We also have candy apples!
Latin American juices that are bright to the eye!
There were also many Asian food vendors like Indian, Thai and Chinese , but I skipped all of them because It's not so new to me. Sorry, I'm from Asia!
My own Atsuko award for best deal for this year went to Five Napkin Burger, a burger place in Midtown and Upper West 👏👏👏👏👏
5 Napkin Burger
A slider is a small hamburger, and it was $6, not so bad! By the way, a full-sized 5N burger usually costs $21.5 at restaurants.
I was very impressed with the attitude of this restaurant, which does not aim to make a big profit, but to thank its customers and to increase the number of their future fans! Congratulations !
This food festival holds special memories for me because I used to live along 9th Avenue. I remember I looked down from the window and got excited about what I was going to eat!
My apartment looks beautiful, I missed it!
After 911, I moved from Queens to Brooklyn, but the tunnel connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn was also damaged, so the subway stopped and delayed almost every morning, and I was completely tired of commuting. A friend of mine suddenly told me about an apartment share in Manhattan, and I took the plunge and moved! I started living there probably at the beginning of winter 2001, Wow, 24 years ago.
It's an old apartment, but it's the biggest one I've ever lived in.
It’s in midtown Manhattan so I could walk to my office in 10 minutes, and even if I went to a jazz club to sing at midnight, I could take the subway right back home! Except that it was shared by three people, it was a very comfortable place to live.
I think I ended up living there for about 10 years. Finally, after a discussion with my roommates, I decided to move out of the apartment.
I asked a real estate agent to help me find a house for the first time. Miraculously, I found a very cute room that was perfect for living alone, and moved to the Upper West Side area.
I was surprised to find that the air in my new neighborhood was fresh and different. And also I was surprised at how quiet it was.
I was a little sad at first, but I was very glad I moved here in the end.
I guess when your life stage changes, your place to stay also changes.
This festival was a good opportunity to revisit the place where I used to live for the first time in a long time, and I was immersed in the memories that made me laugh and cry in my younger days, which I had completely forgotten.
I will never go back to that life again, but thank you for this lovely place where I was able to spend a certain period of my life.
4.12.2025
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
You will surely miss New York pizza!
What will I miss so intensely one day when I leave this city?
The Best of my favorite dishes, I would probably miss New York pizza.
In New York, there are many stores that sell large slices of pizza, called slices, and they are a staple when I am feeling a bit hungry. The best reason is many Italian immigrants moved to the city and in addition to that, the water in New York goes very well with the dough, making very crispy pizza. That's why Pizza became a specialty of the city.
I have always wondered why there was such a long line for Joe's Pizza, usually a block and a half long, on my way to the Times Square station at night.
Appearance of Joe's Pizza
I took a quick peek and found out that this is the pizza shop where Spiderman used to work part-time. That's why it's so popular with tourists not only from the U.S. but also from all over the world.
It's true, Spider-Man worked here!
I always thought, “I don't have the passion to wait in this long line,” but I happened to be a bit hungry last week while going to a workshop and jam session, so I stopped by their pizza shop in West Village.
How Lucky, it wasn't that crowded! I ordered a slice, just tomato sauce and cheese with no toppings on it.
Slice of Joe's Pizza.
Yeah, it's very good. But I felt nothing so special.
Probably because I have been spoiled by my long life in New York, this level of New York style pizza has become normal for me and raised the bar.
A friend of mine asked me out, Let's to Roberta's, a famous pizza place in Brooklyn that has just opened in Manhattan.
Cute pizza oven on the first floor of Robertas.
The restaurant is very lively, and I was surprised at how noisy it was with people talking!
By the way, in Italy, they drink beer with pizza not wine.
I ordered a draft beer of IPA, which tastes delicious!
I heard about many rules about food in Italy.
For example, you should not cook seafood and mountain food together, you should not put cheese on seafood pasta, and you should eat pizza with a fork and knife.
In New York, people don't use knives and forks, and they usually eat with their hands even in restaurants!
And they say that a good pizza doesn't drip any oil when you hold it with your hands.
So, What should we eat? Hmmm, Why don't we have a salad first? My friend asked the waiter, "Which salad is as simple as a Caesar salad?" Then we ordered the Little Gem Salad.
Little Gem means a salad with small romaine lettuce.
Little Gem Salad
Hmmmm! Shredded pecorino cheese looks so beautiful!
The croutons are also delicious and handmade with crunchy, cheese-covered bread.
The sauce is also delicious and creamy with anchovies!
Caesar salad is a menu invented by an Italian immigrant chef at a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico.
I would like to go there someday to try the real Caesar salad, but I thought to myself, it is under the Trump administration now, not go to the border of Mexico just for the sake of curiosity, no matter how long I am here legally.
We orderd a margarita pizza topped with prosciutto.
Margarita Pizza topped with Prosciutto
The tomato sauce is fresh, the mozzarella cheese is super good, and the prosciutto is melt-in-my-mouth!
We did the right choice!
As I was eating our meal, I said "Yes, it's yummy, it's delicious, it's tasty" and spreaded the kind of photons with happiness of deliciousness all around us. We noticed that the people at the tables on either side of us had quickly finished their meals and turned to other people.
Since it is located next to Madison Square Garden, I wondered if many people were having a quick meal before watching a concert or a sporting event.
Right after having a really good pizza like this, I always thought that if I put up with some regular slices, I would enjoy a bit pricey but a real Neapolitan style pizza!
But I keep going back to local normal pizza shops too because it is crispy and delicious too.
My friend also said whenever she comes back from Japan after a short stay, she always wants to have a pizza first in New York.
Yes, Let's enjoy the moment now!
I'm sure to miss an ordinarily crispy New York pizza when I become an old lady someday!
Roberta's Penn District
https://www.robertaspizza.com/
PS. I love this kind of white pizza with mushrooms sauteed in truffle oil too!
Mushroom Truffle Pizza
2.8.2025
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Music Transcends Borders, Time and Space - Pianist Bruce Liu at Carnegie Hall in NY
The temperatures in New York City have been completely negative, and I tend to stay indoors during the extremely cold season.
In addition, my forehead was injured and the area around my eye was bleeding internally, so I didn't step out of my house for days on end in January!
I went to Carnegie Hall to hear Bruce Liu, the winner of the 18th Chopin Competition in 2021.
Bruce is a Chinese Canadian born in Paris. His real name is Xiaoyu Liu, and since Xiaoyu is difficult to pronounce, he added “Bruce” to his first name because he likes Bruce Lee and is often told that they look alike!
The big hall of Carnegie Hall has 2,800 seats and there are 5 floors. and the top 5 floors are the highest.
From the top floor, the musicians look like small peas, but the tickets cost around $25 at this time.
The tickets on the first floor might be over $200.
I asked my face until the very last minute and decided to buy the cheapest seat, which was a partial view on the third floor for $35 plus $10 handling fee.
When I went to Carnegie Hall on the day of the concert, I found that the tickets were sold out!
I'm glad I bought my ticket 3 days ago!
I wondered what he was going to play. When I opened the program and found that he was going to play Tchaikovsky's Suite “The Four Seasons” and Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 7, both by Russian composers. I'm not familiar with classical music, so I had never heard of these pieces.
Even though the seat had a partial view, it was very interesting to see his hands from above.
Here's what it looks like from my seat
Tchaikovsky's suite “The Four Seasons” is a suite of short pieces from January to December.
My favorite is a piece called Troika from November. The nostalgic melody, like a folk song, is so wonderful that I even hummed it on my way home.
Tchaikovsky is indeed good at creating catchy melodies.
Prokofiev's piano sonata was amazing from the very beginning! It is very energetic and extremely difficult. It is one of his representative works called “War Sonata” because it was written during the World War II after he returned to Moscow from Paris.
Compared to Tchaikovsky's pastoral suite, the War Sonata expresses a rage against war and regime change, which is perfect for a young male pianist like him to play.
The choice of this contrasting program is very motivating in the current situation of the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine. The original Russia has a peaceful and beautiful countryside, with music by such wonderful composers, which has not faded away! Is that the message of this piece?
When he finished playing the third movement beautifully, everyone stood up in unison and gave a standing ovation,
Standing ovation. The applause for encores never ceased.
And for encore, he played Chopin's Fantasy Impromptu, which made me so happy!
The fourth encore was a ragtime piece called Maple Leaf Rag. I was surprised to hear him play such a jazz-like piece.
The applause did not stop, so we bowed several times and went back to the backstage.
