Greetings to those of you coming to visit for the first
time.
To my fans and regular visitors, thank you for hanging in
there!!
When I last wrote, I mentioned how the year had started a
lot busier
than expected. Well, fortunately, that was only the
beginning. Since
then, so many projects and opportunities have come about,
that I
haven’t had time to share my notes on these ‘happenings’
with you.
Here’s a short summary of the year so far since I last
wrote.
David Murphy and Pete Winter joined me to complete the
soundtrack for the documentary ‘The Hollywood Librarian’. A
big thank you to Dave for carrying the ball at the crucial
moments. The movie will premiere on June 22nd in Washington
D.C.
On February 21, THE FLORIDA CHAPTER AND NATIONAL ADVOCACY
DEPARTMENT OF THE RECORDING ACADEMY® presented THE GRAMMY
TOWN HALL at the Intercontinental Miami Hotel.
It was
a unique and at times tense discussion exploring important
issues facing the music industry today and how Congress
affects the
lives of musicians. I was invited to participate, together
with U.S.
Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-FL), as well as the Chairman of
The
Recording Academy Terry Lickona, along with other leaders
from artistic
and business sides of the music industry.
Being aware that Congressman Meek was a member of the House
Armed Services Committee, I felt it would be appropriate and
thought
provoking to compare the aggressive efforts of the recording
industry
to legislate, control and police the new technology that
makes music
accessible to consumers for free, with the military efforts
of the
United States. Needless to say, it made every one nervous.
My point was this:
I am definitely against the illegal downloading of music.
And I am
absolutely, vehemently against terrorism, and I admire and
applaud
those who are trying to defend us and protect us against our
enemies.
That being clearly stated, it is my understanding that human
nature
cannot be legislated. And I am convinced that as long as
people feel
abused or taken advantage of, as in the case of over priced
CDs that
contain only one song out of 15 that one likes, folks will
be inclined
to steal music, even when threatened with arrest and
prosecution. The
fact that our society encourages the illusion of how getting
something
for nothing is the way to go in order to entice consumers
doesn’t help
either.
The same fundamental principle applies to those who feel
disempowered, oppressed and hopeless. No matter how many
terrorists we kill, as long as we do not address our
imperialist tendencies (and please, do not be scared by the
word ‘imperialist’; the USA IS the current ruling empire.
This is not a judgment, nor a criticism. It is simply a
statement of fact), we will always have to face the
consequences of the causes we’ve made.
The point I made at the pane was that in fighting music
piracy, as well
as terrorism, it is important to keep a balance between
aggressive
defense and pro-active empowerment for everyone. It is only
through
engaging in dialogue and seeking to understand those against
us, based on mutual respect, that we can hope to defeat ‘the
enemy’ at the most fundamental level, once and for all. That
doesn’t mean I advocate a ‘flower child’ mentality. In this
world and dimension we live at this time and place, we must
be ready to kick some serious butt if our livelihoods,
families and us are in danger.
But we must also be able to exercise wisdom, compassion and
shrewdness so we can change the patterns that perpetuate the
evils we face every day, at every level, especially the
Fundamental Evil within each and every one of us.
I don’t remember what I said or how I said it, but everybody
seemed
relieved when I concluded my point. Quite a few folks came
by at the
end to agree, and thanked me for speaking their minds.
Next time I’ll write about my encounter with Classical Music
Flautist’s
flautist, Sir James Galway, and his wife Lady Jeanne.
“Till then, Peace
Greetings from Miami! I am writing on Super Bowl day,
somewhat relieved that I did not get tickets after all. You
see, one of my favorite
things to do is stay home on a rainy Sunday, so I get to
enjoy just
that.
The beginning of this year has become a lot busier than I
expected
(which is good), so I haven’t been able to write as often;
thank you
for staying tuned.
Last Saturday I performed at one of the Super Bowl kick off
events at
the John U. Lloyd Park in Hollywood, Florida. Man, it was a
lot of fun!
What made it so exciting was that, since the theme of the
event was
‘Latin Caribbean Beach Concert’, I decided to go back to my
musical
roots and play some hard-core Latin- Salsa music.
With the help of my percussionist Jose Gregorio Hernandez
and my
producer Carlo Pennisi, I put together a ten-piece band that
was
awesome! The Super Bowl folks are busy with the game, but as
soon as I get pictures from them I’ll share and you all will
be able to see them.
You’ll
also hear more about my ‘Back To My Roots With A Twist’
later on.
Earlier this month I also went to Warwick, England, at the
invitation
of the One World Week Festival, an amazing series of events
conceived
and produced entirely by the students of the University Of
Warwick.
This institution is an amazing place, truly a beacon of hope
and
diversity in a wonderful setting.
There, I performed with their music students; the concert
was the
opening event of the festival. I want to thank Prerna and
Aditi, the
young ladies in charge of my visit. Congratulations to you
and all the
students on such a successful event!
Pictures and video from it are on the way, but now you can
check a
little of it out on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O00_0r2mdsE
Next week I will be traveling to Tallahassee to work on the
soundtrack
of an upcoming Documentary, ‘The Librarian’, and soon after
that, some
writing and…well, keep checking in on my Tour Dates.
Please stay in touch by writing me at nestor@nestortorres.com
‘Till next the next one…
Peace!
