Hi folks,

Once again Bangkok Airport, once again typing away to all you lovely people!
My first "tour" of Japan (as opposed to a working residency) is now complete
and my first "tour" of Australia (Brisbane/Byron) about to begin, after 2 years
away from my country of birth. In this report I'll give you a brief rundown on
what I got up to in Japan and what's expected in Australia, including my
contact details there...

BUT FIRST - a bit of Website news. I have updated the following pages :
GURU-JI - www.ethnosuperlounge.com/guru-ji.htm
- Now includes MANY INTERESTING OLD PHOTOS of concerts with famous artists
such as his guru-jis, Pt. Kanthe Maharaj (tabla) and Pt. Ram Nath Mishra
(pakhawaj) and also with U. Allauddin Khan, his students Pt. Ravi Shankar, U.
Ali Akbar Khan and Pt. Nikhil Banerjee, U. Mushtaq Ali Khan and tabla players
Pt. Kishan Maharaj and Pt. Mahapurush Mishra; also includes some new text and a
Japanese version courtesy of my guru-bhai Hiro Okazaki.
SHEN - www.ethnosuperlounge.com/shen.htm
- A bit more info on myself, a bit more up to date...
CONTACT US - www.ethnosuperlounge.com/contact%20us.htm
- Includes my current mobile phone numbers in both Australia and Japan
LINKS - www.ethnosuperlounge.com/links.htm
- Constantly being updated - check it out if you want something to do on the
Net...
EVENTS - www.ethnosuperlounge.com/events.htm
- Hopefully updated with current concert schedule within the next few days.


JAPAN REPORT (skip to OVERALL for a one-paragraph summary)

It was so lovely being back in Japan, especially after the ridiculous heat of
India in April. My first day back was a perfect 25 degrees and I enjoyed
riding along Kyoto's Kamo River on my mountain bike letting my reborn long
curly locks fly in the wind and feeling so free! Kyoto is a lovely place,
especially in the good-weather months of spring and autumn, and over the time I
spent there I enjoyed several peaceful walks in the forested mountains just 15
minutes' bike-ride from the city centre.

On my first weekend I performed in Osaka with Tadao Ishihama, a sensational
young sitar player who started at the age of 15 (he's now 24) and Taro
Terahara, a simply wonderful bansuri player from Tokyo. I hadn't met Taro
before and really enjoyed his music. He must have enjoyed my tabla too because
he immediately offered me a concert in Tokyo when I come back in September.
Goodonya Taro-san!

Shortly after that concert I took a 10-day trip to Tokyo and the surrounding
areas to meet friends, practice with musicians, get better known and take part
in the Earthlingz Golden Week Gathering at The Greenhouse, a few hours outside
Tokyo. The Greenhouse is owned by a Chris Case, an American ethno-ambient DJ
who's been living in Japan since the late 60's. It's a wonderful space for
relaxing, eating good food and creating or listening to interesting sounds.
For the 5 days I was there I was the main live performer along with a bunch of
different DJs, and on the final night I had a great jam session with Kenji
Sakasegawa, Japan's most experienced tabla players. During my stay in Tokyo I
stayed in 5 different places in 5 nights, with more offers of hospitality
untaken - thanks to all my friends in Tokyo!!!

Back to Kansai and there was one very busy Fri-Mon weekend in particular, with
3 gigs and a party. First was with Setsuo "Jimi" Miyashita, a student of
santoor-master Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma. (For those not in the know, a santoor is
a bit like a hammered dulcimer.) The concert was held in Ei-un-in, a beautiful
Kyoto temple with a lovely garden. The atmosphere was just magic and the music
matched it. Jimi-san's music has a very "healing" quality. Following the
concert, the temple monk treated us all to a large selection from his wine-
cellar, including a 1972 French wine in my honour (I was born in 1972); the
drinking went until 4am. I had 2 more concerts that weekend (with Tadao in
Osaka and again with Jimi-san in Gifu) and I don't think the hangover went away
until a week later. Luckily, once I start playing music nothing else matters,
including hangovers it seems.

On my final weekend I had two concerts in Kyoto, both in old traditional-style
Kyoto houses, or "Machias". The first was a late addition, playing with a
young sitar player, didj player and mbira player. As well as accompanying
sitar and a didj-tabla-mbira journey, I played a half-hour tabla solo dedicated
to Guru-ji. The audience were mostly 60- and 70-year-old ladies and I was very
happy to find that they were totally enthralled by the tabla. It's times like
that which make being a musician the most worthwhile - bringing something
totally new and exciting into somebody's life in a really positive way. The
following day I had a very sweet concert with Carlos Guerra, Japan's most
experienced bansuri player (originally from Spain). Thanks to everyone who
helped me with concerts in Japan!

OVERALL, I'm pretty happy with what I achieved in my 6 weeks in Japan. I met a
few new musicians, caught up with old friends, improved my reputation as a
tabla player, played some lovely concerts including a very satisfying tabla
solo, gave a few tabla lessons, sold a couple of tabla, and didn't make a
financial loss, plus I got to enjoy Japan's food, drinks, nature and general
ambience!


COMING UP - AUSTRALIA

That last weekend in Japan with the didj-tabla-mbira jam was a nice appetiser
for what's to come in Australia, with a lot more world music fusion projects on
the cards, as well as several Indian classical concerts including tabla solos.

Probably the most exciting thing coming up is "Bhakti". If you've heard the
EthnoSuperLounge CD you will have heard 3 songs by Bhakti, which is basically
myself with jazz/bhajan "devotional diva" Yani, along with guest artists. This
year we're being joined by Persian singer and multi-instrumentalist Cieavash
Arean which is really exciting. I love the combination of tabla with different
voices and unfortunately, while the standard of Indian classical music in Japan
is really high, I don't get many chances to work with vocalists there.
Australia, it seems, is the place for singers. We're hoping Bhakti will become
the "next big thing" in Australian world music.

I'll be in Australia from June 3 to August 16. While I'm there my mobile phone
number will be +61-415-106-428, home phone +61-7-3846-0115, address 19 Hove St,
Highgate Hill QLD 4101, AUSTRALIA.

For my concert schedule in Australia, please visit the Events page of the ESL
website : http://www.ethnosuperlounge.com/events.htm (hopefully up to date
within the next few days)


LINKS TO ARTISTS MENTIONED ABOVE:

Hiro Okazaki - http://www.sound.jp/upaathi/index.html
Tadao Ishihama - http://joint-b.dvrex.net/ishihama/
Taro Terahara - http://www.pure.ne.jp/~fueya/
Earthlingz (The Greenhouse) - http://www.earthlingz.net
Kenji Sakasegawa - http://souhadou.way-nifty.com/soundivisual/
Setsuo "Jimi" Miyashita - http://www.ne.jp/asahi/okumino/sarasoju/


Love to all
Shen
Aum Mani Padme Hum

shen@...
http://www.ethnosuperlounge.com