The applause still did not cease, so he came out and bowed again.
Mr. Bruce looks happy.
The applause was endress, he finally closed the keyboard lid and that was the very end of the show.
Since more than two hours had already passed, the audience was filled with laughter, and the wonderful evening came to a close in a relaxed mood.
He performed with the New York Philharmonic last winter and played Chopin's Minute's Waltz as an encore! I was so happy that I gave him a standing ovation. I was surprised that I was the only one who stood up. ( I was seated in the front, I was so embarrassed!)
I thought that the audience of classical music lovers was kind of strict in David Geffen Hall, but the audience at Carnegie was very warm and excited to hear all the songs, which was wonderful. He is of Chinese descent, so there were a lot of young Chinese people there.
I’m thinking about buying tickets for the two big concerts in February. Of course it's nice to have good seats but it's also nice to go and listen to a lot of good music with cheap tickets.
New York is a great place for music lovers because there are many opportunities to experience the world's top music regardless of genre, and you can enjoy it at a surprisingly low price!
Bruce Lieu Tchaikovsky Suite “The Four Seasons” November Troika
12.5.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
I participated in the New York City Marathon.
Hi, Everyone, I hope you enjoy the fall this year.
I had many chances to listen to Christmas songs before Thanksgiving this year in NYC.
It is already dark after 4:00 p.m., and winter has already come to the city.
I would like to report on my big challenge this fall.
The New York City Marathon is one of the most popular events in New York City in the fall.
It is a city citizen's marathon held every year on the first Sunday in November, and it is quite difficult to win the entry for this race by lottery
but international runners have chances to join the race as an international runners entry which is very expensive though.
Hashtag Marathon
I unexpectedly got the entry as an international runner and went to the starting point of the marathon in Staten Island on Sunday, November 3.
Actually, the longest I have ever run is about 6 kilometers.
I started running when I was locked down of Covid -19, and when I managed to run for about an hour before my knees started to bother me.
I am an easygoing runner who runs lightly to maintain my health.
I assume some people will get angry that a super beginner like me shouldn't run for a marathon.
Yes, I agree with that kind of opinion and apologize in advance!
It's part of my rice work, so please forgive me.
I'm going to try my best as much as I can right now!
Goal 1) Across the Verrazano Bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn.
Goal 2) Run to the 9th Street
Goal 3) Run 10 kilometers
Goal 4) Run 8 miles (about 12.8 km)
Because Verrazano Bridge was supposed to close at 7:00 a.m., Many of the International Tour operator's tour buses leave the hotels in Manhattan around 5:30 a.m. It went much smoother than we expected, we arrived at Staten Island around 6:40am. It would have been nice to arrive later!
Heading to the rising sun
It's not so cold this year, but it's still cold for me! My starting time is 11:30 a.m., so I have 5 hours to go!
I prepared for the cold weather, so I bought a rain poncho at DAISO the day before, put on my HEATTECH, and put some body warmer on,
I put on the knit hat I got for the Abotto 5K race.
It was still chilly!
Marathon Village
Dunkin Donuts offered free bagels and coffee, tea and hot chocolate. There was a long line for hot chocolate
but we didn't mind because we had plenty of time to go and we didn't want to rush at all.
The bagel with raisins was delicious!
Dunkin's gives away was a hat at the Marathon Village each year,
The material this year was thinner and not as warm as I thought , so I was a bit disappointed that I can't wear it around town!
When I was walking around the Marathon Village, I found the ZEN ZONE.
ZEN ZONE
ZEN is now international.
I gave up halfway through the meditation because it was too cold in the shade.
The people who already experienced the NYC Marathon, they prepared very well, bringing air chairs and picnic sheets to keep the energy for the race.
Runners were waiting for their start time as they like
The first early runners started at 9:30 in the morning.
This year's winner was a runner from Kenya, who ran 42 km in 2 hours and 7 minutes. Wow, that's super amazing!
Then the runners with disability and the fastest female runners started, and then the turn for ordinary runners came.
The runners left their warm clothes in the donation boxes.
I saw some of my friends getting warm sweaters and down jackets, so I decided to pick something warm for me too.
I found a nice down coat of DKNY! It was so stylish and warm, I wish I could take it home with me!
Thanks to this coat, I finally feel warm enough!
It was almost time to start, and I said goodbye to my friends and headed to my starting points.
Blue Village
I was in blue and Corral F of Wave 5.
My bib number was 60000 something, I was in the last team to start, as there were about 70,000 participants this year.
I was lucky to be able to run on the Verrazano Bridge!
The song, "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra was played and the cannon boomed! sounded to signal the start of the race.
Wow! I am finally running the New York City Marathon! I was so excited to think about it.
Let's run!
The bridge was like a long slope, it was bit tough at the start but I could get across the bridge and into Brookln!
Taking memorable photo on the bridge
The bib numbers around 60,000 meant they were kind of slow runners. They didn't care about the time for the race very much and they preferred to have fun.
Many of the runners stopped and took pictures right after the start on the bridge.
Welcome to Brooklyn!
I can still run and pass the first subway station, okay, let's try to run to 9TH STREET, where I used to cheer for the runners.
I was surprised to see a lot of cheering people along the streets, and many music bands playing for cheering!
They were not only because they knew someone who was running, but also they just wanted to cheer for the runners who joined the New York City Marathon.
I love this spirit of New Yorkers.
Cheering people
When runners are cheered by crowds, they get energy to do their best.
People live in different areas of the city, so they also have their own way of cheering.
For example, it is the hardest part of the race in Harlem, but the neighbors in the area were rooting for runners, it boosted runners.
They call the names of the runners who have written their names on their uniforms, “〇〇, Go for it! "
I was jealous of them. “If I run the race next time, I'll write my name on my clothes! " I promised myself.
There are water aid stations at every mile and we get water or Gatorade from the volunteer staff members.
I tried to drink water while running, but it splashed on my face, and it was hard!
Everyone drinks as they want and then throws away the paper cups on the side of the road, but I couldn't throw it away because there was some water left in my cup, so I held it and ran for a while.
There was a volunteer pacemaker running the marathon, who happened to be aiming for the 5-hour and 30-minute goal, he looked like Captain Billy from Billy's Boot camp exercises. He called out to his followers,
“Okay guys, we're going to run now!” or “Now we're going to walk for one minute", "We are gonna skip the next water station!”
It was very reassuring to see him running while calling out to the group.
I had been running on my own, but it must be nice to have someone like him to help us to set the pace to get through the long 42-kilometer race.
If I stayed with this group, I might be able to finish the race.
Passing the 9TH STREET station, then I was across the 10K meters!
10 Kilometers
Wow, I was surprised that I could run for 10 kilometers!
At the water stations, the roads were very sticky, probably the sugar in the Gatorade made it so.
It was a kind of interesting fact, because I joined the race, I could find it out!
I set a next goal for myself to run to Warren Street, where my friend lives.
Oh, I can see the clock tower on the Flatbush Avenue!
clock tower
I crossed over Flatbush Avenue, it's a main street in downtown Brooklyn.
Then passing the 8-mile point, I got into the Fort Greene area in Brooklyn.
One of my friends, she is a tour escort from Japan, had told me the day before that she was supposed to run to the 8-mile point.
so I set my third goal 8-miles point. .
I used to go to this area very often when I was in Covid-19 era to help my friend's music class.
Oh, I found a church with stained glass made by Louis Comfort Tiffany!
Tiffany's church
A short distance from here is the Hasidic neighborhood of Judaism, which I've never walked around, I didn't know where the subway station was.
I promised my friends to cheer on the marathon runners from Japan afterwards, so I left my race right before 9 miles (14.4 km) .
My best distance was 7 km, but I exceeded 8 miles (about13 km) and I could still walk, my knee doesn't hurt that much either.
But the finish line of the New York City Marathon was 29 kilometers away , OMG!
I took the subway back to Manhattan, went to the cheering area near Central Park where my friends were there.
This time, I cheered for all runners in Japanese, waving the Hinomaru (Japanese flag) to them and wishing them good luck.
I was happy to see that many of Japanese runners responded to the Hinomaru (Japanese flag)!
And even if they are not Japanese, the runners who like Japan, responded "Konnichiwa! Arigato! Japan! " as they pass by.
I was very glad to know that there were so many people who love our country.
The marathon is organized by the New York Road Runners, and their media team asked us to film us,
I gazed at the camera lense but the director told me that I didn't have to do so. and They just shot as we were cheering.