For now, on behalf of my family as well as
myself, I wish you Strength, Optimism, Courage and a lot of Joy during 2007.
Happy New Year to all of you!! Thank you
for stopping by.
After the Asian tour, things got even more hectic here in the USA; therefore it
hasn’t been possible to keep up with my journal until now.
As we begin the New Year, I will share with you some of the highlights from my
post Asia performances, as well as some of my plans and vision for 2007 and
beyond.
For example, one of the year end highlights was meeting my dear friend Gloria
Estefan at the lecture she presented on Life, Art, and Spirituality at Florida
International University, as FIU's World Wisdom Scholar-in-Residence.
Her commitment to service for the sake of Humanity is very inspiring and deeply
resonates in my heart. In other words, she’s the real thing.
Posted on
Wednesday, November 1 2006 by Nestor
And so my Asian
adventure has come to an end. I’ve really enjoyed
sharing the journey with you.
As to what next… stay tuned. More notes to come soon.
PEACE
My
last day in Asia included a visit to Johor, Malysia,
where I was invited by the Soka Gakkai organization
there to come and pay a visit to the members, share my
experience and play a couple of songs. That’s what I was
expecting but that’s NOT how it went down!! There
were over 1,200 people there, including members of the
Royal Family and government officials. I ended up
playing a full concert and having a wonderful, very
meaningful time. And of course, the food was another
great adventure.
October 23 – 30: Japan may be my spiritual home, but
in Asia, Singapore is where I am the most at ease. This
was my third visit and my first time performing with the
Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Working with them was a
truly phenomenal experience, and the way it
came about is in itself remarkable. (It was also my
first time staying at the Conrad Hotel, and I can’t tell
you how fabulous this place is. It was understated,
impeccable luxury mixed with warmest and most capable
service I’ve experienced in a long, long time).
So how did I end
up in Singapore? You see, about 15 years ago, I paid a
visit to Homestead High School, about 30 minutes south
of Miami. Mr. Brandon, the School Band Director, invited
me to come play and speak to his students.
Among them was Jacomo Bairos. Fast forward to last year
in August. I was scheduled to perform in Indonesia, so
when my friends at the Singapore Soka Association found
out about it, they asked me to come back for a short
visit and an informal performance (I had been there
before in April, when they hosted me to do 3 concerts).
So, at the end of that concert, there is this tall, all
American looking guy coming over to tell me that I had
gone to his band’s class in high school and that I had
inspired him so much that he decided to pursue a musical
career. That’s why he was in Singapore; as the tuba
player for the SSO, while at the same time pursuing a
developing career as a conductor. Now, as to how a
flautist inspired a tuba player to go professional,
well… you’ll have to ask Jacomo.
In any case, that encounter was the beginning of what I
hope to be a long and fruitful collaboration with my
Singapore colleagues.
Playing as a soloist with a Symphony Orchestra has
always been great thrill; at the same time, it is always
a daunting and ferocious challenge. There is never
enough time for rehearsal. Furthermore, my music and
arrangements are not easy, and my idea of a Pop
Symphonic concept is not to use the Orchestra as
backdrop but as an integral part of the music making.
This may sound redundant, but the fact is that in many
Pop Symphonic settings the Orchestra goes largely
unused.
Fortunately, Jacomo, the SSO and the musicians in the
rhythm section gave a 110% to create magic, and we did.
The three concerts we played went very well and the
folks at the SSO are already talking about doing it
again.
October 21: The last concert in Taiwan and the
conclusion of the tour with my band. A great
accomplishment; a great victory.
Full houses every night, lost of records sold but most
importantly, many people reached. That’s what matters
most to me. That is my mission.
I’ll share
with you a letter from a young lady in Osaka:
My name is Koyano, and I spoke at Nestor Torres’
concert the other day. This is a message from my
daughter, who has expressed her feelings with great
sincerity. Despite the simplicity of the message, I
would like to send it to you.
I am currently in the third year of junior high school.
I play the flute in a wind orchestra.I also love jazz
music. I love it because people performing jazz music
always seem to enjoy it, and the people listening to and
watching it also look like they are having a great time.
As for how I knew about Mr. Nestor Torres, I heard that
there was
a flautist who was active as an SGI member; my mother
bought the first CD. To this day, I have been listening
to a wide variety of flute music CDs. But the moment I
heard Mr. Torres’ Sin Palabras CD, I was really
surprised. It was so wonderful, and with each piece, his
feelings came across. The thought “I want to be able to
produce that kind of sound!” filled my mind. Right now,
Mr. Torres is the person representing my aspirations and
goals.Then, this year, I heard about Mr. Torres’
concerts with Min-On, and got my mother to apply for
me.I was so overjoyed to have this chance to hear Mr.
Torres directly.
Since I was little, Mr. Torres has felt like a childhood
friend and
mentor, and at last the day came when I was able to
attend the concert venue of Mr. Torres with my mother,
who loves Mr. Torres. I was full of anticipation. I
brought a bunch of flowers and a letter, thinking, “I
wonder if I will have a chance to give them to him…?” I
was able to think of little else. I was in the second
row away from
the stage, and right in front of me was the aisle with
the stairs. Just as I was thinking “How amazing, to be
able to see Mr. Torres from this close up,” the
performance finally began.
