Indian Hill Music Center!

Good afternoon,

It's good weather in Boston! I have to stay inside pretty much whole day though. Oh well.

I came to a music school in suburb of Boston. I'll be accompanying for 4 & half hours for 18 people!!

Mariko Ne-san!

I was hanging with my friend, Mariko, who is the clown at the famed Ringling Circus and touring all over the US. Although she is much younger than me and we both are strolling artists, her itinerant level is off the chart comparing to me. I was grumbling on the FaceBook about the one and a half month tour and was murmuring like "oh, I'll never do such a super long tour" about a month ago. Mariko is about to finish the three and a half year tour. Somebody, just punch me.

I was inspired by her enthusiasm and her hopefulness. The conversation was quite liberating for me. She is going back to Japan for a while and I'm glad I caught up with her before she did.

Spicy Miso Tonkotsu Ramen at Santoka Ramen!

This is Spicy Miso Tonkotsu Ramen (large bowl)! Ha-ha-ha! I'll start the diet tomorrow!

I was hanging with my Japanese friends from college and talking about the good old times!

Got fat!!

Oh no! I got fat!

I couldn’t exercise at all on the last tour and, on top of that, I was eating like a pig. Oh well, this is high time to switch my diet and work-out. I was on gaining-muscle diet and now I’ll do losing-fat diet. In a couple of months, I’ll be so ready for the audition for Chippendales! I don’t know if I’m really gonna do it but I’ll be ready anyway.

I must say the work-out after ten days was quite brutal.

Hotel Commonwealth!

The day after I came back from the tour. I played at Hotel Commonwealth in Boston.

The weather is good and the view from the hotel is nice! I saw Fenway Park, and's hard to see but I also see (the back of) House of Blues! Musicians and stuffs are smoking at the back door. Oh yes, now I know that I'm back in Boston.

It's been a good day. I'm really happy that I could play some classical music at the gig!

Back in Boston!

I returned the rental car and now the tour is officially over! 9 days, 7 shows, and drove 1,970 miles (3,184km). Although this tour was shorter in both days and distance traveled than other tours, it was still 10 times the distance between Boston and New York. That was quite a bit of driving. I went to this tour with not my usual group but my college friend Jessica. The whole tour was so much fun and also I was happy about the TV appearance!

Well, I was so lucky this year that my schedule was packed with interesting stuff until the end of this tour, but now everything is done and I am going to chill a bit. I am going to prepare for my next step. Friends in Boston and New York, let’s hang!

Portland, Maine

I am in beautiful Portland, Maine again. We did a TV shoot yesterday in here, drove back to Boston to do a 4-hour gig, then came back to here in Portland again for the final concert of the tour tonight. The last few days have been really busy. Well, it hasn't ended yet.

We have to do at least one tune of Prince. I was soooo surprised. I am still in shock. We will play his song with heart and soul tonight. We will be performing at One Longfellow Square from 8pm.

美しきメイン州ポートランドに帰ってきました。昨日はここでテレビ撮りをし、夜はボストンにとんぼ返りで４時間のギグ、そして今朝はまたポートランドに戻って来て、ここでツアー最後のコンサートでございます。忙しい数日間でございましたわ。(まだ終わってないんでやんすけどね)

今日は１曲はプリンスの曲を弾かねばなりますまい。いやー、めっっっっさ驚きました。私、いまだショック状態でございます。今夜は彼の曲を魂こめて弾きます。

WCSH (continues)

We finished the TV shoot! You can check it out on the web at 7pm EST! 9am today in Melbourne time!😆😆😆
WCSH

WCSH --- TV station in Portland, Maine

Cam 3 & I.

Having a break from the tour

Returned to my old nest, Boston, but the tour continues. We are going to Portland, Maine for TV shoot this morning then coming back to Boston for the concert at a jazz club tonight. What a busy day. Friends in Boston, please come around to Beehive if you have a time.

We did a bit of rehearsal at my place yesterday. Wow, I have never had so many house guests at my place and also have never done a rehearsal in here! What a joy!

Boston happened to be one of the cities we perform for this tour and I am lucky to be able to come back to my apartment while on the tour, which never happened. To tell the truth, I am always tense while on tours and I still am on the tour. I tried to relax the heck out last night but I couldn’t. Oh well, I guess I cannot feel tense and relax at the same time. The tour will end in a couple of days then I can fully relax.

ボストンに帰ってまいりました。そしてツアーは続く。今日はこれからメイン州ポートランドに行ってテレビ収録。夜はボストンに戻ってジャズクラブで演奏でございます。忙しい１日でございますね。ボストンの皆様、Beehive にぜひ来ておくんなはれ〜。

昨日はウチでみんなでリハしました！初めてこんなにいっぱい友達が来た〜。ウレピ〜。皆さんも遊びに来て下さいね〜。

んで、六日ぶりに自宅に帰ってきたんで、ちょっとリラックスできるかなと思ったんですけど、ツアーという極度の緊張状態の途中で自宅でたっぷり休むという精神状態に持って行くこともできず、なんか良く寝れませんでした。今日がテレビ収録っていう事でも、ちょっと緊張してますしね。なんか緊張とリラックスという真逆の事を同時進行しているような感じでした。竹中直人の笑いながら怒る人みたいな感じっす。（ん？ちょっと違うか？）

Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Traveling musician Ippei came to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. We were grooving so hard and totally rocked the house tonight. It was a brewery that we played at and I had beautiful home-made sweet root beer. I've been seriously violating my diet plan on this tour but, hey, we only live once. It's good to enjoy life sometimes.

Tomorrow we are heading to Boston and, on the day after, TV recording in Portland is coming up! I'm so cyked!

Barbès Brooklyn with my old friend!

My college buddy, Rohin, came to the concert last night with his daughter! He is not only a great drummer/percussionist touring all over the world but also the nicest guy! OMG, Amelia has grown up so big since I saw her 7 years ago. Oh, I was just so happy to see them!
(Old photos are taken on Feb 27, 2009)

Going over Verrazano Bridge!

My Brooklynite friend! I'm back! I'm playing with Jessica Fichot at Barbès Brooklyn from 7pm to 8:30pm!! Hoping to see you guys in there!

Ice Cream Sundae at Franklin Fountain

I'm on diet..... I mean I was on diet.

Super-sized ice cream sundae tastes really good after the concert.

I'm a weak person.

Philadelphia!

Hello Philly!

We drove from DC, past Baltimore and now we reached Philadelphia! Good weather in here and I'm surrounded by lots of guitars! Time to get some Philly cheese steak in front of the statue of Franklin!😆

Ruba Club from 9pm tonight! (Sponsored by Philadelphia Folk Song Society)

BTW, New York tomorrow!

Washington Monument!

Washington Monument!! This is cool!!