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I am Cuban by default…hmmm; I should explain...I was born en “La Habana” in the 60’s. By the time I arrived into this world, my father had landed in jail for a second time. The first time he was arrested, he was a military police officer for the Castro regime. At some point, a number of the military men that didn’t agree with the direction that the Communist leader was taking the island nation revolted against him but were soon captured and arrested. I’m not sure at what point he was released but it was certainly long enough for him to help conceive me. The second time he was arrested, as I understand the story, he was drunk one night and while at a local bus stop began yelling obscenities (anti-government banter) and shooting his gun up and towards a passing bus. He managed not to hurt anyone but he did manage to get arrested again and this time for many years.

My father was someone unknown to me; I met him for the first time at the age of 16 in a refugee camp up in Pennsylvania during the Mariel boatlift era. My father was one of those “undesirables” that was released from the island and made it to America searching for “freedom” and a new life. My intention is neither to paint a heroic picture of my father nor to demonize him He was no martyr, no angel, and no freedom fighter. He was very human and had many humanly flaws. He landed in prison again in Miami a few years after arriving for drug possession and intent to sell. It was in this final stint in prison that he managed to turn his life around finding God and religion and ultimately turning his many destructive addictions into a religious one. He became part of an evangelist church and eventually was ordained a Pastor some time later. He passed away a little over 2 years ago. I never really knew my father, and honestly looking back neither one of us really ever tried to know each other. Perhaps it was the fault of the circumstances that separated us from the beginning, but more likely than not, it was just the way our relationship was designed to be by some power of fate.

My mother left the island with her two little boys (ages 1 & 5), no husband and a fourth grade education. She had to go directly to New York, because it was there that her brother was living with his wife and young daughter, and he was the only relative living in the states that could vouch for us.  Mima arrived to New York in the fall it was late October. It was already pretty cold for a young island woman who had never experienced a real winter outside of her country. She cried every single day for a month, missing her homeland. Soon after, she had no more time for tears; she needed to find a way to create her own life in this new world for herself and her two boys. At one point, I remember not seeing my mother very often. My grandmother, who had also defected from Cuba a year after we did, would be our main caretaker during the week while my mother worked 2 to 3 jobs to feed us, pay the rent and just survive. She eventually went to cosmetology school and earned her diploma and soon after worked at a salon where the pay was decent enough that she didn’t need to work the other jobs. Mima survived, she helped us survive and develop in the new world, in the big city, in the biggest of cities.

So why am I Cuban by default. Well, I was born there but I was barely a toddler when we left. I don’t remember anything about Cuba. How could I at the age of 1 ½? Whenever anyone asks, yes I say I was born in Cuba but I was made in New York. It is there that I became who I am today without a doubt. The Cuban influence was with me from the start through the daily interactions with my family members at home. I ultimately became a musician because of that influence. One of my uncles, a singer/songwriter as well, gave me my first guitar. Yet I also grew up with the music of the moment, and the urban American culture. The culture I refer to of course is the New York way of life. I’ve never returned to Cuba, and only know it by the many pictures; stories and films I’ve seen or been told.

When I moved to Miami in the mid-90’s, I was taken aback by the differences between the Cuban exile community here and the Cuban Exile community up North. I truly rarely followed any stories about Castro or Cuba while living in New York. Yes once in awhile whenever a big incident surfaced regarding the island nation it would be communicated up North, but it never seemed like such a big deal. I was taken aback by the day-to-day obsession that the Cuban community had in Miami regarding Castro and his regime. I remember being mesmerized by the local Miami news programs the first month living here, because most of the top stories always involved Cuba. I remember once making a comment to a friend, that it seemed to me that if Castro farted, Miami would smell it and report it on the 6 o’clock news. Though I’ve never agreed with the Cuban-Miami fixation on Cuba, I understand it. Many people lost everything, lost love-ones, and lost their sense of belonging to a land they called their own. My own family did. Of course I understand this, I’ve lived it every day of my life through the yearnings of my mother and other family members some deceased and some still around. What I can’t comprehend and what is not in my spiritual DNA is that feeling of hatred or what I call “inherited hatred” of a man and his ideology to the point where it consumes your entire life. It is a given fact, that energies attract other energies…love connects with love, sadness with sadness, hatred with hatred and so on…this history of anguish, despair and hatred has blinded both sides of the coin for so long now. I believe in someway this same ingrained “hatred”, has kept Castro’s regime in power. There has to be a solution, there is in every conflict. We just don’t allow ourselves to see it but the solution is there. We blindfold ourselves with these “learned” emotions and after awhile we forgot why we even feel this way.