Slowly the curtain was drawn up, and I really felt I
might cry when I saw Mr. Torres these. I stopped myself,
however, thinking, “The sound, the sound!” I listened
with rapt attention to each note and making it my own,
not letting a sound escape my ears. I was so moved by
each one of the performances, and the band members
playing with Mr. Torres were wonderful too. Even with no
cues to guide them and without a conductor, they gave
the impression that somehow they could sense how to play
because their minds seemed to be working together. I got
such a happy feeling when I heard them play Regalame La
Silla Donde Te Espere, my favorite piece on the CD. It
seemed so incredible that they would play that very
piece… When the succession of pieces drew to a close,
last of all Mr. Torres played Morigasaki Kaigan and Haha
as an encore. Morigasaki Kaigan was the piece which was
also performed in front of Dr. Ikeda at the 17th World
Peace Cultural Festival, held at the Tokyo Dome.
Listening to it stirred up memories of that scene. Then
there was Haha, created by Dr.
Ikeda. I love this piece for its warm lyrics.
When the encore finished and Mr. Torres was about go to
the side of the stage, my mother said, “Now! Go and give
him the flowers!” But I couldn’t move. The last chance
was at the autograph signing spot. I really wanted to
talk to my favorite Mr. Torres! But I calmed down and
thought to myself, “I’ll be so happy if I can just shake
his hand,” as I waited in line. Before long, I saw Mr.
Torres standing in front of me, and I panicked and went
completely blank as my nervousness reached a peak,
wondering what I should say. When my friend’s and my
turn came, first my friend went to get her autograph and
shake Mr. Torres’
hand; then it was my turn. Full of feelings of
gratefulness, I gave him the flowers and the letter I
had written. Then, when he shook my hand and asked me
what my name was, I was just so happy; up until now I
had managed to hold back tears but when he had given the
autograph, suddenly I just could not hold them back any
longer. I could not stop my tears because my feelings
were so strong, and I could not think or walk any more.
My mother helped me into a chair. At this, my friend’s
mother said, “If you feel like this, I’d like to have
you meet him again,” and went to speak to the people at
Min-On. The Min-On people
and the staff were very kind and arranged for me to able
to meet Mr. Torres again. I was allowed to line up once
again in the last place behind a number of other
spectators who were waiting. But I just could not stop
crying. I thought, “I can’t meet him in such a state,”
and the interpreter who was nearby said, “It’s OK. You
were just full of emotion.” I went before Mr. Torres. I
could not speak any more. Even so, Mr. Torres spoke to
me. As he stood in front of me, he spoke to me like
this:
“Do you play an instrument?”
“Yes, I play the flute.”
“How old are you now?”
“Fourteen.”
“How many hours do you practice a day?”
“About five hours a day.”
He then told me the following:
“I was really
touched by the depth of your feelings. There will be
many things ahead of you from now on, but think of
tonight as a springboard and continue to work hard. I
look forward to meeting you again some day and hearing
your performance.”
This was what he said to me right before my eyes. My
mind was then made up: “I will become a flautist.” Mr.
Torres then suggested that we have a photo taken
together! I, my friend and our family members had our
photo taken. I then had my photo taken with Mr. Torres
as just the two of us, and again, I could not hold back
tears. Mr. Torres gave me a hug. I got a deep sense of a
kind, big-hearted person. I felt so grateful when he
said he would have the photograph sent to me. Thank you
very much indeed.
Mr. Nestor Torres turned out in the end to be the sort
of person I though he was. In the concert, he said
“heiwa” and “sekai no tame ni” in Japanese in the usual
way, and made a real effort to speak in Japanese. He
really is a wonderful person and a kind person.”
I thought everything in his heart was expressed in his
music. My dream is to perform with Mr. Torres in front
of Dr. Ikeda. One more thing: I think there are many
people through the world who have never heard the sound
of the flute, and many poor people who are unable to
hear music. That is why I want to communicate the
delights and pleasures of this music to people.
For me, music is “my aspiration.” I want to work for
peace. It was on 6 October 2006 that I made these
decisions, and that was the day when I heard the kind
works of Mr. Nestor Torres. I love Mr. Torres’ music!
Thank you so much.
Such emotions are impossible to forget. I am going to
work hard in the future until we can meet again one day.
Nishiyumaiku, Horie head office, Shin-Horie branch
office, Tachibana area, Junior High School Minase Koyano
From the mother:
I am listening to Mr. Torres’ music on a daily basis
with my daughter, and from the music we get a sense of
his courage and aspirations.The concert on this occasion
represented an invaluable event in my daughter’s life.
This is what gives meaning to my work, this is why I do
what I do.
October 22: I never slept. After the concert I
hosted an informal party for my musicians and some of
our hosts, and had to leave by 5:30 AM. I will never
forget this first time when I met my new friends in
Taiwan. I look forward to coming back many times in the
future.
Posted on
Monday October 23, 2006 by Nestor
October 16:
Travel day to Yilan. This time is a 4 hour train ride.
Yilan turns out to be a lovely town. It has a
combination of agriculture and tourism, since they have
lots of rice paddies and other produce as well as
natural hot springs. Upon my arrival at the hotel, every
one greeted us royally.
