THE FAR EAST TOUR
One would think that after sixty-some-odd years of touring (I was 15 years of age when I made my first tour of some of our Canadian cities playing solo concerts) there would not be too much in the way of new or different happenings on a recent tour of Japan. As fate would have it, my last tour of Japan took place ten years ago, which even to this day, I can vividly recall.
On May 29th of this year I flew out of Toronto headed for Tokyo to meet up with my quartet, which consisted of Niels Pedersen on bass, Ulf Wakenius on guitar and Martin Drew on drums. After what was approximately a 16-hour trip, I arrived in Tokyo to fulfill my commitment for the first week of the tour in the Blue Note Jazz Club. I must confess that I had no quirks or qualms about receiving a good welcome, remembering all too well my earlier tours with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic and my own concert tours to various cities in Japan in the past. This time we agreed to a one week appearance in the Blue Note Club in Tokyo consisting of two shows a night, to be followed by appearances in the other Blue Note clubs in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya. Without being cavalier, I must say that I honestly expected our group to do well, for I have had a very successful and memorable series of appearances in Japan in the past. However I concede that I was in no way ready for the reception my quartet was about to receive.
We were scheduled to do two shows a night and upon arrival I was informed that the club had been sold out an hour after the announcement of our intended performances. We were greeted at the airport by representatives of the Blue Note and taken to our hotels. My schedule was set up with a few days of non-musical activities which we hoped would give us a chance to become acclimatized to a totally different time zone and environmentally different daily procedures. The group rested for a couple of days, which gave us a chance to ready ourselves for our impending opening night. On the afternoon of the first performance day we met at the club for the normal sound check and adjustment to the atmosphere of the club and its sound. Finally the opening night had arrived and I returned to the club for our performances. From the moment that I came out of the elevator into the Blue Note that evening, I immediately sensed a tremendous air of excitement. The staff was good enough to wheel my wheelchair into the main venue where I announced each member individually and they headed to the stage to commence the first tune. It seems to me, as I recall, the moment that I became visible to the audience (while being wheeled up to the stage) total bedlam took place, and it appeared that, to a person, everyone in the audience stood up and commenced cheering at the top of their voices. The inspiration and elation that this invoked, not only in me but in my group, enabled us to light into the first selection on all four pistons.
I must confess that I have continually marveled at various receptions that we have received in various places, at home and in the U.S. and Europe, but in all fairness I must concede that nothing in the past equaled the uproar that took place as I stood onstage bowing and waiting for the chance to start the first tune.
I think that many of us of the Western world who have come in contact with people of Japanese persuasion tend to see them as a very quiet, sedate, almost shy people. I am certain that those of us who have had those opinions would certainly not have believed what took place not only on our opening night in the Blue Note in Tokyo, but unbelievably enough, throughout the whole tour of Japan, which included appearances in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya. I myself, to this day, still marvel at the outburst of affection, love and excitement that the audiences radiated throughout our whole tour.
The most unbelievable part of our tour was, without a doubt, the emotion that the audiences exuded in each of the cities. They ranged from, as I mentioned earlier, unbridled applause and cheering to various members of the audiences almost climbing over each other to get to me and shake my hand or put their arms around me. The culmination of this affection for us and our music was personified by various ladies in the audiences visibly shedding tears during our performances. One lady in particular in Osaka continually cried throughout our performance, straight into my final bowing and acknowledgement of their appreciation, so much so that I became embarrassed, and since she was seated immediately in front of the stage, I invited her to join me onstage. This she did, and all I could think of doing was putting my arms around her while she sobbed endlessly. She reappeared again in Nagoya on our final night in Japan and exhibited the same emotional response. Admittedly I was lost for words and could only think of inviting her onto the stage with me again. I held her in my arms until she somewhat got her emotions under control and returned to her seat as we left the stage. I cite these instances to indicate how deeply the Japanese audiences seemed affected by our Jazz performances. I experienced the same kind of emotional behavior when the promoter asked if he could bring a young lady into my dressing room after the performance for an autograph. I could hear her crying uncontrollably before she even entered the room, and as I signed her program she fell into an even more emotional state and we had to spend some moments trying to calm her, which we eventually were able to do.
I can't tell you how invigorating and inspirational the receptions in Japan were, and how much they have meant and mean to my group and myself. It has served to strengthen our belief in the music that we play and in the Jazz medium that we are so proud to be a part of. I don't know if I will be capable of doing another tour of Japan, and if not, I shall never forget the warmth and emotional thanks that the audiences accorded my quartet.
Niels and Oscar at the sound check.
Ulf Wakenius ready for opening night.
Maiko, part of the staff assigned to me backstage in the Nagoya Blue Note.
Composite picture of three of the staff of the Nagoya Blue Note. (Maiko, Rie and Ryota)
Rie, part of the staff of the Nagoya Blue Note.
Ryota, member of the Nagoya Blue Note staff.