This all leads me to the “Peace Concert” organized by Colombian artist – Juanes a few weeks ago in Havana. I’ve had some time now to digest this event and what it meant to me. I’d like to say before anything else that I do applaud Juanes for having the “cojones” to even get involved with an undertaking this big. He lives in Miami, at least part-time, so he knows the anti-Castro sentiment that dominates over this city. While I watched the concert unfold on TV, I couldn’t help but think about the insanity of it all. How something as simple as a music concert can become such a big political spectacle laced with so much anger and unrest between two groups of people who happen to come from the same place. The concert had its moments of brilliance but overall it was not an amazing musical event. Some artists were in top form while others seemed overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Juanes during his set made obscure references to freedom and peace, but he seemed very cautious with his words. It wasn’t until the very end of the show that he did say, “Cuba Libre” a few times. Anyway I believe he was truly trying to keep it as a-political as he could. I enjoyed “Los Van Van at the very end, because I saw them bring that joy of celebrating music to the stage, unlike most of the other artists that day who really seemed to be struggling with the need to say something or just to keep it cool. The Cuban audience in the crowded “plaza de la Revolución”, seemed happy and engaged for the most part, but there was also an air of repression that I felt while watching. I had a feeling that if this concert had been held in almost any other place in the world, the excitement would’ve felt and looked different.

I was being interviewed simultaneously while watching the concert by a Washington D.C. based TV network. The crew set up their cameras in my apartment and proceeded to ask me questions about my background as a Cuban/American citizen and a musician living in Miami. They asked me candid questions about my feelings towards: Castro; America; Cuba; exiles; politics; music and everything else connected with this topic.

Being Cuban and living in Miami is a very tricky thing. It is assumed that you follow the same dogmatic anti-feelings as mostly everyone else does in the Magic City. If you voice your opinion in any other direction than in the direction that is expected of you as a Cuban/American living in Miami, you will be questioned and you will almost always be put in your place. So I keep my opinions and views to myself for the most part, while on occasion sharing my thoughts with my closest family members and friends. The irony with all this is that when you analyze it, not being able to share my own point of view here, is about the same as not being able to voice my own viewpoint if I were living over there. There in Cuba, the likelihood of being thrown in jail is a daily reality for speaking or voicing your mind. Here in Miami, having a slightly different opinion can get you quickly “ex-communicated” and make an outcast out of anyone in the blink of an eye.

So what do I feel about this whole mess? How do I see this whole political/ego-centric quagmire? What is my opinion of Cuba? Castro? The embargo? Rafters? Exiles? Communism? Socialism? Capitalism? …… like I said, I live in Miami. I am Cuban (by default or not) I am Cuban. I am a musician; a songwriter and I express my true feelings through my songs.

Let’s just say I see the big picture and every day, month, and year that passes, that picture of the 90 miles that separates us seems to extend and expand further and further. The colors fade and they come back to life. Generations’ die and generations are born and the only changes that occur are the names of the politicians that keep using those 90 miles for the political gains that will win them elections and/or keep them in power.

How do I feel about this 50-year ordeal?

“Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace”……

Leave your comments here.

 Shinto is Japan’s original ancient religion. It is deeply rooted in the Japanese way of life. Shinto has no founder, no holy book and not even the concept of religious conversion. Shinto’s values stress harmony with nature and virtues such as “Magokoro” (meaning sincere heart) are the foundations of this belief. In Shinto, divinity is found as Kami (divine spirit) and it is believed that there is an unlimited number of Kami. You can see Kami in almost all things: mythology; nature; human beings; food….etc. From long ago, the Japanese have felt awe and gratitude towards such Kami and dedicated shrines to many of them. It is generally accepted that the vast majority of Japanese practice Shinto, while most would also consider themselves Buddhists. For example, it is typical in Japan to register or celebrate a birth at a Shinto shrine, while funeral arrangements are generally dictated by Buddhist tradition.

Japan an enigma for many near and far. I doubt that even those foreigners that have made this country their home truly understand what is it to be Japanese, because in a way I feel that even the Japanese are discovering their ancestry on a daily basis. The precision of all things, the spaces, the traditions and the spirit of respect for your surroundings resonate throughout this varied island nation.

I truly had no idea what to expect when traveling to Japan. My excitement mixed with the anxiety of being too “western” and not wanting to fall into the typical tourist experience made me wonder many a sleepless night what would be the essence of what I would digest, process and ultimately take with me. As Japan unfolded before my senses, it was often a beautifully slow harmonious experience and at other times an electrically charged bundle of information hard to absorb. I came to learn that this is Japan, unpretentious in its prideful display of its rich history and unrelenting in it’s towering technological strength and modern power.  You will see these two worlds collide in most streets in everyday Japan. The old and the new, the ancient and the high tech living side by side and learning to coexist without pushing the one or the other aside.

The Japanese are for the most part soaked in their folklore and even the “modern” Japanese will in some form carry those rituals in some way with them on a daily basis. Whether it is the food choices, dress options, daily interactions or any daily activity, you will typically find the general Japanese citizen following their ancestral habits. The simple nodding of the head or bowing when greeting someone, is a characteristic greeting in Japan. It is not meant to be as a subservient gesture in any way, but more as a form of respect to a familiar face or even more so for a complete stranger. The etiquette of handing someone your business card with two hands and then making sure that you just don’t put the card in your pocket without looking at it first and making some sort of polite comment about the person’s profession or title. There is also the discipline of not staring…especially not eye-to-eye contact as a way of respecting that individual’s personal space area and/or not to make anyone feel uncomfortable or unusual. All these mannerisms are a natural way of life here in Japan.

