“The autumn leaves drift by my window....” Not yet but very soon they will by the time this article is out as we are experiencing more and more of these chillier nights. I actually look forward to it now after the sweltering hot summer days. They were sometimes unbearably hot and humid, you'd just want to jump in any pool of water : ) You can imagine how it must have been for me while performing in those big outdoor stages standing in front of big hot lights, I felt like a steaming “hot tamale” .... whew !
You may wonder how we can outperform ourselves in spite of such conditions. We simply forget about it when we are in front of an audience whether big or small. This is mind power at its' best. The music, especially when the groove is tight, heightens our energy and gives us the drive to show the best of what we got.
I am too excited to go through some of my extraordinary experiences this summer. First on my list was a performance at the Love and Peace concert for the Aichi Expo 2005 held in early July at the Expo Dome. Several groups came to perform on the show that started from 1:00 in the afternoon. I sang with the Jazz Lab Orchestra as the final performer.
I truly felt very fortunate to be part of this earth awareness international event. Expo 2005 gave the people of the world an opportunity to come together and discuss the many global issues that face humankind. It is a place to bring together the world's talent to create a model community for the future where humans can live in harmony with nature. The 2005 World Exposition Aichi, which ended a few weeks ago, seems to have generated renewed interest in undertaking the challenge of transforming this country into a recycle-oriented society in the 21st century.
 To promote the coming big event Tokyo Jazz 2005, I was invited to sing on NHK's afternoon TV show Studio Park. Performing with me were Manabu Ohishi on piano, Yosuke Inoue on bass, Cecil Monroe on drums and Masahiro Fujioka on saxophone. Other groups were TKY and Chihiro Yamanaka's trio. It was a short but intensive 45minute show and I enjoyed it very much. We definitely should have more live music programs like this on TV. There's just so many talented musicians need to be seen by many.
The following day, I also had a chance to perform at the Toyota Mega Web. This is not your regular showroom but a huge technology playground and amusement spot in Odaiba, where there are several virtual thrill rides, including driving simulators, a 3-D roller-coaster, a history garage featuring many models cars from around the world. I sang in the midst of cars, where they set up a stage with a huge screen behind that attracted many visitors, friends and fans who came to see the show. It was quite an experience!
 Every summer, since 1990, an open air music festival takes place in Meiho. Many famous artists and musicians are invited to perform. The highlight of the event is the summer night dream concert where drinks, music and socializing continue until late into the night. This year's “SUMMER LIVE IN MEIHO 2005” featured seven groups including myself with the Jazz Lab orchestra. It was an exhilarating experience to sing in the great outdoors in front of a 12,000 audience. Not only was the music exciting, the mountain air just lifted my spirits and I felt like a singing bird soaring into the sky. It felt really good and the barbeque was oh so yummy delicious!
Another annual jazz event happens in Maizuru, Kyoto. This city hosts a large jazz festival against the historical backdrop of the red brick buildings facing the sea. The festival dates back to 1991 and was started as a way to meaningfully preserve Maizuru's architectural heritage and as a way to attract people to area. For two nights, a special stage is set up in the traditional red brick warehouse district where a jazz environment is every bit jumping, it is a place where renowned musicians, domestic and international gather to perform. On this 16th Akarenga Jazz Festival 2005, I performed with Manabu Ohishi on piano, Koichi Osamu on bass, Masahiro Fujioka on saxophone, Kazuhiko Obata on guitar, featuring Paulo Vargas, a drummer from Brazil. Under the night sky, the sounds of jazz blend perfectly with the red brick buildings and their historical roots.
 The much-awaited Tokyo Jazz 2005 finally took place on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21 at Tokyo Big Sight. The concepts of TOKYO JAZZ, in its fourth year focused on “transmitting new culture”, “ensuring jazz lives on and develops” and “cultural crossovers”. Many big name artists from Japan and around the world converge in one stage to bring a dream performance crossing generations and borders.
After several months of preparation, I finally found myself on this stage and the only feeling I can remember was one of elation. I literally felt like floating and was definitely on top of the world. The music, the vibes, the whole set up was somehow magical. I enjoyed each minute to the full. It was one of my most glorious moments on stage.
My group members were Manabu Ohishi on piano, Yosuke Inoue on bass, Tomonao Hara on trumpet, Masahiro Fujioka on saxophone, Cecil Monroe on drums and Pirulito, a guest percussionist from Brazil. They played beautifully putting their hearts and energy into the music. I performed several new arrangements of some standards, originals and some Ivan Lins music. I guess one of my biggest highlights was my duet with Ivan, it felt like a dream. He is a sweet and a real down to earth person. It was so easy working with him.
 Towards the end of the show, several pick up members from different bands got together for the Super Unit Session. Herbie Hancock led us all into a fascinating music journey, where each musician got the chance to explore, improvise and expand into different directions. This free form approach opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Music had no limits.
Two days of great music, lots of fun and great camaraderie among all members. Unforgettable. Two days of great music, lots of fun and great camaraderie among all members. It was simply unforgettable.
By the end of August, I also performed for the Twilight Jazz Live Lake Haruna. Located in the midwestern region of Gunma Prefecture, Haruna is proud of its farming, forestry and tourism industries. It also offers exciting sightseeing, such as Mt. Haruna, Lake Haruna and Haruna Shrine in the northern area of the town. Travelers here can enjoy the beauty of the lake as well as the mountainous landscape. The lakeside provided a dramatic effect to the stage setting. Performing with me were Masahiro Fujioka on sax, Shigeo Fukuda on piano, Hiroshi Takase on bass and Daisuke Yoshioka on drums.
In September, I had the chance to perform with Tsuyoshi Yamamoto's group in Shizuoka Prefecture. Playing with “Yama chan”, as we all fondly call him, gave me nostalgic feelings of my beginnings in jazz. He was one of the first pianists I worked with and learned so much from. He is a rare gem and has a sound that is truly unique and precious. Our first night was in the small town of Shimizu at a shop named Fujino packed with ardent music fans and the second was in the city of Atami, on top of the Korakuen Hotel where the night view is just like a treasure box, and thus this place is called “Oriental Naples”. Jazz and the beautiful night view were a perfect match.
By the end of summer, as if to treat myself after a busy season, I flew to Cebu and Bohol in the Philippines. I wanted to scuba dive and explore the islands' blue waters but alas, the typhoon weather brought strong currents, big waves and the visibility was poor. I went swimming in the river instead.
 My best memory was seeing a tarsier, the world's smallest monkey. I saw it for the first time as a mascot for the Philippine Pavilion at the Expo 2005. The tarsier is worth the trip to Bohol province. This incredible, beautiful creature, the oldest living mammal on the planet, is smaller than a little girl's fist; its saucer-round eyes make up a third of its face, and its tail is longer than its body. It's nothing you've seen anywhere in the world. You want to cuddle it and fondle it (but you are forbidden to touch it), to coo and whisper gooey gibberish to it. They cling to the branches of small trees, unmoving and unblinking, at the Corella sanctuary. Who understands that the tarsier just wants to live in peace, in the solitude of its 45 million years, in its pristine forest environment?
For me, this was yet another eye opening encounter that strongly reminded me of issues as to how we humans should be doing to live in harmony with nature.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world......
Charito
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