North America Guitar Tour
Minneapolis
August 11, 2014
Perhaps because I started a little north of Chicago, I ended up going in the opposite direction from the city, and on the way I was hit with a downpour in Wisconsin for the first time since Florida, but I drove almost nonstop for the nearly 7-hour journey with the navigation system. The thought that this was my last trip probably led me to want to drive for as long as possible.
I passed through downtown Minneapolis while it was still light, drove a little around the city, and arrived safely in front of Dave's house. Dave has performed with me several times in Japan, but most of the time they were in a trio with ragtime guitarist Takashi Hamada, who lives in Otaru, so although we would talk a little in between, this might have been the first time we had a proper conversation. The only time the two of us went out together was when we went to a sushi restaurant in Tsukiji together after Hamada returned to Hokkaido.
When I entered the room, I saw several guitars. It's a guitarist's house. While I was talking with Dave and his girlfriend Cheryl, Dave's friend Phil Heywood, a guitarist, and Gloria came in and started a session with Dave, Phil, and me. I found out later that Phil had won a contest in Winfield before. No wonder he's so good. Dave's guitar produced a nice groove, like a bass drum, probably due to his large build body. We don't usually have many opportunities to do sessions, and even if we do join occasionally, it's just for entertainment, but if it's not a jazz style where we take turns taking the lead, but a session like this day where the three of us are just talking, I would like to do it every day.
When I think of Dave, I think of coffee. Americans drink coffee just like Japanese people drink green tea, but there aren't many people who are into coffee. The vast majority of people prefer quantity over quality. However, Dave happened to notice that Cafe Bach, located right next to the cheap hotel in Minami-Senju, Tokyo that Mr. Hamada favors, is not just a coffee shop, and he is a coffee fanatic who goes there twice a day at most, so I'm sure that most of the money he saved on the cheap hotel accommodation fee is spent here. One side of the kitchen in the Dave's house is almost completely covered with coffee equipment, and of course I was treated to a feast. I usually put sugar and milk in all the coffee, but I knew that if I did that in front of this person, he would make a disgusted face, so I decided to have it black in silence.
Mr. Dave, Ms. Cheryl, and me
Mr. Phil, Ms. Gloria, and me
The North American guitar tour that began in Seattle on June 15th ended safely after about two months, arriving in Minneapolis, the final destination. If I head straight west, I will eventually be able to return to Seattle, but since I have some time to spare, I decided to revisit some of the places I have been to so far that I have been invited to, aiming to return to Seattle in early September.
I spent more than 31 nights in a house I had never been to before, and slept in my car for over a few dozen nights, including naps. The skill of sleeping anywhere that I developed during my junior high and high school years and my life in a Boston dormitory came in handy.
I have lost a noticeable amount of weight compared to when I first came to the United States. At the same time, the stiffness in my whole body has almost disappeared. As for my weight, it may be because I was exhausted from driving nearly 18,000 km, but strangely, I didn't feel tired. As for stiffness, I can't say for sure, but it's probably because I'm naturally leading a strenuous life in Japan.
As for the guitar, which is the important thing, I could feel my improvement from the second half of the trip. The technical improvement was slight, but I think my expressiveness has reached a different level than before I went to the United States.
In Japan, solo guitar is often labeled as "dull," but playing the guitar doesn't matter how strong or weak your physique or strength is, and you don't have to worry about language because you don't sing, so I've always thought that it is the strongest universal instrument. The piano is also a solo instrument, but in terms of mobility, it's no match for the guitar. In other words, this trip was also a journey to prove what I believed in.
The average age of the people I met this time was probably over 60 years old. I myself am about to turn 60, so instead of "someday again," I would like to go and see them again as soon as possible.
完
*The people who appear in the text are listed by their initials until their identities can be confirmed.
Contents
Introduction
Until Departure
Seattle
To California
Day Off
Sunnyvale
To La
LA 2 Days
To Tucson
Albuquerque
To Colorado (beginning of Miracle)
Berthoud
Denver
to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City 2 days
To Texas
San Antonio
Georgetown
Dallas
Houston 2 Days
Benton
Nashville (CAAS)
Roswell
Tampa 2 Days
Miami
Orland 2 Days
Myrtle Beach
Chapel Hill 3 Days
Kingsport
To Indiana
Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival
To Staten Island
Manhattan
Phillipsburg
Nazareth (Martin Guitar Factory)
To Massachusetts (end of Miracle)
Methuen
To Montreal
To Buffalo
Meadvill A Day Before
Meadvill Ghost Hotel
Detroit
Chicago
Minneapolice
Spin Off #1
Spin Off #2 "EU Tour IN 2008 / Until Departure
Czech 1
Czech 2
London
Liverpool
Chesham
To Germany
Lemgo
Ingolstadt
Bregenz
To Italy
Florence
The Last Gig
Going Home