Tour Report: Jamaica/Nicaragua
First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Matsumoto, Ms. Yanagi, Ms. Yamazaki at the Japan Foundation and everyone at the Japanese Embassies of Jamaica and Nicaragua and Ms. Matsui of American Airlines.
Sunday the 9th
After a short layover in Miami, I arrive in Jamaica. Before going through customs I am greeted by representatives of the Japanese Embassy who whisk me through the process. Immediately, I am aware of a certain jovial lightness of being in the people - even while waiting for luggage. The humidity and warmth on my face reminds me of summer in Japan even though we are already a week into November. I meet Kenny at the hotel and have my first taste of the national dish ackee and saltfish, albeit in the post-modern manifestation of ackee and saltfish lasagna.
Monday 10th
In the morning, Kenny and I practice in the hotel room, revisiting older pieces and developing a new piece of mine entitled "A More Perfect Union". The name, as most of you know, comes from a phrase in the US constitution which Barack Obama consequently used in a speech he gave a few months ago that addressed the complexities of race relations in America. The contents of the speech reflected Obama's profound understanding of the issues at hand that grew from both studied knowledge and personal experience and the speech was delivered with grace and humility. The song doesn't have much to do with the speech other than it was written around the same time but it does serve as a reminder to me of these historic times. I find wherever I go, people seem as pleased and excited about America's choice for president elect as I am and I allow myself to actually feel a sense of pride for being an American.
In the afternoon, Kenny and I take some time to visit the concert hall and school where we will be performing and giving workshops. I notice a sign at the school that says "BEWARE SLEEPING POLICEMAN". I thought this sign was hilarious and imagined all sorts of explanations for what the sign could mean until someone told me that a "sleeping policeman" is a speed bump.
In the evening, Kenny and I are invited to dine at the Japanese embassy with Ambassador Obata. We are treated to an exquisite seven course meal prepared by a private chef and learned much of the relationship between Jamaica and Japan. The menu contains elements of the local cuisine, such as jerk sauce and ackee. My deep-felt thanks to Ambassador Obata, Mr Ishihama and Ms. Shimote for the gracious hospitality.
Tuesday 11th
We have a performance and lecture demonstration at Mico College. The students are very receptive to our music, much of which I can imagine contained many new sounds for many of them. We are greeted with very warm applause and insightful questions at the end. Many teachers approach us and very insistently ask us to come back and teach their students more about Japanese culture and music.
We visit the Bob Marley museum in the afternoon and learn of this local hero's short but rich life and buy some cheap souvenirs. I don't know many people who aren't huge fans of Bob Marley's music, but learning more of what he believed in and fought for, I gain even more respect for him as a person. One of his sons, Damian, whose dreadlocks went down to his calves, also happens to be there with his entourage. We pass wordlessly in the parking lot.
We have dinner with friends - more Jamaican food: conch in curry sauce, fried foods called "festival" and "bammy". This of course is all washed down with a bottle or two of Red Stripe beer.
Wednesday 12th
We perform at the Courtleigh Auditorium, the largest concert hall in Kingston. After our performance there are short presentations by local groups- a trio of young children drummers and a choir called Nexus. We finish the concert with all the performers doing Bob Marley's seminal "One Love" which was appropriate for the general feeling of well being in the room that night. After the show, we are swamped with people young and old with questions and requests for autographs. Again, many students and teachers are adamant that we come to their school to teach more. Among the audience members was a woman from Sado, Japan and a music teacher from Austria who had been in Jamaica for decades. Kenny and I are in great appreciation of the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica for presenting us and especially to Ms. Shimote for all her hard work in making sure everything is taken care of.
By the end of our three days in Kingston, I have integrated some of the local dialect, patois, into my regular speech: "Wha ah gwan?" "mi gaan" "criss" etc as well as learned a few of the handshakes (locking the fingers and rubbing the thumbs, etc). As people of most cultures do, Jamaicans find it endearing to be greeted in the local manner by someone who doesn't seem like they should know how to.
