The Swing Journal Jazz Disc Awards ceremony held at the Tokyo Prince Hotel last January 14 was such a success and brought wonderful news to us all. Being awarded Best Vocal (Japan) for my work on my album “Non- Stop to Brazil” has certainly become one of the best moments in my long music career and I'm really grateful. It also gives me much pleasure and pride, to be the first foreign artist based in Japan to have received such a distinguished award. Many singers, musicians, producers, directors and people from all over the industry gathered to celebrate the occasion. I was so happy to meet and mingle among friends and familiar faces and it seems everyone really enjoyed themselves as well. I really felt we ought to have many more events of this kind just for the interaction, it was such fun!
I flew to the Philippines in early February to officially meet with our charity beneficiaries of last year's A Christmas Gift concert. As always it felt good to be back home in my own country, I congratulate myself for being able to reestablish a link through music and charity eabling me to give something back and a reason to return. I've been led to many paths around the world but I will always hold special affection to my mother country.
 The Little Angels orphanage is a beautiful place situated by the lake in Tagaytay. A two hour drive from the city, the trip is a bit long but very rewarding. The institution is composed of a 2-storey home capable of caring for 20 to 30 babies and toddlers, designed to provide the children with an aura of a real home so that they can grow in an atmosphere similar to a home where a child can have a normal life, like how normal families live.
The orphanage strives with a mission of providing LOVE and CARE to abandoned and orphaned babies and toddlers 24 hours a day with a staff of well-trained caregivers and social workers until the organization finds suitable and able parents who are willing to take care of the children as their own. It was great to see the kids and oh! how they've grown since I last saw them a year ago. We are sponsoring the scholarships of 13 kids for this school year as our main beneficiary.
On a separate trip, we drove to the site of Gawad Kalinga (Caregivers) projects, another beneficiary, where we were able to donate one housing unit for a family. Situated on the hills of Bulacan province, it was quite a distance away. The traffic which was so terrible somehow dampened our spirits as we were stalled for nearly two hours. But we got there alright. Upon entering the poverty stricken areas, we witnessed the hard realities of life. It was a bit depressing to think of what we can actually do! ..... until we saw hope through the works of volunteers who helped build the well set up communities for the homeless. We arrived at the site and saw a lot of construction work going on. The residents themselves help each other to build, repair and maintain their homes.
 They also have their own schools and churches, stores and playgrounds. And the heart-work of GK volunteers is evident in the beautiful colors of the GK homes that have been built for and with the poorest of the poor families. We talked to some of the residents and took a good look at the place and future sites, we took special interest at the Japan Village which just started to grow. In my heart I was glad to be a part of the work here even for a just a small contribution and I knew we have just started.
I really felt happy and blessed to have done my mission, I returned to Tokyo with renewed strength and spirit, I was happy to go back to work and my music.In February, one unforgettable gig was at Naru where I played with some of my favorites Manabu Oishi on piano, Yosuke Inoue on bass, Dairiki Hara on drums and Yuichiro Hiraoka on guitar. This combination was fantastic and absolutely exciting as each member infused humour and skill and passion into their performance. Issei Igarashi joined us later that night for the 2nd set and made it more intense. It's not that often I find myself laughing
along to the music but there are moments of amusement as I watch the joyful expression on Dairiki's face while he played. We are having such a blast together that there is a feeling of joviality to the whole set. Solos elevating as songs are explored in every direction with the trading back and forth and building things to exciting heights. The audience really had a treat.
Few people can truly be said to be multi-talented, but jazz and soul legend Marcus Miller is undoubtedly one of them. Dubbed the 'Superman of Soul' and declared one of the 10 most influential bass players of the '90s by Bass Player Magazine, he was back in Tokyo on the first week of March for a gig at the Blue Note. I luckily bumped into him one late night as he was coming in to the Body and Soul I was on my way out. I couldn't resist the
invitation to stay awhile and sit with him with some friends for a casual chat. We talked about some famous musician anecdotes and ... some funny, some terrible jokes.... reminisced about the time when Marcus sat in with us a long time ago at the original Body and Soul club in Roppongi.... we had such fun. Stevie Wonder, Art Blakey, Michael Brecker to name a few are among countless musicians have visited and played at this favorite jazz club/hangout. Later that night we also ended up listening to a recording of
my “famous” duet with another legend Sarah Vaughan when I was just a budding jazz singer. In Marcus' words “That was your baptism, Sarah took you to the water.... and she was not just singing with you, she was giving you so much!!” These words will forever stay in my heart.
One highlight gig in March was at Ikspiari, a shopping and entertainment plaza at the Tokyo Disney Resort, made up of nine themed zones, containing over 120 shops and restaurants, a cinema complex and a children's play and care center. Inside is the latest addition in the jazz scene today, Club Ikspiari, the first of its' kind. It is a truly sophisticated place to listen to music and definitely a fun place to visit.
My first performance here was with my Brazilian unit headed by Paulo Gomes on piano, Shinichi Satoh on bass, Yuichiro Hiraoka on guitar and Francis Silva on percussion. Many people came, most of them seeing me for the first time and liking what they heard became instant jazz fans. I'd like to perform here again.
A particularly interesting gig for me was when I played at Sometime with Manabu Ohishi combined with Yuichiro Hiraoka and Francis Silva. It was just amazing how Ohishi took charge and gave my Brazilian stuff, a totally different twist and exciting feel. Together we brought an entirely different dynamic to the music: passionate Latin rhythms, colors of acoustic guitar and intense piano outbursts, we were musically high!!
Last but not least, I would like to mention about a funky gig at JAZZ SPOT J in Shinjuku, one of the oldest clubs around town. I played here a few times back in my early jazz artist days. Quite a nostalgic place to be, this used to be a hangout for aspiring musicians and singers. I played here this time with my original group Manabu Oishi, Gregg Lee on bass and Cecil Monroe on drums. I love this band, because of the natural soul element present in all of the tunes we play. It was just great and I can't ask for more.
There's a lot of exciting gigs ahead for me coming up soon... music brings endless wonders and I feel forever blessed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued support, for listening to my music, for giving me the award. I hope to be able to share with you this gift for as long as my heart sings....
Life is good so let's enjoy it to the fullest! Here's to the seasons! changing, forever changing, just as we do.... enjoy the rest of the spring and get ready for the lively months ahead!!
Charito
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