Day 2 in Vermont!

Day 2 in Vermont. Rise and shine ☀️ It's 41F (5C) in where I am at the moment. The nature is just outstandingly beautiful and I'm totally in the healing spot and cleansing my mind.

There is no Wi-Fi connection at where we are staying. Well, so what. Who needs the technology in such beautiful place. Let's disconnect from the urban life and enjoy the nature. I decided to go off-line.

....and the longest 15 seconds of my life had passed. How can a Japanese nerd 🤓 live without technology!? Give me Wi-Fi! I'm going through withdrawals! Aaaaaaargh!!

Leaving my Boston apartment, and going to Vermont Tour!

Top of the morning to all of my friends. I was waiting for the movers to come yesterday. They promised to come at 12 noon, but what time do you think they came? 10pm at night! Aaaaargh! In Tokyo, where I am from, the trains are scheduled to which hour, which minute and to which second, and if a train runs late for more than 30 seconds, they’ll announce that the train will be “late.” There is a saying “time is money,” because time is as precious as money, but in this modern day society, time is more important and valuable than money! Aaaaargh!

Anyhow, it happened last night which is an ancient history. I’m about to leave for a four-day Vermont tour. I am sure that the heart with the dark big tornados whirling strongly in a bleak and desolate wilderness is going to be cleansed by the clear air and beautiful nature in Vermont. Well, I hope so.

Finished packing up!!

I fought for almost 14 hours straight. I'm finally done with the packing. I bought 15 boxes and used up 14 of them. Phew, that was close. Now I'm just waiting for the movers to come.

I am so glad you guys cannot smell me right now because I smell like s....

Rooftop at Providence G in Providence, Rhode Island!

The last gig in Boston area is done. The last one was in Providence, the capital of the next state from where I live, Rhode Island. It was the rooftop of a building and the place has the great view of beautiful Providence.

I cannot write all the good memories of Boston. I'll write it on my blog soon.

I'll send all of my stuff to LA tomorrow, head to Vermont for a mini tour on the day after, then I'll fly out.

Packing is so tiring! 😆 I saw this scene on a war movie, the commanding post was almost overwhelmed by enemy and as soon as the commander orders to evacuate, everybody around there started taking everything down and packing super quickly. I'm like that right now😱 Moving is a war!

Alerin Barn in St. Johnsbury, Vermont!

I played a gig deep in the woods in Vermont on the other day. I have never seen any views not beautiful in Vermont. The panoramic view from the mountain was spectacular.

Well, that was my last gig with International String Trio. We toured to everywhere with this band. We drove hours and hours all over the States, talking about stupid thing and some serious things, and yes we had lots of arguments. We played in the middle of nowhere, and also played in huge beautiful concert halls. Band tour is totally a hard-labor job but I enjoyed it a lot. Ha-ha-ha.

It’s really tough to say good-bye to the buddies I like.

先日のギグっす。カナダ国境まで50マイル、バーモント州の山の奥の奥に行って来ました。バーモント州って、本当に綺麗な所しかないぐらい綺麗な所でございますね〜。素晴らしい山の景色でございましたよ。

さてさて、私、これがインターナショナル・ストリング・トリオでの最後の仕事でございま〜す。は〜、このバンドでいろんな所にツアーしましたね〜。まあとにかくツアーではアメリカ中を運転しまくって、その間にバカ話もしましたし、結構シリアスな話もたまにはしましたっけね。ケンカもしょっちゅうでした。ほとんど人が住んでいないような所も行ったし、巨大で豪華なコンサートホールでも演奏しました。バンドのツアーって、ものすごい肉体労働ですけど、なんでだか楽しかったっすね〜。はっはっは〜。

好きな仲間に別れを言うのは、本当に辛いなぁ。

Look Memorial Park in Northampton, Massachusetts!

I played in Northampton in Western Massachusetts on the other day. The place is about two hours away from Boston and the area is also called Five-College area so there are tons of young people in there and hip shops and restaurants are in everywhere. Though I have been to the urban part of Northampton and have played at concerts and festivals, maybe it was the first time to play in the rural part of the town. The park we played was impressively nice.

The last time we came here, there was a Gypsy Jazz Festival was happening and whole bunch of jam sessions were held at the big schoolyard of Smith College. (The story from here on is what the bandmates told me later) As soon as we got to Smith college filled with the sounds of jam sessions everywhere, Ippei disappeared immediately. They thought “ah, that guy got lost again,” then in the next moment, they heard very familiar bass sounds coming from the jam session right in front. There was the very familiar Asian guy with big smile jamming already! Ha-ha! I couldn’t wait a second so jumped right in! Even though I didn’t know most of the songs and chord structures, I invented on the way! Hey, we all have one life. Live free.

Shame won’t kill you. Peace out.

Big Announcement!

Hello friends,

I want to make an announcement. I have been planning on moving to LA for one year and I am going to carry out that plan on October 3rd.

Boston is a great place. I have all the connections in here and I have job in here. The apartment I live right now is the best place I have ever lived in my life. So why am I moving? For the style of music, for the kind of job I want to take, LA is the best place. I have to work my butts off and maybe I won't get anything but, in the end, I believe it's worth the risk. I live dangerously, you know.

Friends in Boston & New York, thanks a million for the last two decades. Friends in LA, the storm is coming. Bwa- ha-ha.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library!

The first gig with my shaved head! I’ve already got used to the look of myself because I was always like till eight years ago.

I performed at John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum yesterday. As you know Kennedy family are from Boston and people like JFK more so in here. This place is one of the travelers sights in Boston and also companies use the pavilion for their parties, and we musicians are hired in here often so we love this place. Ha-ha.😆👍

Four gigs this week! Yay!😄