They may use us for the promotion footage of international runners.
I found out that cheering for others was fun and energizes myself too.
The New York City Marathon taught me that it is wonderful to cheer for people who are trying their best, even if I don't know them.
I spent about two hours cheering for the runners after my 1.5 hours run, and I was surprised that I was still energetic.
Maybe I should try the half marathon next time.
And if I get another chance to run the New York City Marathon, I'm going to try my best to finish the race next time, even if I can't run to the end but walk!
Let's aim high!
9.10.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
My Music Memories in New York City Summer 2024
Hello everyone, it has been a while.
I heard that it’s still hot in Japan, how are you all doing?
I want to share my photo memories of this summer's music events from New York.
Junko Yagami had 2 shows at Birdland, with Takana Miyamoto on piano.
Takana used to live in New York City, and I still remember that our friend EJ Strickland, the drummer, drove us home from Up Over Jazz Cafe in Brooklyn one day before 9/11. The twin towers were so beautiful.
Junko san sang her super hit songs, “Purple Town” and “ Aqua Blue Rain, and I was surprised to hear that she still sang in the same key when she was young.
She sang Billy Joel's New York State of Mind and Lullaby of Birdland in English, it was so amazing.
Takana san became a mother of two girls now and her performance was even more gorgeous and wonderful!
At a celebrity's house after Birdland
My teacher Marion Kawings' daughter, Emily King, performed at free concert series called Lincoln Center Outdoor.
When Kim Kalesti and Emily were singing, the concert was canceled due to a thunderstorm. It was so sudden, so surprising!
Emily and Marion, I’m so happy that Emily became famous and popular!
We went to the Bitter End in the West Village to see Clarence Penn on drums.James Ginas on bass and Dave Kikoski on piano.
It was great to listen to the world class musicians.
By the way, Lady Gaga used to perform here before she became the big name. It was my first time going there.
By the way, the cover charge was $20 and 2 drinks minimum. It was amazing that we could enjoy their music for such a reasonable price!
As I walked by Bryan Park at night, I heard the cool sound of a bass player and wondered who it was. Oh! Michael Olatouja! It’s been a long time!
He was born in London and raised in Lagos, Nigeria.
It was a free concert presented by Carnegie Hall, I enjoyed his African roots music.
I'm always musically biased toward Jazz, so it was fun to be exposed to a variety of music at these free concerts.
Michael Olatuja and Ragos Pepper Soup
It has been a while since I attended a workshop that continues the legacy of the late Barry Harris.
We learned a song on the spot and sang it in front of all.
After Vocal class, I joined an improvisation class with an instrumentalist too. We practiced and learned scales and codes and then created a solo melody for a song.
We got on a Citibike heading to the Blue Note while singing the phrase we learned.
Barry Harris Institute of Jazz Workshop
My friend's husband, Paul Bollenback, a well known guitar player, invited me to the Blue Note after a long absence.
Saxophonist Gary Bartz, 83 years old, was blowing non-stop for 1 and half hours and knocked me out.
He was so great that he blew away all the phrases we learned in 1 and half hours we took at the workshop.
Blue Note, Gary Bartz Quintet
After the performance, the widow of Cedar Walton and the wife of Gary Bartz gathered at our table, and it was like a world-class musician's wife's party.
I thought that the wives of wonderful musicians are all very lovely.
Even if they are old, they are beautiful and charming. I don't know why I was there too but I analysed the charms of them.
Paul san, the guitarist, invited us to Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center again!
Dizzy's Club, George Coleman Quintet
George Coleman, a saxophonist, is 89 years old, and he doesn't see clearly and is probably hard of hearing too. He gave instructions to the band in a loud voice on stage, which made me nervous and anxious.
The audience was delighted by the wonderful tone of the music.
Paul san told me later, George was yelling out about the wrong chord progressions, and the young bassist was in a half-crying state.
But he said Big G was wonderful. Thank you so much to all the musicians for their hard work tonight!
The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is a two-day, free outdoor concert that has been going on for about 25 years honoring the legacy of saxophonist Charlie Parker.
Helen Sung Quartet
I went to see Helen Sung on piano on the first day of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Harlem. Helen is a wonderful pianist whom I met at Up Over Jazz Cafe when I first came to New York.
I'm happy to see her success in the Jazz World.
Carmen Lundy Quintet
The Quintet was led by vocalist Carmen Lundy, her album was nominated for a Grammy last year, and she was fantastic. The young piano player was very cool too.
This is how new talented young people come to the Jazz music scene in New York.
The 2nd day of the Charlie Parker Festival was held in the East Village.
The last performer was vocalist Kurt Elling.
It is rare that a vocalist performs last on both days of the Jazz music festival.
Super Blue Featuring Kurt Elling
Kurt began to sing as an a cappella, a beautiful song called I Remember Clifford, tribute to trumpeter Clifford Brown.
He changed the lyrics to Russell Malone, a guitarist who had recently passed away suddenly in Japan, and sang with emotion. It was truly wonderful.
Carmen Lundy and Kurt Elling both played original songs mostly and didn't sing standards.
As one of vocal Jazz lovers, singers sing more standard songs even if they pursue their own music.
When the Charlie Parker Festival was over, I always thought, “Ah, summer is over this year..."
I was blessed with many opportunities to listen to good music this summer!
I also went to many places to sing.
I am so happy to be able to spend my days like this in such a good mood!
New York is full of good music, and it's a lot of fun!
Jacob Collier
The following week, I found on Facebook one day before that the genius multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier would have a master class at the New York Public Library.
It was a free event but unfortunately, the tickets were already sold out.
I signed up for the waitlist but never heard back, so I went to the library. I couldn't get into the venue, but a kind security lady told me that they show the master class remotely in a conference room downstairs and I might be able to get in there. I tried one room but the girl at the door said no to me because it's not fair to the people who already left that they couldn't get in. (But there were some seats available though.)
I was waiting for an elevator, the kind lady came again and I told her "Thank you though." She said, “Try this room too, ask her.” “Oh, you do that in the other rooms too?
I asked her at the door, she simply said, “No, it's a ticket holder's event,” and I explained, “I was signed up for the wait list,” and luckily, one of the people was leaving from inside! She let me in unwillingly.
The contents of the session was about songwriting using LOGIC software, it was difficult to understand for me because I don't make music with computers but it was very interesting.
I was lucky to hear his superb piano technique and the songs he harmonized with the audience!
It's important not to give up on anything, anytime!
7.1.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Dreams do come true！Mont Saint-Michel in France
I have wanted to visit the World Heritage Site of Mont Saint-Michel for many years, but I had always wondered if I would be able to get there properly, because it's in the countryside of France, I don't speak French, and I have to take a train and a bus to get there. I finally decided to go there this year!
There are many places that are connected to the land when the tide is low and are revered as sacred places all over the world. For Example, Enoshima Island in Japan, Tanah Lot Temple in Bali, and St. Michael's Mount in England. I am sure there are many more around the world besides the ones I have visited.
I took the TGV, France's bullet train, from Montparnasse station, and changed to a bus in Rennes. I felt relieved to find the bus to Mont Saint-Michel easily at the bus depot in Rennes.
It took 1.5 hours by TGV, 20 minutes by bus transfer, and 1 hour and 10 minutes by bus. Total 3 hours trip from Paris.
Sandwiches and wine in the TGV dining car, very good!
There were so many tourists from Asian countries on the bus!
I was surprised to see the tour operators from other countries using such a local transit bus for group tours.
I chose a hotel called Le Relais Saint-Michel, which is the closest hotel on the other side of Mont Saint-Michel. It was a bit expensive, but the room had a view of Mont Saint-Michel.
Luckily, I was able to check in right away, so I was relaxed in my room for a while.
Oh, I got to go, I had an appointment at 4:00 p.m. to go inside the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel!
I walked along the boardwalk looking at the picturesque Mont Saint-Michel in the distance from the hotel, but it didn't seem to be getting any closer, so I was frustrated and I ran a bit.
But as I was watching slowly approaching island, I realized that one of my dreams is about to come true.
Walking the Boardwalk
I finally arrived at the gate of Mont Saint Michel! I passed through the entrance gate and saw a cute symbol of a scallop!
I heard the Scallop was the symbol for pilgrims to wear.
Marker of a path buried in the ground.
There were many gift shops lining both sides of the narrow path leading up to the abbey. It looks like Enoshima. I wanted to stop by but I needed to visit the abbey first, and went up the hill.