October 17: Last night I went to sleep very late,
which was OK, because even though I had scheduled an
interview with a Singapore publication for 11 AM, to get
up at 10 in the morning would have given me enough time
to get ready. Except that, as the alarm clock goes off,
I remember that maybe Singapore is an hour ahead and
maybe…I’M SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE INTERVIEW NOW!! Of
course, panic sets in, I desperately try to reach the
reporter, and after a few frantic attempts, I get her on
the phone, at which time she tells me that I was calling
an hour ahead… That’s how I found out that there is no
time difference between Taiwan and Singapore…
The hall in Yilan is very small and made in wood; quite
charming. I am told that it was built for Chinese
Theatre performances, so the lay out is a bit different
and very intimate. I enjoyed playing here tonight; it
was a nice change of pace to be very close to the
audience.
October 18: Good show tonight. Tomorrow is time to
move on again. The guys will be taking the train while
my road manager and I stay behind to pay a visit to
Yilan County Hall. Our hosts will then drive us to
Taipei airport where we’ll take a plane to Kaohsiung.
October 19: A VERY early morning to pay another
visit to government officials, this time the mayor of
Yilan county. He was relatively young as well, and his
wife was in attendance. In fact, as we were waiting for
the mayor to arrive, his wife, who was already there,
asked me to sign a CD for their daughter. So much for my
solemn gift of my CD to the Mayor… talk about
anticlimactic! Actually, he was very appreciative of
Chin-Shuan’s efforts to bring me to Yilan. I was also
told that he must have liked us very much, because he
stayed to hear the whole concert; something, we were
told, he never does. Well, either he liked it a lot or
his wife made him stay, so I won’t be too big headed
about it!
From there we went back to the hotel to have a lunch
hosted by Ms. Yen, Director of The Chin-Shuan
organization, before heading to the airport. Since our
appointment had been changed to an earlier time, we saw
the guys as they were leaving to the train station for
their 7-hour journey…. Muchachos, you’re in my thoughts…
Buen Viaje!
October 20: The first concert in Kaohsiung. The
venue here is the largest we’ve been so far; quite a
contrast to the small Chinese-Style
Theatre in Yilan. The concert went smoothly and rather
quickly. “It’s pretty amazing that tonight is next to
the last”. Those and many other thoughts went through my
mind while we played tonight. After signing Cds I went
back to the dressing room. On my way back across the
dismantling stage, the theatre’s emptiness beckoned. I
stopped and… just…stood still, feeling the silent
embrace of a thousand audiences no longer there. I
wondered what it would be like to play a concert in that
theatre for just one person. Once I had collected my
things, I sat in my dressing room, taking in the first
quite moment of solitude backstage since the beginning
of this Asian adventure.
Posted on
Sunday, October 15, 2006 by Nestor
October 14:
The concert hall in Yuanlin is surprisingly larger than
Taipei’s. The sound crew is doing very well, although a
couple of the guys still have some concerns. Still, the
music is good and the audiences even warmer than in
Taipei.
In the meantime, the North Korean nuclear issue
continues to be of great concern, and people in Asia are
very worried. Having been in Hiroshima just before this
situation came down tells me the work I am doing with my
music is gaining momentum in its timely relevance and
importance; the extraordinary CD sales reflect that as
well.
October 15: Gave an interview in the afternoon
and packed once again since the luggage is being taken
away before the concert tonight since we move on
tomorrow. At least we stay 3 nights at a time in each
hotel, plus we do not have to perform the days we
travel, as we had to do in Japan. Our guest singer, Ms.
Kuan, was exceptional tonight.
Posted on
Saturday, October 14, 2006 by Nestor
October 12:
Our last night and concert in Taipei. After the concert,
Ms Kuan was generous enough to take us to a terrific
hang out where there was music, food and wine… a great
ending to the first leg of the Taiwanese part of the
tour. The music tonight was really happening, and the
staff that took care of us these past few days were most
gracious, offering us gifts and songs and dances and a
tear or two when it was time to bid farewell. Earlier
today there was a lunch/press conference. The way it was
done varied in that, instead of one to one interviews,
the reporters got what they needed while sharing a meal.
October 13: After last night’s late hang out, I
barely got up on time enough to make it to Taipei”s City
Hall, where I joined the folks from The Chin-Shuan
Cultural & Educational Foundation to pay a courtesy call
on the mayor and to receive a special commendation from
the government to Min-On and Chin-Shuan founder, Dr.
Daisaku Ikeda.
It so happens that the Mayor of Taipei is a painter,
so many of his works are on display in his protocol
room. The entire City Hall is adorned with art of all
kinds and places. Very inspiring. After that we had
lunch at a very famous restaurant that specializes in
dumplings…. Delicious!
The group left Taipei by bus at about 3 PM and
arrived in Yuanlin at 6:45 PM. Dinner was very good.
Posted on
Thursday, October 12, 2006 by Nestor
October 11: The
last relatively quiet day …
From tomorrow I have interviews with the media,
Friday with the Mayor of Taipei, and then traveling
outside the capital. The trips will be long by bus and
train; 3 1/2, 4 1/2, and 7 hours respectively.
Tonight was not as magical as last night; still, it was
very successful. The final CD sales last night were 430,
tonight 390. I’ve been told this is the best selling
record at the theatre ever.
The people here are very warm and open… and their
language is the most musical I’ve ever heard, even more
so than the Puerto Rican Spanish!
Wo Shi Huan Taiwan!
Posted on
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 by Nestor
October 10:
First concert in Taiwan.
Stayed up late last night working on the journal and
making phone calls. Once again sleep becomes a coveted
but rare commodity.