After getting back to the hotel, I get a call from two teachers- a mother and her daughter- whom I'd been talking to about traditional Jamaican drum and flute music. They were at the hotel and brought with them a CD of the music and two pages handwritten descriptions of the music. I was very moved by what they had done for me. As they were about to drive away, an interesting thing happened. The mother said to me almost as if berating me, "I can see you're on the heart path... Always keep on that path." I acknowledged that perhaps I tried. She continued, "Because..." she paused a long time to consider her words. Her voice became softer and she seemed to almost tear up a little. "Because ... it is important." With that, they drove off.
Thursday 13th
We travel to Nicaragua via Miami. We are informed of the flagrant voter fraud that was exposed recently (destroyed and discarded ballots) and how as a result there are massive demonstrations and confrontations between supporters of opposing parties. Until very recently America has also had election day treachery, having this problem in common with the second poorest country in Central America after Haiti. Another result is our performance at Managua's main concert hall has been cancelled and that we are asked not to leave the hotel unless accompanied by someone from the Japanese Embassy. We are taken to a nearby mall to look for souvenirs where we find that someone offers Chinese calligraphy workshops once a week.
Friday 14th
We have an appearance on a nationally broadcast morning television show. Usually, television shows are very particular about time and about timing in order to coordinate all the commercials and various segments. We quickly learned that this was not necessarily the case with Canel 11 in Managua. We arrive early to prepare for our alloted time slot but the producers decide to put us on right away- about half an hour early. The interviews are haphazardly thrown together, the order of things turned upside down and we are never told how long to play. I end the piece at my own discretion and people seem fine with it- so fine in fact that they ask us to perform again in twenty minutes. We quickly decide what piece to do and unpack another drum and stand. Again, we answer a few more random questions and perform a piece of undetermined length. As soon as we finish, the crew moves in to reset the stage for the next show. We are told the next day by a waiter in our hotel that he saw the show and really enjoyed our performance. Due to the cancelled concert, Kenny points out the television appearance was probably the performance that the most people watched during our time in Nicaragua.
In the afternoon, we give a lecture demonstration at a music school. Again, a very responsive audience with good questions. Many violin players there. Students are shocked to hear how expensive some of my flutes are. I am told later that an average salary for someone with a "decent" job in the city often can't cover even the electric bill. I would imagine the thought of saving thousands of dollars for a bamboo flute is incomprehensible to most of the people in attendance. The workshop takes place in a four story high building, one of the few in Managua due to a devastating earthquake in the 70's from which the city still hasn't recovered. The tallest buildings still standing from that time are for the most part condemned and there are no funds to neither repair nor tear them down. A beautiful old cathedral, badly cracked and slightly lopsided stands next to the music school, abandoned for decades. I reflect on how much I have in terms of material goods, instruments, an education, and opportunities. On the other hand, as a whole, I find Nicaraguans seem no more or no less miserable nor happy than people in New York or Tokyo. Misery and poverty, joy and spiritual wealth can be found anywhere.
Saturday 15th
Because the evening performance has been cancelled, we quickly put together a small concert in the Japanese Embassy for staff members and their family. It turns out there is a small taiko at the Embassy thats been sitting in a storage room unused for many years. We borrow the drum for our performance. We strongly encourage people at the embassy to use the drum to start a taiko group here in Nicaragua. We promise to return for workshops and to check on their progress.
Again, we are very grateful to the Embassy of Japan in Nicaragua and especially Mr Fuchigami and Mr. Nakayama for his tireless effort in accommodating our many requests.
In the afternoon, we are shown around the town of Masaya and other areas outside of Managua and are treated to breathtaking vistas of Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua, of valleys lush with green and others black with igneous rock formed when one of the many volcanos in the area erupted some centuries ago. We are also treated to some wonderful Nicaraguan Marimba playing by an elderly man in a market.
In the evening, we go see some live music at a club near the hotel. The music features two guitars, bass, keyboard, accordion and the Nicaraguan marimba with everybody singing. The leader speaks as much as he sings, going on at length in Spanish about things that are far beyond my comprehension. However, his charming voice, coupled with the festive music and Flor De Cana rum make for a relaxing final last evening of our short tour. We hear news that people are planning a march for the afternoon of the next day which can very possibly lead to more violence. We leave Nicaragua early in the morning- it is a warm sunny day, very peaceful despite the ominous news of what the day may bring. I am home in Brooklyn by nightfall.
Poutine, my new favorite food as long as I hold it to once every three or four years...