The old churches in Europe were intentionally built close to the sky, they are full of slopes and stairs. I think we need to have strong legs and backs to go there. You got to go while you are young!
Mont Saint-Michel was originally a sacred site for the Celts, then when Bishop Aubert built a cathedral there after receiving a prophecy from the archangel Michael, it was isolated overnigh. then became the Benedictine monastery, a fortress during the Hundred Year's War, a prison for dissidents after the French Revolution, and finally returned to a religious site in the 19th century. It is said to be a place that has undergone a history of change.
The Archangel Michael must have been watching over it from the sky, thinking, "Ah, humans!”
Archangel Michael watching from the sky
The church attached to the abbey at the top has a high ceiling and is impressive, but it is an old building with no ornate decorations, so it seemed somewhat deserted to me, as I usually go to St. Patrick's Cathedral as my guardian god in New York City.
Exterior view of attached church
I was wondering why, when I took a video of the stained glass at the statue of Mary holding Christ, there was a flicker of light around the statue of Mary. But I couldn't see it with the naked eye. What is this supernatural phenomenon?
Was Virgin Mary sending me a message " Don't worry I'm here with you! "
Virgin Mary and Stained Glass
The beautiful cloister called La Merveille.
cloisters
I was impressed to see the Chapel of Mary Magdalene here as well.
Mary Magdalene is really loved in France.
The stained glass windows are adorable with the pilgrims, the scallops as a symbol of peace, and Mary Magdalene's perfume vase as a motif.
The stained glass at the chapel of Mary Magdalene.
I took my time touring the abbye, experimenting with echoing voices everywhere in there, the gift shop and restaurant were closed on the way back, oops, too bad!
But I bought a cute glass at the gift store inside the abbey and enjoyed the wine I bought in Paris in our room. My Moment of Bliss!
Wine and Mont Saint-Michel in your room
I went for a run to the island next day. According to my running app, the distance was 2 km and the it took 15 minutes on my feet.
It was wonderful to set a goal at Mont Saint-Michel for my morning run.
By the way, when I checked the weather before leaving New York, it was raining all the time, and I was super lucky that it didn't rain at all for the past two days!
It looks as if it was built up by piling up stones on the rocky terrain.
How many people have built this place over a long period of time, praying to the heavens....
Human power is truly amazing.
And of course, the super power of God that motivated and moved them.
I hummed to myself in front of the Archangel Michael at St. Pierre church, and sang a duet with the unceasing chimes of the bell at 8:00 a.m.
It's time to go back to my hotel.
The Archangel Michael at Chapel of Saint Pierre
There are free bus services running between the island and the bus stop, so let's take it on the way back. As we were about to leave, young Japanese girls got on.
They got off at the same bus stop as me and waved at the driver, "Thank you for giving us a ride! They were so cute, expressing with their whole body, "Thank you for the ride!
For a moment, I wondered if they were high school students. but this is Normandy, France, and there is no way Japanese high school students can come here by themselves.
The driver smiled and looked happy. It was a heartwarming moment to catch a glimpse of a heart-to-heart communication.
Return to the hotel and go to the breakfast room.
Breakfast and Mont Saint-Michel
I hit a buffet and got a generous amount of food.
I had a big breakfast with a view of Mont Saint-Michel. Amazing!
Cheese and baguettes are the best in France!
One of my long-held dreams has come true, I wonder what I should dream about next.
I was so happy that I have so many things I want to do and places I want to go!
Thanks！
4.15.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Pay it forward - Mary Magdalene led me to the South of France
When I saw the painting of " Mary Magdalene" by La Tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, I thought " Is she an Asian Woman?"
Since then, I became interested in Mary Magdalene.
Mary Magdalene, by La Tour.
©The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Mary Magdalene was one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, who discovered the resurrection of Jesus and informed everyone about it.
She fled Jerusalem and arrived in a small boat with the virgin Mary and others at Saint Maries de la Mar in the Camargue in southern France.
Mary Magdalene spent the rest of her life in a cave on the mountain of Saint Baume.
I wished to visit this place someday vaguely but this time I finally planned to go to visit there and Mont Saint - Michel, where I wanted to visit for a long time.
However, as I don't speak French, It was a kind of challenging adventure I had for a long time and I was a bit nervous.
I was torn between Air France or British Airways, I finally decided to fly with British Airways via London.
Because I wanted to visit somewhere I knew between my trip to France to ease my anxiety.
There is a hostel in Saint - Baume, where the cave of Mary Magdalene is located, run by Dominican Order, I could make a reservation using Google Translate.
It seems I can go near the village by bus from Marseille, I contacted a taxi company I found on the website, I sent several emails but no answers.
I asked the Hostel for making a reservation for a taxi but they gave me the number for 3 taxi companies.
However, since I don't speak French, the hurdle to call the taxi companies was extremely high.
I finally gave them calls from my hotel in Arles but no one answered.
Oh, what should I do...
I remembered Uber has a service in France, so I tried to open the app.
When I put the nearest station and the address of the hostel,
Whoa, I could make a reservation and it said about 60 Euros!
Thank you god! Thank you Mary Magdalene!
Thanks to Uber, which I don't usually use in the US.
On the next day, I went to buy a train ticket from Arles to Aubagne, I found out the train I searched on the google map wasn't there, I booked a train which will arrive later than my reservation for Uber.
I cancelled the previous Uber service and sent a new reservation.
A driver, by the name of David de Jesus confirmed my reservation.
I thought it was interesting that Jesus would take me to see Mary Magdalene's place!
I can use free Wi-Fi at Train Stations in France, I was able to use the Uber app at the Aubagne station. I'm glad to see his car will be here soon!
Uber says that the waiting time is up to 5 minutes, so I felt comfortable setting the reservation time a bit later than my arrival time.
Finally I was glad to see my driver safely!
He is good looking with nice sunglasses, and , to my delight, he speaks English!
I told him that I was happy to speak in English, he said because he is not French.
Where did you come from, " Honduras in South America"
What brought you here? "Army"
After being discharged from the Army, He settled in a town called Cassis, where he runs a private transportation company with his friend.
That's amazing.
Which language do you speak in Honduras?
Spanish!
Whoa, he is trilingual, Spanish, French and English.
Following the country road, we are heading deeper and deeper into the mountains, far beyond what I expected.
I'm astonished at my own recklessness, I didn't book any transportation by yesterday.
In the worst case scenario, I was thinking of walking from a nearby village, but that was impossible!
Please don't do this, it's not the place where we can hitchhike. I don't see any cars on the mountain road.
Jesus the driver told me, I've never been here before and I'm using the navigation system.
We finally arrived at my hostel, Hostellerie de la Sainte Baume, in the middle of nowhere!
Oh, There is a bus stop in front of the Hostel!
Thank you, it was a pleasure talking with you the whole way!
So we said goodbye.
I could check in safely and go into my room.
I found a pretty painting on the wall, I tried to find my phone to take a picture.
Hm? Where is my iphone? It should be in my bag...
Oh, no, where is my phone?
Picture of my room
I think I accidentally left my phone in the car.
I was checking his car on the app until I got in the car.
I felt relieved to see him, I think I left it on the seat not in my bag....
I'm so stupid!!!
I went to the office of the hostel and asked them to use their computer but they said no to me.
The young lady working there felt bad to me,
She let me use her cell phone to use Uber app but I need to two-factor authentication,
It must be sent to my cell phone and email address...
She called my number using whatsapp but no one answered.
She told me that she will try later from home.
I told her, his name was Jesus...
OMG, I lost my phone abroad? I can't believe it!
I blamed myself a lot and was in panic.
But I think to myself,
I've used it for over 3 years, it's time to change it.
The phone numbers I need I will get them again....
However, before I came here, I went to Paris, Mont saint Michel, Arles, Sainte Maries dela mer...
I'm so sad if I lose all the pictures I took...
Oh, I can't do a web check in for my return flight to London and New York...
I prayed at the chapel in the hostel and I left my fate to God.
I was a little late for dinner, so I joined one of the groups from Spain.
I didn't understand Spanish and French, but they were kind enough to speak in English.
He asked me to teach how to say Hello, Thank you in Japanese.
He is a beekeeper from Spain and he wants to say thank you in Japanese because he is meeting a client from Japan tomorrow.
How nice, isn't it?
ARIGATO is gracious in Japanese.
I enjoyed this kind of conversation and forgot for a moment the panic of losing my cell phone.
Yes, Jesus the driver said that you should learn and use these words first, Merci (Thank you), Bonjour (Hello), Au revoir (Good bye) and S'il vous plait (Please).