Pennisi, Delia (my road manager) and I went to the
theatre earlier than the others so we could have a
dialogue with the sound crew. The truth is that we were
concerned that the transition from Japan to Taiwan would
be a case of ‘from the sublime from the ridiculous’ in
terms of production quality, and I decided that the best
way to take pre- emptive action was dialogue. Sure
enough, all went very well; we all got to talk and
communicate our concerns, and from there everything went
smoothly.
Strangely, this morning’s news reported North Korea’s
alleged nuclear test and the alarm it has caused the
world. Needless to say, my CD Dances, Prayers &
Meditations for Peace becomes more & more relevant as
time goes by. Reading the news of this now very real
threat while I’m so close in the neighborhood gives me
such a sense of urgency that I feel is imperative to
spread the concern and that we educate ourselves and
others on the subject of peace, its viability, and its
necessity.
In any case, the concert was phenomenal; it felt so easy
to play and Miss Kuan, our Taiwanese vocalist, is
awesome. As to the sound crew… they were excellent.
Another good thing was the sale of CDs… by the time the
concert was over, 350 CDs had being sold. The people
were so patient and helpful as they waited in line for
my autograph. And they were mostly young people, which a
wonderful thing to see. Tomorrow we do it again.
Posted on
Monday, October 9, 2006 by Nestor
October 6:
Osaka at last.
There is something about this city
that grabs me in a way impossible to describe. The
groove, the people, the hustle & bustle of a big
metropolis but with a heart, a humanity, that you can’t
really feel in cities of this size and rhythm. The
impact is that much stronger when we arrive after being
in all these quaint, beautiful towns throughout Japan
Country. So much poetic beauty through the hills and the
rivers, each small city with a character all its own,
not being able to get online for days… and then BAM!!
OSAKA Desu…
Unfortunately
there is no time to enjoy; we head straight to the Umeda
Theatre in this Arts and Shopping Complex, right in the
middle of it all. There is an hour delay in the sound
check so I’m able to step out and have lunch in this
very hip lounge/restaurant.
The down side of that was that I was not able to spend
time greeting some of the friends that came by to say
hello: Tomoaki and Oishi, whom I met when they were
studying at the University Of Miami 16 years ago in an
exchange program; Mona Sadhwani, who I met almost 20
years ago on my first Japan tour with Herbie Hancock,
Wayne Shorter, Buster Williams, Shunzo Ohno and Larry
Coryell. There were also some of the hard-core fans that
traveled from far away to see us (the CD signing line
was so long that it was impossible for me to spend the
time I would have liked with them). And of course, Mr.
Wada, a true gentleman and a pioneer of many fronts, in
many ways. An intrepid old warrior of Peace whom I
admire and respect. He honored me with his presence by
accepting my invitation to attend the concert. He
actually came backstage early to say hello… just as I
stepped into the shower!!! Man, you just don’t keep
Wada-Sama waiting! He was very gracious however, and we
were able to converse for some time.
The concert was phenomenal. And my Japanese came out
naturally and sounded very good if I may say so myself.
After the concert, we were treated to a fine dinner by
the founder of the Min-On Concert Association, Dr.
Daisaku Ikeda, and hosted by its President, Mr.
Kobayashi. Truly a great privilege.Very grateful.
October 7: And so it is that it is time to leave
my beloved Japan. This has been an extraordinarily
successful run and I look forward to come back again
many times in the future. Mr. Yokomatsu from Min-On, our
fearless and funny translator Naoko, and our tour travel
coordinator Hideki Tomatsu, together with two other very
capable people, came with us to Kansai Airport to see us
off. The only challenge was deciding how and where to
change currency… from Yen to Taiwan Dollars in Japan, or
Yen into US dollars in Japan and then change those in
Taiwan for their currency… I’m not sure I exercised the
best option.
The journey was pleasant and relatively short. Taiwan
for the first time… Many thoughts come to mind. Their
complex and difficult relationship with Mainland China
remind me in a strange way of the relationship between
the Cuban Exilio in Miami and those who are still on the
island. I remind myself that this is a time to listen a
lot and speak very little; there is a lot for me to
learn in this part of the tour.
We were welcomed very warmly and could feel their
excitement and anticipation for our visit. Knowing that
things will be much ore challenging here than in Japan,
I silently vow to make sure this part of the tour is
successful and enjoyable, no matter what.
October 8: What a gift! To sleep 8 hours, a full
night’s sleep, from 11pm until past 8 am on a Sunday,
like normal people do!! I’ll tell ya’, it’s the little
things in life that makes it worthwhile.
At 1:30 Pennisi, Sosa and I met with Miss Kuan to work
out the songs she’ll be joining us in: Besame Mucho,
Over The Rainbow and a Chinese folk song. Being that
this is my first time in Taiwan, I decided, together
with the organizers of the tour, that it would be a good
idea to do some well known standards as well as a couple
of songs from their own traditional repertoire. Sosa
shines again by saving the day, transcribing 2 of the
songs into different keys to accommodate Miss Kuan, and
making for a smooth rehearsal. Tomorrow we’ll rehearse
with the whole band.
In the evening, we enjoyed a small but very special
welcome reception-dinner with the directors and sponsors
of The Chin-Shuan Cultural & Educational Foundation.