Shinobu Nishio at a happier moment, backstage in my dressing room.
Shinobu Nishio, after being called onstage with me.
©2003 Oscar Peterson
On May 29th of this year I flew out of Toronto headed for Tokyo to meet up with my quartet, which consisted of Niels Pedersen on bass, Ulf Wakenius on guitar and Martin Drew on drums. After what was approximately a 16-hour trip, I arrived in Tokyo to fulfill my commitment for the first week of the tour in the Blue Note Jazz Club. I must confess that I had no quirks or qualms about receiving a good welcome, remembering all too well my earlier tours with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic and my own concert tours to various cities in Japan in the past. This time we agreed to a one week appearance in the Blue Note Club in Tokyo consisting of two shows a night, to be followed by appearances in the other Blue Note clubs in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya. Without being cavalier, I must say that I honestly expected our group to do well, for I have had a very successful and memorable series of appearances in Japan in the past. However I concede that I was in no way ready for the reception my quartet was about to receive.
We were scheduled to do two shows a night and upon arrival I was informed that the club had been sold out an hour after the announcement of our intended performances. We were greeted at the airport by representatives of the Blue Note and taken to our hotels. My schedule was set up with a few days of non-musical activities which we hoped would give us a chance to become acclimatized to a totally different time zone and environmentally different daily procedures. The group rested for a couple of days, which gave us a chance to ready ourselves for our impending opening night. On the afternoon of the first performance day we met at the club for the normal sound check and adjustment to the atmosphere of the club and its sound. Finally the opening night had arrived and I returned to the club for our performances. From the moment that I came out of the elevator into the Blue Note that evening, I immediately sensed a tremendous air of excitement. The staff was good enough to wheel my wheelchair into the main venue where I announced each member individually and they headed to the stage to commence the first tune. It seems to me, as I recall, the moment that I became visible to the audience (while being wheeled up to the stage) total bedlam took place, and it appeared that, to a person, everyone in the audience stood up and commenced cheering at the top of their voices. The inspiration and elation that this invoked, not only in me but in my group, enabled us to light into the first selection on all four pistons.
I must confess that I have continually marveled at various receptions that we have received in various places, at home and in the U.S. and Europe, but in all fairness I must concede that nothing in the past equaled the uproar that took place as I stood onstage bowing and waiting for the chance to start the first tune.
I think that many of us of the Western world who have come in contact with people of Japanese persuasion tend to see them as a very quiet, sedate, almost shy people. I am certain that those of us who have had those opinions would certainly not have believed what took place not only on our opening night in the Blue Note in Tokyo, but unbelievably enough, throughout the whole tour of Japan, which included appearances in Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya. I myself, to this day, still marvel at the outburst of affection, love and excitement that the audiences radiated throughout our whole tour.
The most unbelievable part of our tour was, without a doubt, the emotion that the audiences exuded in each of the cities. They ranged from, as I mentioned earlier, unbridled applause and cheering to various members of the audiences almost climbing over each other to get to me and shake my hand or put their arms around me. The culmination of this affection for us and our music was personified by various ladies in the audiences visibly shedding tears during our performances. One lady in particular in Osaka continually cried throughout our performance, straight into my final bowing and acknowledgement of their appreciation, so much so that I became embarrassed, and since she was seated immediately in front of the stage, I invited her to join me onstage. This she did, and all I could think of doing was putting my arms around her while she sobbed endlessly. She reappeared again in Nagoya on our final night in Japan and exhibited the same emotional response. Admittedly I was lost for words and could only think of inviting her onto the stage with me again. I held her in my arms until she somewhat got her emotions under control and returned to her seat as we left the stage. I cite these instances to indicate how deeply the Japanese audiences seemed affected by our Jazz performances. I experienced the same kind of emotional behavior when the promoter asked if he could bring a young lady into my dressing room after the performance for an autograph. I could hear her crying uncontrollably before she even entered the room, and as I signed her program she fell into an even more emotional state and we had to spend some moments trying to calm her, which we eventually were able to do.
I can't tell you how invigorating and inspirational the receptions in Japan were, and how much they have meant and mean to my group and myself. It has served to strengthen our belief in the music that we play and in the Jazz medium that we are so proud to be a part of. I don't know if I will be capable of doing another tour of Japan, and if not, I shall never forget the warmth and emotional thanks that the audiences accorded my quartet.
Niels and Oscar at the sound check.
Ulf Wakenius ready for opening night.
Maiko, part of the staff assigned to me backstage in the Nagoya Blue Note.
Composite picture of three of the staff of the Nagoya Blue Note. (Maiko, Rie and Ryota)
Rie, part of the staff of the Nagoya Blue Note.
Ryota, member of the Nagoya Blue Note staff.
Shinobu Nishio at a happier moment, backstage in my dressing room.
Shinobu Nishio, after being called onstage with me.©2003 Oscar Peterson
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