These words are the first words we were all taught as human beings when we were babies.
What we need as humans is the same all over the world!
The hostel was owned and run by Dominican Monastery, it's very clean and beautiful but the facilities are very simple.
No TV, alarm, shampoo and soap.
I was lucky that I brought back a small soap with a nice scent of goldenseal that I had used at a hotel in Paris.
I went to bed exhausted wondering if I would be able to wake up tomorrow without an alarm.
During the night, the heating was turned off and I woke up feeling very cold.
It must be cold because of the high altitude, even though it is still March.
I pulled out a blanket from the shelf to ward off the cold.
I was lucky to wake up early, as it is getting light around here.
I checked the sunrise time the day before and was told it was 7:20am.
So it looks like I was up in time for breakfast at 8:00am!
Thank goodness!
Courtyard from my room
I went down to the dining room and bumped into the beekeeper from yesterday at the entrance.
Good morning!
Suddenly, a nice, sharp looking man appeared in front of me.
"Hi, I was cleaning my car and found your cell phone.
I called this hostel but it was already off duty and I couldn't leave any message.
I thought you must have been worried because you don't have your cell phone with you, so I brought it to you. "
OMG! OMG! OMG! (He looks even more handsome and cool without sunglasses! )
Did he bring it here first thing in the morning because he worried I was in trouble?
To get here at 8:00am, He probably had to leave his place before 7:00am.
He came all the way here to deliver my cell phone?
How sweet of him!
I repeated OMG! OMG! OMG!
Jesus delivered my cellphone to me...
Handing me the phone and he said "Good to see you, enjoy your hike today!"
He was about to walk away coolly,
"Oh, can I get your contact, I mean your business card?"
"Yes, I have a business card in my car. Please wait here and I'll get it for you. "
He ran to get it even though the parking lot was a bit far from the hostel.
He looked so cool and kind.
I got his business card and thanked him again, I will pay some tip at Uber and waved goodbye until I couldn't see his car anymore.
What a thing to happen! Thank you, Mary Magdalene from the bottom of my heart.
Then I went to see the front office girl who helped me yesterday. She made a gesture and nothing happened.
I told her he brought it to me!
She said OMG!
"What time did he come?" " 8:00am? Isn't it amazing?"
" Was he Jesus?" "Yes, He was sure of Jesus for me..."
Feeling very bright and light, I ran up to the cave of Mary Magdalene as fast as if I were a mountaineering ascetic.
Trail Entrance
Mary Magdalene must have had a strong body to have lived in a place like this for the last 30 years of her life, about 2000 years ago.
I was in a hotel when the heating went out, and I pulled out a blanket and wrapped myself in it in March.
How cold was it in the winter?
stairs
And the mountain path is now prepared with stairs and paths to make it easier for pilgrims to climb. Everyone was in serious tracking gear except me. I can't imagine how hard it was to climb up and down in the old days....
cliff
I arrived at the cave church with shortness of breath.
There is a Pieta statue at the entrance of the cave.
The virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene are holding Jesus who was taken down from the crucifixion.
Most of the pieta statues are of two people, one of Maries and Christ, but here are three people.
Jesus and two of Maries
This is a natural cave, so it is very quiet and serene, with the sound of dripping water echoing through the air.
It might be nice to have water but coldness is a woman's enemy.
I bet Mary Magdalene was really a strong woman.
Through this trekking experience, I felt as if she taught me that women must be wise, kind and strong.
Statue of Mary Magdalene
The Dominican Priest has held a mass here at 11:00am since 1295, I wondered how much Mary Magdalene has been loved and cherished.
I realized that this is a miraculous place to be loved and cherished by many people for hundreds of years.
The view looking out from the cave
I need to pick up my checked luggage, so I run back to the hostel.
I had about one hour before the bus to my next destination, St. Maximin, so I used the internet and yes, I have to tip, Jesus the driver.
Unfortunately, the maximum tip for my service was set as 49.99 euros. I didn't know there was such a limit!
I regretted that I couldn't pay him properly for his 2 round trips on such a mountain road but there was nothing I could do now...
" Pay it forward" suddenly popped into my mind.
Yes, now is my turn to pay it forward to the next person.
Not only I sent a thank you email to Jesus the driver but also I'm going to introduce him as a prefered driver for the guests for the hostel. This is what I can do now.
I sent an email to the front lady who helped me.
He is a reliable driver because of my incident, we can contact him by Email in English and I think it's good for the people who can't speak French like me.
She replied to me, Thanks for sharing!
Then I received a very simple email from Jesus the driver,
"Thank you for introducing my company to the hostel. " as if he was using a translation app.
I really appreciated that he tried hard to communicate with me...
I have a shameful past in college, I studied French as my second foreign language but couldn't handle it at all.
But If I were much much younger, my life would have been different.
My longtime dream came true this time and at the same time, I really felt "Life is interesting! ".
It is important to live without bothering people but people live by helping each other.
If someone helps me, I will help the person and the people I can help next.
The world is a cycle of gratitude and I will never forget what I learned this time.
Thank you so much!
Sunset at Marseille
PS. If you need transportation in Marseille, Cassis or other places in the South of France,
Please contact this company. English is available.
Transport BCH
Please give my best regards to them, a Japanese woman caused trouble by leaving her cellphone in your car the day before the spring equinox of 2024.
12.10.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
The Holiday Season in NYC officially starts!
It's December already, how are you doing?
I have heard that Japan may have a mild winter this year but the temperature is going up and down these days. Please stay warm and take good care of yourself.
After Thanksgiving day, Holiday seasons kicked off in New York City.
This year's tree has arrived and is being prepared for lighting.
It is an estimated 80-85 year old tree grown in Upstate New York.
This Christmas tree would be lit on November 29 this year.
I went to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in my first year in New York but I waited and waited for hours in the cold weather, finally lit at around 9pm and that's it.
I was lucky l to be invited to a party overlooking Rockefeller Center a few years ago, but the area was blocked for the lighting ceremony, so I have to be inside the building before 5:00pm and can't come in and out there freely. So it takes quite a long time to get off there after the ligtning show.
So I recommend staying at home and watching the Christmas Tree Lighting on TV.
Unfortunately, I was not in New York Cityon the day of the lighting this year, so I will go to see it later.
I look forward to seeing the holiday light show at Saks Fifth, the department store directly across from the tree, every year. They are collaborating with Christian Dior this year!
It looks so pretty even without lighting!
I went to check on them the day before Thanksgiving and, oh, lucky me, they've already started the show!
Look! Much Beautiful with the lights on!
Many people take holidays during Thanksgiving and Christmas, everyone is in the holiday mood for parties and they don't work very much during this period.
The city is filled with sparkling lights and a fun atmosphere even in the chilly weather, which makes the holiday season more fun and heartwarming.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season this year and the year 2024 will be filled with all kinds of fun.
Yay, Let's pre-celebrate for 2024!
P.S.
The angel looked so happy to blow the trumpet in high spirits!
P.S. 2
Finally I could go to see the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center tonight! So Gorgeous!
10.15.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
The more you move, Your life will be richer!
It's October and full of fall mood in New York City. But let me talk about my road trip to Texas this Summer.
The state of Texas is called "One Lone Star" because of its former independence from Mexico as the Republic of Texas.
My First stop was Dallas, an air gateway city to the state of Texas.
This brown building is the Sixth Floor Museum.
Former President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in front of this building...
The Cattle drive sculptures in Pioneer plaza, symbolize the spirit of Texas in the American west. Cowboys used to carry wild cattles like this in the 19th Century.
It was so hot in summer, over 40 degrees!
Guess where I was? In the middle of the American football field at the Ford Center next to the headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys!
The Dallas Cowboys is an American football team which is the most valuable sports team in the world!
What a beautiful sky in Waco！which is a small town on the way from Dellas to Austin by land.
Austin is the capital of Texas, we can see the classic building of Texas state capitol in the distance.
Austin is the capitol of live music. Even though I have been in New York for many years. I was so surprised at the music scene of the 6th Street! Young people were expressing themselves, especially rock music. (But unfortunately, no pictures).
Buc-ee's is an everyone's favorite giant gas station along the highway & service area. We can enjoy bathroom stop and buy some gift over there. Buc-ees the beaver, The Statue of the mascot of Buc-ees.
San Antonio was the most southern city I visited this time. It is the World Heritage Site of the Alamo.
