Every morning we took a theory class, and I had a cool cat called Fred Harris who just laid it out so clearly it was like a stroll in the park! Thanks Fred. Then we’d take a masterclass with either Madeline Eastman or Dena DeRose, two of the warmest and experienced jazz singers who can’t just sing but are master communicators. We were accompanied by equally talented musicians in the form of Randy Newman on piano, John Witala on Bass and Vince Lateano on drums. Dena also plays like an ANGEL so she doubled up as personnel for her students. Dena teaches a 4 year jazz course at Graz University in Austria. If I was single and under 30 I’d be signing up!

After lunch there’d be a ’special’ to choose from. This was a difficult choice to make, as industry professionals such as Diana Krall’s guitarist Anthony Wilson, visiting Cuban trumpeter Yacek Manzano or Saxophonist Joe Lovano just to name a few – would be giving a workshop in their field. I sat in on Judy Silvano’s class on singing as an instrumentalist, which was accompanied by a bass player and the magnificent Julian Lage on guitar. It was worth it just to hear Julian play! Someone told me later that he’s only 23 and I was even more impressed. Another of the ’special’s I sat in on was Julian discussing the virtues of the Alexander Technique for musicians. I also enjoyed pianist Bennett Pastor’s presentation on swing.

Every evening there was a concert to watch, which is part of the Stanford Festival that runs from late June to August. The players were too many to mention but I really enjoyed seeing my singing teachers up there, and also hearing Becca Stevens singing Prelude To A Kiss. She was positively glowing, and had the audience in the palm of her hand. The first few nights my jet-lag would find me nodding off periodically – but actually quite a pleasant way to sleep, and hopefully programming some part of my brain at the same time! CD’s were available so by the end of the week I was well aware of who I wanted to take home with me. I have already played half of the artists on my radio show and next week will enjoy hearing the rest.

After the concerts there were several jam sessions. A good place to try and practice what we’d learned during the day… if only it were that easy! The singers were accompanied by professionals but the instrumentalist students would ask to sit in because they liked us so much — besides I imagine it was more competitive at the other jams. After that we’d trot over to the faculty jam session which went on for another half hour. I had max six hours’ sleep every night and figured I could sleep on the plane!

It was a great surprise to meet the lovely and talented Lee McCallister, another Aussie singer who had come from Sydney. We were room mates in a dorm called ‘Xanadu”, can you believe it? Lee was attending the songwriting stream, and I’m very excited about attending her album launch at The Sound Lounge in Sydney in September. She didn’t complain about any snoring so I think I have a new friend!

I can wear flowers in my hair but I’m not sure about any other hippie paraphernalia… too cold! There’s an atmospheric marine layer in the San Francsisco area which means the air doesn’t warm up much above the temperature of the ocean. So from a Sydney winter to a San Francisco summer there isn’t a whole lot of difference I can see. But weather, shmeather because IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC after all. And maybe shopping. How good is the Aussie dollar?!

Spoiled for choice at Tower Records in Tokyo

It was slightly creepy arriving at Tokyo airport six weeks after the disaster at Fukushima and for me and my dad to be the only Western travellers in the Customs hall…  Were we crazy to go? “I have to die of something!” says my 82 year old father. As for me, my arm never needs much twisting to go to Tokyo. So much jazz in the air, for a start… although I was disappointed to cancel my night at the Blue Note seeing Helen Merrill, who for obvious reasons had postponed her tour. (Mind you, I think she’s the same age as my father, what’s her bone?).

I did have the pleasure of meeting up with one Masayuki Koito, who publishes a monthly jazz magazine – “The Walker’s”. It’s online as well as on paper  www.t-walkers.com. Since we met up in Shibuya it felt only right to pop over to Tower Records, which has a massive jazz section. Call me old fashioned, but I love buying CDs. They come complete with all the info and for a radio dj such as myself it saves a fair bit of labour when you can hold that neat little package in your hand. So I went as crazy as I could and Masayuki helped out with his favourites too. One that I’m surprisingly enjoying is Shelly Manne and his friends modern jazz performances of songs from My Fair Lady. Masayuki’s favourite bass player is Leroy Vinnegar, who alongside drummer Mann and pianist Andre Previn make up the trio on these album. When Masayuki showed it to me I envisaged something well, saccharine. But since I was keen to hear some Leroy Vinnegar and it was the only sample of Vinnegar’s work left in stock (OK so that’s the downside of hardware).  And as Leroy Vinnegar “the walker” is Masayuki’s favourite jazz musician I thought I’d better buy it. And it really sizzles!