They treated us royally, and their commitment to peace
and value creation is undeniable. I am truly honored to
be hosted by these wonderful new- and yet eternal-
friends.
October 9: Today I was able to begin my day
rested; I had my second night in a row of sleeping 8
hours on a ‘normal’ schedule and started practicing the
music I will be performing with the Singapore Symphony
in a couple of weeks. Late in the afternoon we headed to
the theatre for sound check and rehearsal for the
Taiwanese program featuring Miss Kuan. As I somehow
expected, things were extremely delayed so we were not
able to accomplish everything that was needed. As a
result, instead of 4 pm now things will start tomorrow
at 2pm: more sound check, rehearsal and then our first
performance in Taipei. Miss Kuan was kind enough to take
me to an all you can eat buffet ‘cook it yourself
restaurant’… different but good. It was my first night
out in the town. Being here feels a lot more like I’m on
the other side of the world than Japan does…
Posted on
Thursday, October 5, 2006 by Nestor
First, my apologies
for being unable to blog for the past few days. We've
been traveling in the countryside and broadband Internet
service has not always been available.
September 30:
The concert in Kurashiki went well. Afterwards we went
to dinner with Hideki, our tour guide, who took us to a
local place where we had a chance to eat ‘awabi’, a rare
crustacean delicacy, and grilled Sanma, a delicious
seasonal fish .
October 1st: Today was very intense. We traveled from Kurashiki to Kochi by train since 8:30 AM, going
straight to the concert hall. We got there at noon for
soundcheck at 12:15 PM and a concert at 2, and then at
6:30. Somehow we made it and once again the concerts
were very successful. As exhausted as I was, I accepted
an invitation by Mr. Yamamoto from the promoter’s office
to dinner, where I had some pretty good Bonito fish
(considered a delicacy there this time of the year).
Hesitant to admit it, I will confess that I also tried
some whale sushi. Trust me, I will not do that again.
One thing I haven’t mentioned is that the music from the
new CD is being received extremely well; every night we
have been selling them out. It is very gratifying (that
is an understatement) to meet the folks during the CD
signings. I am very humbled by the tremendous diversity
of my audiences there; children, young adults, and quite
a few elders.
October 2: Another intense day of traveling and going
directly to the concert hall in Tokushima for sound
check and performance. After yesterday’s marathon, I
don’t feel quite up to it, but then when the performance
begins, the music takes over and it is all good. The
audience were particularly warm and responsive, so that
helped as well.
October 3: It’s a day off!! Well, we did have to travel
for 5 hours in three trains, but at least we were able
to relax and do laundry. Shimonoseki in the the
southwestern coast of Japan and it is beautiful. We
stayed at a great hotel by the bay, and had a
spectacular view. One catch: NO HIGH SPEED INTERNET!!!
It’s been quite frustrating since for the past few days
the schedule has been so intense that communication has
been most difficult. Well, at least the specialty here
is blowfish; you know, the really delicious fish, the
exquisite delicacy that, if not prepared right, can kill
you. My favorite blowfish treat is hot sake with a
blowfish fin in it. Before you drink it, you light a
match to it and then cover it immediately. That way the
flavor of the fin mixes with the sake. It’ fantastic!
October 4: The concert… this one was special, with Jorge
Luis Sosa on the piano doing some amazing work. The band
is really coming together; I’m glad that we are
documenting this tour; some great stuff that could serve
as a point of reference for a live CD, Which many fans
have been asking me to do for a long time. We’ll see…
October 5: Today we traveled to Shunan-Shi, where we
played an afternoon concert for local junior high school
kids. Playing for really young people is a challenge but
definitely the most fun. The kids were very receptive
and very eager to participate. We all had a great time.
Later, I had a chance to work a little bit with members
of their Brass Band’s flute section. The children wee
very musical and very pure hearted. Very moving,
especially some words of appreciation from selected
students. Very candid and very inspiring.
By the evening performance I was exhausted but somehow
managed not only to get trough it but to play some
amazing stuff if I may say so myself. The muse….she’s an
unpredictable force.
There are many other things to share about this tour
other than the food. The traveling has been surprisingly
pleasant, with a wonderful, positive attitude from the
guys in the band, and awesome views. One thing I am glad
about this tour is the opportunity to see the Japanese
countryside; it is truly poetic. The crew – sound,
lighting, staging, under the direction of Shozo-San- is
the best I’ve ever worked with.
Later on I will share the program and the different
kinds of music styles we get to cover throughout the
evening. Right now it is 3;10 in the morning AND I’VE
GOT TO GO TO SLEEP!
Tomorrow is our last concert in Japan. Osaka, here we
come!
Posted on
Friday, September 29, 2006 by Nestor
September
26: Traveled by train from Okayama to Hiroshima and went
from the train station straight to the venue by bus. The
thing is that concerts in Japan start at 6:30 PM, 7 PM
the latest, so people can catch their trains home
afterwards, and as a result we must be at the venues by
mid afternoon. The concert went relatively well, though
I must admit that it was very hard for me to focus on my
playing; here I was, of all the places in Japan, on my
third tour here, that I should be in Hiroshima the very
year I release Dances, Prayers & Meditations For Peace.
Tomorrow I will visit the A Dome and the Peace Park.
September 27:
At 8:15 AM I leave the hotel to meet with
a video crew at the Peace Park. I've decided that I must
document this visit for posterity; to share it with the
world, but most importantly, to remind myself what it is
that I am doing with my music and why.