The River Walk is a beautiful canals around the city. We can explore by small boats called barges.
The view from my room, night in San Antonio.
San Antonio was named after the river St. Anthony (San Antonio), which the Spanish evangelists reached on the feast day of St. Anthony in 1961.
My favorite of the two trips to Texas was still San Antonio. Do I have any connection to St. Anthony?
Beautiful Appetizers of my last supper with our traveling companions.
Yes, Texas is famous for steak! Oh, it was so delicious!
Texas is a gun permit state, so I wondered what kind of place it would be and I was a bit nervous at first,
However, everyone I met in Texas was so nice, warm, and very cooperative. I was so grateful to know it!
Total distance I traveled
New York to Dallas by trial plane, 1,600 miles
Dallas to San Antonio by land about 300 miles
San Antonio to Austin overland about 80 miles
Austin to New York City by plane about 1800 miles
Total 3780 miles x 2 times = 7560 miles = 12166 km
I probably traveled about 12,500 kilometers including city trips.
Yes! I'm sure that these trips made my life enriched very much!
Thank you very much!
PS. I was lucky to see such a beautiful sky on my way back to New York!
8.5.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
I Left My Heart in San Francisco
~Bobby McFerrin's Circle Song 10 years Aniversary
I attended Bobby Mcferrin's Circlesong School 2023 at the end of July in San Francisco.
Nearly 200 singers from all over the world gathered there this year.
It was held in the Nob Hill area of San Francisco.
I walked up three hills and down every day while looking at cable cars.
I was so surprised at the steep hills over there.
My home town, Nagasaki is known as the hill city though.
It was held in a very beautiful church, Grace Cathedral.
The Interfaith AIDS Memorial Chapel occupies the main floor lobby of the singing tower.
The altarpiece entitled "The Life of Christ", the last work of Keith Haring completed just weeks before his own death from AIDS.
I felt the spirit, Grace Cathedral opens for all people, all religion, all race and sexuality.
Circle singing is an improvisation in which everyone forms a circle and improvises a chorus with repeated motifs for each part.
Mr. Bobby Mcferrin, who received the lifetime achievement award of grammy this year started this beautiful artform.
I heard that the Circle Song was born here!
It is not a particularly religious thing but was born from the free improvisation of singing in this wonderful acoustic setting.
The instructors were Bobby McFarrin, Rhiannon, Judy Viner, Joey Blake, and Dave Warm, who have sung with Bobby for many years.
Bobby's new group here recently, Destany Wolfe, Tammi Brown and Brian Dyer.
The Circlesong students and new leaders, Christiane Karam from Lebanon, a master of odd time, Tiago a beat boxer from Portugal, Sofia with lovery soft solo also from Portugal, Maestro Juan from Colombia, Gussy from Haiti, who teaches music to children, they supported the workshop by their own specialties.
I was looking for some pictures of my first circlesong workshop, I realized that this was the 10th year for me!
It used to be held at Omega Institute, a beautiful retreat facility in upstate New York but since Bobby moved into the West Coast in the covid years, the workshop has been held in the West Coast since last year.
I still remember that I didn't know what was going on and what to do at the first time.
I heard about the Monday Night Circlesong gathering in NYC, I started joining it almost every week.
When we were in covid situation, we gathered with Zoom struggling with the delay of the sound but we were happy to sing together.
Bobby offered the microphone to anyone who wanted to sing on the very first day. I stepped forward and grabbed the microphone without hesitation and sang a solo. Bobby joined me and we could sing together. What a amazing moment! I guess I was able to push myself to "GO!" because of the microphone battles at the midnight jam session at SMALLS, a jazz club in New York City. No wasted experience!
Yes, I did well, I did my best! I sincerely praised myself.
I couldn't do anything, I was way too shy and couldn't even talk to the teachers or the people around me but I wanted to show that I was a jazz singer and could do improvisation among more than 200 singers from all over the world at the first time.
But after my 10th year, my feelings changed. Just opening my heart with joy of singing and creating a better world by singing and spreading the joy and gratitude of singing around the world.
It seems to be difficult to do Free improvisation and we don't know what to do at first, but it's totally free and just opening our hearts and letting it go.
Of course, there are many tips to make it more beautiful musically, so we often learn by trial and error.
I think this kind of self opening game is necessary for Japanese people. Because we tend to look down on ourselves by worrying about what other people think or comparing ourselves to others. I have been wanting to bring this game to Japan but I couldn't for long but there were 2 girls from Japan this year, I hope they will start something in Japan!
What a surprise, there was a graduation ceremony this time!
I left San Francisco with gratitude for all the sisters who trained me so hard on Monday Night and for all supportive friends who helped me for long.
Thank you so much! I love you all !
PS. There is a famous historical hotel, Fairmont San Francisco near the Grace Cathedral.
There is a statue of Tony Bennet, the legendary master of Jazz vocal who passed away recently.
He sang ”I left my heart in San Francisco' at the venetian Room of this hotel and it became a big hit!
Thank you, Mr. Tony Bennett for a lifetime of great singing!
6.10.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Japan Parade in New York
Well everyone, how have you been spending your June? I heard that there were heavy rains in many parts of Japan this rainy season but I hope you stay dry and safe. Please enjoy the greenery of New York's Central Park to change your mood.
I would like to report on the Japan Parade that took place last month in New York City.
The Japan Parade was held on Saturday, May 12.
The parade started from my neighborhood, upper west side, went south down Central Park West to 67th Street. 98 groups and about 2,500 people participated in the parade.
The event used to be held in Central Park every year as Japan Day, became Japan Day Parade last year after Covid, and it was called Japan Parade this year.
Last year, Because I was afraid that no one would go to see the parade, I went to see the parade as a kind of the duty of a Japanese resident in the US but I was surprised by the huge audience. I heard that there were 30,000 people later.
And this year, it was on the news that there were 50,000 people. Even more amazing!
During the summer, almost every weekend in New York City, there are all kinds of parades and street fairs that close down the streets.
I have actually been in the downtown dance parade with a hula team a few years ago and there was nothing like the feeling of parading through the streets of Manhattan with an audience cheering you on along the way!
This year, the Japanese American athlete Christy Yamaguchi, the 1992 Winter Olympic gold medalist in women's figure at the 1992 Winter Olympics, who was chosen as the parade's grand marshal, started at the front of the parade, and was joined by New York City Mayor Adams, Ambassador Mori, the Japanese Consul General of New York, and the NYPD!
I left home a bit late so I could see from ANA's float. Fresh greens of Central Park were dazzling!
This is COBU, a Japanese Ladies taiko drumming team led by Ms. Yako Miyamoto, who used to perform in an off-Broadway percussion show called Stomp. It's been a while but they are the best!
Kitty is on the parade! She is very popular among girls all over the world.
My American friend asked me why the Japanese cat with the big face was so popular. A Cat with the big face? What was he talking about??? It took me a while to realize that he was talking about Kitty, and I remember I burst out laughing! Girls love kitty-chan for no reason, right?
By the way, I was so lucky to see a portable shrine in New York!
I was so surprised that Omikoshi was called a “portable shrine” in English, and I wish I could call it better English! Am I the only one who thinks so?
This is the portable shrine of Samukawa Shrine. Everyone was taking pictures with it.
I prayed, gave my appreciation and respect to the deity carried from Japan.
What a surprise, Salonpas was there too! Actually, this Salonpas box on the float was spinning around!
Japan Airlines was also participating！
There are not only large floats sponsored by corporations, but also various groups such as Japanese language clubs in colleges and Japanese Saturday schools, and many groups like this one. Here is a large origami crane from an origami team!
There were many dance performances such as Hanagasa Ondo and Yosakoi, as well as many groups participating in kimonos.
There were also many people doing all kinds of Japanese martial arts such as karate, sword fighting, naginata, kendo, and so on. And of course, there are some Japanese people but I was so surprised that most of them were not Japanese.
Japanese traditional arts and martial arts are not only looking cool and fun to do, but they always start with spirituality and manners, and require Okeiko, we call it in Japanese, special practice rather than the word, practice.
It brought tears to my eyes that there were so many non-Japanese people who were learning such an unknown world with respect.
Since I usually play jazz in the U.S., I was even more moved to see non-Japanese people who are striving to master Japanese dance and martial arts that even I do not know.
Thank you so much to those who participated in the parade and those who came to watch the parade!
Thank you so much for loving our culture!
I have always thought that we Japanese are a minority in the U.S., but it was amazing to know that so many people are interested in Japan.