I made some new friends at the Akebonobashi Fill In Bar, where jazz vocalists of all shapes and sizes can pop in for a blow. If you can find it! I had a few locals running around helping me, thank goodness. The bar seats about 12, including the band, so the atmosphere is very personable. Also, no-one was smoking.. not sure if that was a co-incidence as I later heard that it’s very unusual to find a non-smoking bar in Tokyo. www.5.hp-ez.com/hp/fillin/

I must have a good nose for fresh air because the other jazz bar where I sang was also non-smoking: Meg, in Kichijoji. It’s a funky looking bar, about twice the size of The Fill-In Bar. The decor is striking, with two giant red cylindrical speakers flanking an open-faced upright piano and a thoughtfully arranged artwork of vintage record covers in various shades of red, mounted on a side wall. The night we were there a trio was playing and I was delighted that the musicians were all women. Hiroe Nakajima was burning up the keys (who needs cigarettes?) and the heavily pregnant bass player  still managing to get her capable hands around her instrument. I had barely said hello when they invited me to sing with them. Hiroe welcomed me in Japanese to their audience before I sang a selection of standards. It was a great opportunity to perform for my Dad and my brother and his wife who were there, as we all live in different cities. www.meg-jazz.com

Meg Jazz Bar at Kichijoji

www.screencast.com/users/j3r3my/folders/AnitaSong

Did anybody see the Bowie tribute at The State Theatre on Sunday night? I was really impressed with Steve Balbi’s performance. He has a certain je ne sais quoi with a microphone stand. iota was in his element doing camp/slutty rock, although I wish he’d kept his eyes open during his ballad (can’t remember the song – I think iota understandably went for the more obscure numbers).

The night before I was thoroughly moved by the annual Schools’ Spectacular. I always cry to see so many people working so joyfully. I can’t imagine the time and effort put in by the teachers but it shows – Congratulations to Mary Lopez and her team.

With Kurt Elling and Laurence Hobgood

I even managed to interview Kurt for my radio show on 2RDJ – Kurt answered my questions in great depth, making three minutes seem like twenty. (I could have asked questions all day but it was his day off, after all).  It’s very inspiring witnessing an international  jazz outfit at such close quarters. Kurt and Laurence tour approx 200 days a year so they have had plenty of time to oil their processes on and off the stage. Their concert on Tuesday 2nd November at the Sydney Opera house was rich and tight, not a word or note wasted. And yet still allowing room for the wonderful and crazy spontaneous vocalese that Kurt performed in one of the songs, which at times brought to mind a baby amusing itself in its highchair. Kurt’s intellect, timbre, range and (dare I say Germanic?) sound have always impressed me. Laurence’s arrangements are superb and I’m enjoying listening to  the 2009 Elling album “Dedicated to You”  - on which Laurence both played piano and arranged – despite my not being super familiar with the original 1963 Coletrane/Hartman album that inspired it. Laurence gave me a copy of his beautiful Charlie Haden collaborative album “when the heart dances”. (Elling also sings on some of the tracks; it seems they really do love each other,  and that’s saying something after 15 years of working and touring intimately!!). I’m hoping to interview Laurence at length before he returns to the U.S and I’ll air both his interview and Kurt’s on my radio show in the next few weeks. (Listen to “Jazz with Anita Pollard”, Tuesdays 11am -1pm,  www.radio2rdj.com). Many thanks to Alyson, Stan and Glen for making this day so enjoyable.

Last week I enjoyed  Jane Irving’s performance at 505 in Surry Hills. Unfortunately could only catch the first set, but well worth hearing Jane’s cool West Coast feel. I play Jane’s brilliant album “Beams” every week on my radio show. It was the first time I’ve been to 505 (about bloody time) and I loved the casual lounge room feel. It reminded me of some of the bars in Melbourne..maybe inspired by colder weather? I’ll be heading down to Jane’s regular Sunday gig to enjoy her show with the Swinging Blades (yes it’s at a golf club), and to help celebrate their first anniversary at the venue. Radio presenter/Jazz Sax player James Valentine will be there to join in the fun and for his sake I hope he likes Sambucca.

Christmas gigs are popping up and pretty soon we’ll be in 2011.. sort of feels like it’s here already. What a magnificent journey life is, I wonder what I’ll be writing about next?! AP x