It is an
absolutely beautiful day; a sparkling, cloudless morning
in Hiroshima. The same kind of weather that made this
city an ideal target for the first nuclear attack in the
history of humanity 61 years ago. I walk from the ANA
Hotel to the park and the video crew is already shooting
some of the sights. The director is waiting for me and
asks me to wait for the photographer to come back. It is
hard for me to relate to the significance of this place,
since the city I'm in is a thriving, modern metropolis,
very active and impeccably clean.
Shortly
thereafter the camera crew arrives and they begin to
follow as I head towards the memorial monument where
prayers are offered for the repose of those who died on
that fateful day, and for something like this never to
happen again. When I arrive and stand before the
monument, the profundity of this moment washes over me.
Then, as I begin to offer prayers, it hits.The senseless
of it. . The barbarity, the sadness, the rage. The
unbearable loss of over 350,000 people by a single bomb,
at least 100,000 of them killed instantly. Words can't
describe it. Yet, for all the horror in this city 61
years ago, it's people and their descendants have
rebuilt their lives and their place as a monument to the
resilience and potential of human beings to overcome
tragedy, and to peace.
I continue to pray for peace and as I do, thoughts of
peace become dreadful realizations that my country, the
USA, committed the greatest act of terrorism of all time
by dropping an atomic bomb on innocent people. My mind
desperately tries to justify it by thinking that it was
a time of war, the Japanese attacked us first, they had
it coming? But it was not the Japanese, but the Japanese
military and Imperial government that attacked us, not
the hundreds of thousands of innocent people we killed,
for you see, in the United States, we are a democracy,
we DO elect our government, therefore we ARE responsible
for what they, for what we do? All these thoughts keep
invading my prayers and then it hits me harder still
that the horror of Hiroshima is happening right now in
Iraq, Sudan, and so many places around the world? And I
have the audacity to think that my music can make a
difference.
Last night I played a concert in Hiroshima and the
people who came to hear me were inspired and filled with
hope and courage; that's what many of them told me. I
remember that as I am reaching the conclusion of my
prayers, and the sadness, confusion and self doubt
becomes fuel to bring forth courage, to bring forth
strength and clarity to this crazy notion that I can
make a difference. Last night I made music with the
people of Hiroshima and everything I've felt and lived
through up until this moment transforms into an
indomitable determination to win over my cowardice,
laziness and arrogance, so that I can continue to thrive
and strive to make a difference.
And so it is that I will continue to Dance, Pray &
Meditate For Peace through my music, and through my
behavior as a human being.
September 28: Yesterday, after visiting the Hiroshima
historic sites, we traveled by bus to Izumo, a lovely
small town where we performed tonight. The ride on the
way here was very beautiful; seeing Japan outside Tokyo
or Osaka is a different experience altogether. As usual,
the politeness and unbelievably strong work ethic of the
folks here reminds us how much more we have yet to learn
from this and other cultures. After the concert, we were
able to have dinner across the hotel where we stayed (no
wireless service in the rooms here). The sushi was
amazing and the unagi (cooked eel) sensational. The
concert was great. Most importantly, the band is finding
its groove by mixing the "Italian" clave with our
Caribbean rhythms.
September 29: Today was a travel day, this time by
train. The Japanese countryside is truly charming, with
pristine rivers and rolling hills. The only problem was
that the Japanese travel quietly and the band was pretty
rowdy throughout the train journey. Oh well, at least
there was a lot of laughter; that is always a great
sound. We arrived in Kurachiki at about 4 PM. The cool
thing about this stop so far is that the Hotel is right
by the train station; actually, it IS at the station!
Today I better rest; tomorrow we play and then leave
first thing in the morning and for next three days is
going to be pretty insane with travel and two shows in
one day and then travel and another show on the same
day.
Posted on
Monday, September 25, 2006 by Nestor
September 25:
Performed our first concert in Okayama to a full house.
Everything went very well, especially considering that
we did first run through of the full show 3 hours before
show time.
That’s the thing about Jazz performances. With rare
exceptions, whereas a Pop artist rehearses for 2 weeks 5
days / wk 8 hours a day music that may take the
musicians a couple of runs, as instrumentalists and
improvisers, we usually have 1, maybe 2 rehearsals of
working out intricate, elaborate music. As I am now
combining both the Pop and Jazz elements in a more
integrated manner, rehearsal time has become a real
challenge. But the guys- and I- rose to the occasion and
really made it happen.
At the end of the show I came out to sign CDs and sold
out right away. I guess it is a good problem to have,
but it is a bit challenging to overnight a re order of
CDs to Asia.
During the concert, I play the song David’s Grace, at
which time we bring a couple that is engaged or has been
recently married. Tonight we brought up on stage a
reluctant couple that have been married a year. They
couldn’t have been more awkward or farther apart from
each other! As I played for both of them, I gestured the
husband to smile, which he did reluctantly for about 4
seconds. The bride was warming up after a while and
looked up to him lovingly while he stayed away as stiff
as a board. I eventually managed to get him close to her
and hold her hand. He did so for a moment, looking
desperately embarrassed, and then, out of nowhere, he
went to kiss her. SHE PUSHED HIM AWAY!!! Though it was
hilarious, it got me thinking about the man/woman thing:
you’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t
That’s it for now. Tomorrow we head over to Hiroshima.