One of the great moments in my life.
P.S. Isn't it so fun to see these costumed people in the audience?
4.10.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Let's go to Washington DC, the capital of the U.S.,
for cherry blossom viewing!
I was surprised to hear for the first time that Hanami is a cultural practice for Japanese people to pray for a good harvest and happiness in the coming year.
Just as I was thinking about it, I got an email for a free jazz concert in Washington, D.C. to honor musicians who have contributed to jazz as masters, called the NEA Jazz Master.
I ordered a ticket immediately because It would be a great opportunity to see the performance of big names in the Jazz scene.
I have been in the U.S. for more than 20 years, but I have never actually seen the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. So I decided to go there this year!
I took the Amtrak train from New York to DC this time because I found an unbeatable ticket price of $51 for an early morning departure from New York and an evening departure from Washington, D.C.
I was surprised at the great deal.
Amtrak also has express trains called Acela, I decided to take a regional train, which takes 3.5 hours one way, in order to save money.
By the way, the fare changes depending on availability and time of day.
Interesting, isn't it? (I thought about inviting my friend later, but I was surprised to find out that the one-way fare was over $200.)
The hotels were so expensive because it was cherry blossom season! But the transportation fee was cheap, so I booked a hotel close to the concert venue, and the trip was ready to go without a hitch.
However, I was so busy in March that I was so tired that I didn't want to go anywhere! I jumped on the early morning Amtrak train at 6:00 a.m.
It had been a long time since I had traveled on Amtrak before Corona, so the seats had been upgraded to fake leather and were very comfortable.
While I almost passed out on the way, we arrived in Washington, DC.
Oh, no! It was raining! I hadn't checked the weather forecast before I left this morning and didn't bring an umbrella!
Actually I had checked the temperature a couple of days before, but there was no sign of rain!
I decided to leave my coat because it looked much warmer than New York City because it's 3.5 hours south!
The forecast said it would stop in the afternoon, so I decided to walk to my first destination.
It was raining harder and harder and I was soaked to the skin when I got there.
My first stop was the National Gallery of Art, a 15-minute walk from the Union station.
Here is the Rotunda.
Andrew Mellon, a banker, was so impressed by the National Gallery of Art during his stay in London as ambassador to the United Kingdom that he dreamed to establish a museum with master pieces of arts in his home country of the United States,
He was an art collector personally and finally proposed President Franklin D. Roosevelt to donate his collections and provide $10 million of his own money for the construction of a museum.
In 1937, Congress approved the offer, and it was finally realized!
All of the collections were donated or purchased with funds, not spoils of war, So Amazing!
This museum is open to everyone, admission has been free since its opening!
The highlight of the National Gallery of Art is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the only one in the Americas.
Portrait of Ginevra de Bench.
I am ashamed to say that when I saw this portrait more than 15 years ago without knowing anything about it, I only had the impression of a dark girl.
I was so touched by the sadness and the very delicate aspect to the painting this time.
On the back of this painting, it says that beauty adorns virtue. Ms. Ginevra had a secret crush on at the time,
It was a wedding present from the Florentine ambassador, a poet already had a wife and children, whom Ms. Ginevra was secretly attracted to at the time.
Ms. Ginevra, a bright and beautiful 16 year old, had to marry a much older man, who lost his first wife.
Da Vinci may have even depicted the platonic relationship between the two of them, oh, how sad.
The Washington Gallery is also famous for owning Renaissance masterpieces outside of Italy.
Mr. Andrew Mellon purchased many of the art works of Hermitage Museum from the Soviet Union.
The beautiful coloring of the egg-based paints called tempera paints are from the mid-15th century.
Please go to see this beauty actually!
The Adoration of the Magi by Filippo Lippi
In the Impressionism room, a painting by Monet, famous for his water lilies, depicting his wife, the Woman in the White Parasol, is truly wonderful and enchanting.
I could see her beauty and how much he loved his wife, Camille.
It must have been very hard for him to lose her so early.
He composed the same scene with his daughter later but after that, Monet stopped drawing people as the subject matter.
The work of Mary Cassatt, an American female painter who studied Impressionism painting in France, is also wonderful.
Children Playing on the Beach
At that time, women were not allowed to go to art school or go out alone to paint, so her subjects naturally became children and mothers.
The works are warm and tender, and are depicted from a woman's unique point of view.
The curator's thoughtfulness is also wonderful, as the works are displayed in the same room as those of Degas, with whom she had a close relationship.
Because I couldn't find the three Vermeer works, I asked the museum staff where I could find them, but they told me that they were currently on loan to Amsterdam.
That's too bad! I will see you next time!
To tell the truth, I am not a bright art person. During pandemic of covid, I attended an online tour of the National Gallery,
I learned a lot about the stories behind the paintings and the highlights from a tour guide.
I was lucky that my dream of visiting the National Gallery again finally came true!
I was once again overwhelmed by the energy of the masterpieces.
Now that the weather has finally cleared up, let's go to the Tidal Basin where the cherry blossoms are blooming!
Here they are! This is the place I saw in pictures for a long time, Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial and the cherry blossoms!
Since it was the weekend, there were so many people, taking pictures and enjoying themselves in their own way.
I felt like I was completely enjoying myself.
More amazing thing happened on the next day.
I decided to go to the other side of the tidal basin, where I had not visited yesterday, so I rented a shared bike on the south side of the Lincoln Memorial and rode around randomly, and got completely lost.
It was a pity that the flowers were already past their prime, but the cherry trees, cherry trees, cherry trees!
I saw Washington National Airport on the other side of the river, so I worried I would go to Verginia state.
Finally I searched for a map and found a place where I was.
I found out that I was biking southward through a delta-like area, so I circled the delta of the Potomac River.
But still, isn't it amazing that the rows of cherry blossom trees just keep going and going for about 40 minutes on a bicycle?
I don't have any pictures! Sorry!
Cherry blossoms in New York City are also very nice, but this place was really wonderful, I surrender to the scale!
I was able to see such a wonderful cherry blossom show this year, I am sure we all will have a great year, Thank you very much!
I recommend you to go to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, U.S.A!
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Extra fun of this trip
I experienced many things for the first time this time.
(1) First time at the Kennedy Center!
I enjoyed jazz at this comprehensive cultural facility consisting of five concert halls with a total capacity of 7,000 people.
I enjoyed the performance while imagining myself singing on stage here. (Lol)
Congratulations to Kenny Garrett, Regina Carter, Sue Mingus（her granddaughter) , and Louis Haynes, this year's NEA Jazz Master winners!
(2) Eat a really delicious crab cake in DC.
This area is famous for its crab cakes, which are hardened crab meat that is baked or made into croquettes.
I googled ”the best crab cakes in DC”, and found this restaurant.
Blue Duck tavern is a restaurant in the Park Hyatt Washington hotel. It was so tasty and I was so satisfied!
(3) My first panda experience in my life.
I woke up in the morning and decided to go see pandas at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. I had never been to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo Japan, so this was my first live panda experience!
It was a chilly day, Panda immediately went back indoors.
I was glad that admission was free here, too! I was surprised at the scale of the zoo on a single mountain, where you can spend a whole day.
(4) Cheers at the bar of a Luxury hotel!
I went to see the Trump Hotel, a converted National Post Office, when it first opened and it was a lovely hotel.
However, since the owner was the guy, I could not say out loud that it was nice to those around me in New York, a state that supports the Democratic Party,
The hotel was changed to the Waldorf Astoria this time, so I stopped by before going back to NYC, to enjoy a glass of rosé wine called "Whispering Angel," which was so delicious!
Great Satisfaction!
2.8.2023
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Happy Valentines Day from New York!
How are you all?
It was extremely cold during the Christmas season last year but so far we enjoy a mild winter this year.
When it comes to February, Yes, Valentine's Day!
In the U.S., it is the opposite of Japan, men send candy and flowers to women.
Here, "candy" means sweet treats including candies and chocolates, but I'm getting to find more fancy chocolates for Valentine's Day recently.
Japanese girls without a partner in the U.S., especially in this season, know how boys feel so blue without getting any chocolates from girls in Japan. It's true!
When I see some guys with flowers or a big stuffed animal on the subway, I always praise them in my heart. It's my favorite heartwarming moment.
When I saw the couples so in love, I said to myself, "Yes, my turn would come soon! "
Even if you are alone now, Don't Worry, you are sure to meet someone wonderful who is waiting for you!
I started noticing some decorations for Valentine's day all around, Let me introduce some pictures I took!