You can expect that I’ll have a lot to share about that.
Posted on
Sunday, September 24, 2006 by Nestor
Greetings from
Japan!
For the first time I will be sharing with you my daily journal during this Asian tour. There will be stories, anecdotes and
pictures that will give you a flavor of what it promises to be one of the most significant journeys in my career and for that matter, in my life. You see, this is a journey of firsts; my first tour journal,
my first visit to Taiwan, my first performance with the Singapore Symphony (which is presenting its first Pop Symphonic
concert), and, most significantly, my first visit to Hiroshima.
September 21: We leave to Japan from Austin, Texas, where we played a benefit concert for Avance, a wonderful organization
that helps young Latino children and their mothers by providing with assistance, education and skills that
will prepare them to thrive and advance towards the future.
September 22: We arrive at Narita airport in Tokyo and head to the Tokyo Dome Hotel where we are greeted by Mr. Kobayashi,
the president of the Min-On Concert Association, the tour promoters. He conveyed a message from Min-On’s
founder, Daisaku Ikeda…very moving and inspiring.
September 23: Rehearsed all day in Tokyo at the Min- On
building.
On this tour I’m bringing Giuseppe (Bepe) Cazzago on drums, Jose Gregorio Hernandez on percussion and synthesizer pad ,
Jorge Luis Sosa on keyboards, Aldemar Valentin on bass, and my producer/ musical director, Carlo Pennisi on the
guitar.
Bepe is a great Italian pop music drummer expanding his musical vocabulary with our strong Latin rhythm and percussion
grooves, and doing an excellent job at it. His presence is a stretch for me too because the new music from my CD, Dances, Prayers &
Meditations for Peace, requires that we use a click track (a metronome-like sound that allows me to combine
live performance with loops and samples), and Bepe is a master at that. What that means is that instead of
having the freedom to be flexible with the tempo of each song, I have to play within the ‘confines’ of the
established tempo from beginning to end. Which, of course, it is exactly as it should be. The thing is, my
flute playing is becoming freer as the tempo is steadier. In other words, I’m experiencing that which I
always preach, which is that total freedom is only possible through total discipline.
From Venezuela by way of Chicago, Jose Gregorio has worked with me for a number of years now, and I can
truly say that he is not only an extraordinary percussionist, but a true artist and an entertainer as well. On this tour he also brings an additional
orchestral color to the band by playing the synthesizer pad. Did I mention he’s hysterically funny? When I have my TV talk/music show, I want him to
be there with me. When I came to Japan for my 2003 tour,Jose was scheduled to join me but stayed behind because
his wife was due to give birth during that time. It’s a good thing he did; his beautiful daughter was born while
we were away.
Sosa, who traveled with me to Japan on 2003, was trained in Cuba and the former Soviet Union as a classical
pianist and came to popular Cuban music and Jazz through playing in Nueva Troba and later Charanga groups. His
versatility is a tremendous asset to my sound; so much so that with him I’m able to play Rhumboso- a very
classical piano centered piece- live. This is one of DP&MFP CD most requested songs, and one of my favorites as
well. I look forward to working with him on a future Charanga project. Stay tuned.
Less than two weeks before the tour was to begin, I had to find a bass player to come with us. I called Fausto
Cuevas- a friend and great percussionist- in LA to ask him for suggestions and he told me to call Aldemar
Valentin, a Puerto Rican bass player in New York. Well, when Fausto gave his number, it was a Boston number…
whatever. But when I called him (at 1AM), it turns out he was in Puerto Rico… Mayaguez, Puerto Rico that is…
The kid is from my HOMETOWN!! Not only that, but he knows my family there and… well, more about family
stories some other time. The wonderful thing is that Aldemar is a brilliant musician, an exceptional bass
player and a pure, beautiful human being. He’s brought joy and a terrific new groove to the band.
I discovered Carlo through Melanie Figueroa, a talented young singer/song writer. When I heard her at a gathering. she
sang to a track. I thought it was a karaoke track from some hit on the radio; it was a great song and greatly produced. When I asked her
about it she told it was her song and that the producer was Carlo Pennisi, an Italian guitarist and one of the top ‘cats’on the
Italian music scene. Of course I got his number and the rest is history. I am very honored to be able to work with him as my producer and now on
the road as my musical director. Check him out at
bonumusic.com
The rehearsal was very long but very fruitful. The folks we are working with here in Japan are of the highest
caliber, and very meticulous; they’re making sure everything is perfect. More about our crew at a later
time.
September 24: We arrived in Okayama, Japan, in the southwest part of the country. We are staying at the ANA
hotel here, and it is exquisite. Their sense of style and design are impeccable. Tomorrow we play our first
concert.
Posted on
Monday, May 15th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
by nestor
Our
online store is back online. I apologize for any
inconvenience you may have experienced.
Thanks for your understanding.
Nestor
Posted on
Thursday, May 11th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
by nestor
Thank you to all of you who have
been buying and/or are wanting to
purchase my new CD, Dance, Prayers & Meditations For
Peace here on my website. Unfortunately, we are
experiencing technical difficulties with our store.
Please go to
Amazon.com or your favorite record store. We’ll be
back on track ASAP. Thank You very much…
Nestor
Posted on
Monday, May 8th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
by nestor