I found this heart graffiti by chance, It is the work of HEKTAD, a Graffiti artist from the Bronx, New York, so Cool!
The window display at Saks Fifth Avenue, an upscale department store, Yes, very stylish!
Americans love m&m's very much! The Love shaped clear cases are filled with red, white, and pink marble chocolates.
CVS pharmacy sells not only candy, but also stuffed animals like this!
Marie Belle is a famous high end chocolate shop in SOHO. So Lovely display!
This is a public artwork that suddenly appeared in Times Square on February 1.
"Love's h|Edge”, by Almost Studio, This year's winner of the Valentine Heart Design Competition sponsored by Times Square Art.
You can take pictures with this artificial arty hedge all through the month of February!
Do you know this famous jazz song "My Funny Valentine"?
Actually, I have never wanted to sing this song but I will have a showcase near Valentine's day, so I decided to work on it.
Here is Atsuko4Jazz's translation of "My Funny Valentine"!
My Funny Valentine, Sweet comic Valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable, un-photographable
Yet, you're my favorite work of art
Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth, a little weak?
When you open it to speak, are you smart?
But don't change a hair for me,
Not if you care for me
Stay little Valentine, Stay!
Each day is Valentine's day!
It looks like a terrible song at a glance but I feel the lyrics are full of so much love.
And here's my favorite "My Funny Valentine" .
I chose 2 clips which were sung by so cool guys.
The recording by Chet Baker in his younger days is very touching but sad.
Chris Botti, a popular trumpet player, invited a superstar Sting to his stage.
Sting sang this song to his wife. This is so awesome and looks like a one scene in the movie.
I'm sure this performance would melt ladies' hearts.
Someone told me that February is a month full of love, especially this year.
Happy Valentine's Day!
12.15.2022
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Happy Holidays！
Happy Holidays, everyone!
How are you doing during the holiday season?
The holiday season has begun in New York City since Thanksgiving in November.
The greeting that is exchanged during this season is "Happy Holidays!
Since New York is home to the United Nations, there are people from at least 196 different countries living here.
It is normal to have different nationalities, ethnicities, religions, languages, and customs.
Because they are so different, it is normal for them to be different, and they get along well while respecting each other here in New York.
In December, there are many festivals such as Hanukkah for Jewish people, Kwanzaa for African American people, and Christmas for Christian people.
Therefore, the greeting exchanged at this time of year is "Happy Holidays!
This is a greeting that respects each other's religion, ethnicity, and customs, and is very cool!
And in December, we must not forget the anniversary of John Lennon's death, December 8.
Strawberry Fields was created by Yoko Ono and the City of New York to keep the legacy ”World Peace” of John Lennon, who was killed by a fan's bullet in front of his home, the Dakota House, in 1980, alive for future generations.
I went there for the first time on this day finally because I heard his enthusiastic fans gathered to sing and pray the entire day
The mosaic is a place for people to reaffirm the transience and preciousness of life, to be thankful for being alive here and now, and to pray for world peace.
At the mosaic of Imagine, people are constantly taking turns to take commemorative photos.
As expected, today it is crowded during the day, and everyone is singing along to one Beatles song after another.
This year in particular, the world was shocked to learn that wars do happen, and we were shocked to learn that a former prime minister was killed by a bullet in Japan, a country we had believed to be at peace.
I hope that all people on earth will regain peace of mind and be able to spend time with their loved ones.
In New York City, Christmas tree vendors line on the streets after Thanksgiving.
New Yorkers are still love live trees, and when you walk by them, you can smell the delicious aroma of the trees, which makes you feel relaxed and relaxed.
At first I thought, what? Just for one winter? How pitiful! But after New Year's, the trees are properly collected and recycled. The larger trees are used as building materials, and the smaller ones are turned into chips and placed at the base of trees in the park to protect them from the cold.
Since the tree was born and raised as a Christmas tree, it should be appreciated by as many people as possible for its beauty and good smell, protect the presents placed under it until Christmas, and after fulfilling its role, it should return to the soil or take on another form in the next location. I think this is the cycle of life, or perhaps it is a way to cherish life. I hope all of them go to good homes as soon as possible!
Speaking of New York City at this time of year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a must-see.
This year, the lighting ceremony was recently held on November 30, and I went to see it as soon as I could.
As expected, I was shocked by the huge crowd, but the closer I got, the more I could only say, "Oh, it's so beautiful!
It is truly amazing, and I think it is the best tree in the world, even though I go every year.
Please come and see the actual tree sometime during this season.
By the way, this tree will be up until New Year's, so there is no need to panic.
Everyone here is in a holiday mood until January 1, and the next day, the world is surprisingly normal.
And the next day, the world will start moving in a surprisingly normal way.
Well, since we have been in the holiday mood since the latter half of November, it's a new year and we should get back to the normal mode! I guess that's what it feels like to be back to normal mode.
Finally, I would like to share with you a song, The Christmas Song ~ Chestnuts roasting on an open fire!
I love this song so much that I would sing it all year round if I were allowed to.
On a hot, hot day in the middle of summer, Robert was at home writing a few lines of a poem he had written about a winter scene, when Mr. Meltme appeared on the scene.
They decided to experiment to make it a little cooler, and wrote the song in about 40 minutes.
Isn't it amazing that this masterpiece was written in such a short time, and in the middle of summer!
The duet by Mr. Mel Torme and Ms. Judy Garland will give you a good old-fashioned American Christmas feeling!
And Mr. Nat King Cole sings beautifully too!
And as an added bonus, here is my performance taken alone when I was unable to perform with the musicians during Covid.
Please have a wonderful holiday season and a fabulous 2023!
I'm celebrating for you from New York City!
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
11.7.2022
DAYS / Atsuko4Jazz Column
Chasing the Muse ~A Jazz Singer's Newsletter from New York
Autumn in New York
Greetings, I am Atsuko, a jazz singer from New York City.
Muse is the Greek word for the goddesses of music and the arts.
I came to New York in 2000 with only a dream to study in the home of jazz.
My life in New York has been full of ups and downs, but I still feel super lucky to be able to continue to live in this city.
November is also my birthday month, and it is the most wonderful time of the year in New York, so I feel very happy.
This year, the leaves seem to be changing colors earlier than last year, probably because we had a period of cold weather in October when the heaters were turned on.
The trees in Central Park are changing colors, and when I walk around the city in the dazzling autumn light, I feel as if I am in a movie.
I feel as if I am in a movie. （It's true!)
I recommend "When Harry met Sally" as a movie that reminds me of autumn in New York City.
It's a very old romantic comedy with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, and the music director is jazz singer and pianist Harry Connick, Jr.
When I was a young girl, I saw this movie and was enchanted with the idea of going to New York City! I was so moved by this movie at that time.
Incidentally, my singing teacher, Marion Cowings, taught Harry to sing like himself when he had just he moved into New York from his hometown New Orleans. He had been singing with a gravelly voice like Louis Armstrong until then.
I believe this is what led to his success as a singer and the Grammy award.
I will tell this story another time.
One of the jazz standards is called Autumn New York.
This song was written by Vernon Duke, he was a student of George Gershwin who established the foundation of American music by incorporating both popular jazz music and classical music.
Vernon Duke wrote this song in 1934.
It is hard to believe that this song was written 90 years ago.
This must be the energy of a song that has been called a standard and loved for many years.
Today, as a greeting, I would like to share with you some of the lyrics of Autumn in New York.
Autumn in New York
Autumn in New York, why does it seem so inviting
Autumn in New York, It spells the thrill of first nighting.
Glittering crowds and shimmering clouds and Canyons of Steel
They're making me feel, I'm home.
It's Autumn in New York that brings a promise of new love
Autumn in New York, Is often mingled with pain
Dreamers with empty hands may sigh for exotic lands
It's Autumn in New York, It's good to live it again
This is a super translation of Atsuko4Jazz's own words, so please forgive me if there are some controversies.
It is only this year, after living here for many years, that I finally felt the urge to face this song and sing it.
If you are interested in hearing Autumn in New York, my recommendation right now is these people
Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Krall, three great divas.
Check them out if you are interested.
I actually didn't like Billie's singing much because it was too deep, but I thought this was sincerely wonderful.
Ella and Louis Armstrong are a perfect balance.
Diana Krall has a really deep and engaging voice.
It's interesting to compare the same song with each of their distinct personalities.
It would be great if you get in the Autumn mood in New York a bit.
Please come visit us sometime!
Have a great November!