We had the good fortune of getting a taste of four different and distinctive cities in Japan. We first arrived in Osaka, which was a great introduction to our adventure. Osaka is in central Japan in the Kansai prefecture (which is more or less the equivalent of a state back in the U.S.) and it was where we first met my wife’s sponsors: Teiko (native Japanese woman) and Keke (Australian living in Japan with her husband, Mario). Since I wrote about Osaka already in the first part of this Japan blog, I will not write about Osaka in this segment. Please see “The Sound of Silence” prior to this current blog for more on Osaka.

Kyoto

Kyoto is a wonderful historic city also in the Kansai region not very far from Osaka, about 40 minutes by train. The Kyoto train station is one of the most modern structures in all of Japan. It is a city where truly the past and the present meet, and a very popular tourist destination due to the many shrines and temples within the commercially busy streets. It is the one place where we personally found the Japan that we had dreamt about. Outside of visiting shrines and temples, you cannot help the amazing harmony of history that engulfs your heart as you walk down its city streets. Kawaramachi is the center artery of Kyoto city, and it is jam-packed of malls, huge department stores and endless eateries. When strolling along this large avenue on any side alleyway you will encounter the past waiting with open arms to take you in and show you it’s magical history. On one of these alleys we stumbled upon our first Geisha sighting. She was beautifully dressed in full Geisha attire and make-up. We were very shy to take a picture of her and we were even more timid to ask her if we could photograph her. Keke and Mario urged Betty to take her picture and she did so discreetly but not without the Geisha noticing.  She didn’t seem too pleased to be photographed, and after the fact we all felt a bit invasive. We later determined that in fact she was a Maiko, which is an apprentice Geisha. Later that week while walking down the Gion area of Kyoto, we were treated to a display of several Geishas leaving in taxis to their appointments. They were easy to find due to the line of paparazzi tourists standing outside of the Geisha’s homes with cameras aimed and ready, we briefly became part of this group, took our photos and moved on.

Kyoto felt like a small town compared to Osaka. After awhile it started to feel almost like home. I know it may sound strange but there is just something about that city that takes you in and doesn’t let you go. On a quick day trip with Keke and Mario we were treated to a stunning view of mountains, rivers, streams, caves, and Bamboo forests. The serenity and natural beauty of this area cannot be described in simple words. The images are engraved in my heart and in my mind forever. Kyoto quiets your soul while opening your eyes to the possibilities of living a life of dualities, the historic and the now.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima does not deserve to be known for what it is known. The victim of the first Atomic bomb ever used in human history, is an attractive cosmopolitan city with much natural beauty of it’s own. Surrounded by green, majestic mountains, and lovely rivers, Hiroshima can break your heart. When you visit the Atomic Bomb Dome (The Peace Dome), you get the immediate sense of emptiness and devastation. The atomic bomb detonated right above the structure and miraculously some of the walls were left standing while everything and everyone inside including within a one-kilometer radius were instantly reduced to ashes. Approximately 80,000 people died at the moment the bomb dropped and thousands upon thousands from the after effects. The peace dome now sits in a beautiful park named the “peace memorial park”. It is a lovely area with a river, various monuments dedicated to the victims and there is even a museum. Teary eyed and heart broken, I wondered why we as a human race could act so barbaric against one another, how even after all the lessons learned we can still manage to start wars and conflicts for reasons that when truly analyzed are meaningless. A heartwarming moment at the Peace Park was observing a classroom of children having lunch in the park and afterward watching them have a quiet ceremonial “prayer” in front of the children’s monument.

That same day, guided by our wonderful friend and sponsor, Teiko, we visited the Island of Miyajima where the world famous Itsukushima Shrine is. The well-known vermillion shrine gate sits in the sea and it has become the symbol of Japan. The shrine is a national treasure as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built in 593 and was expanded to its current scale in 1168. The island also has several temples and outside of its human inhabitants, it has the distinction of being the home of a large population of deer. These deer, not a bit shy, are accustomed to greeting all visitors the moment they set foot on their island. They are ready to welcome you and see if you bring them any goodies to eat. They love paper by the way, which Teiko found out surprisingly fast when a deer ate her paper handbag when she looked away for a second. The deer, I believe are considered sacred animals and the messengers of the Gods.

Hiroshima was a truly emotional visit wedged between my feelings of what I saw at the Peace Memorial Park. The beauty and tranquility of Miyajima Island and its symbol of peace made for a balanced experience. It was also the city where we ate the most amazing Japanese food throughout our trip. Teiko took us to a restaurant styled in traditional Japanese décor where we sat on floor mats and had the most delicious, culinary experience in our lives. I cannot describe to you what we ate, but everything we ate was spectacular. It was mostly all vegetarian with perhaps one or two fish dishes. Afterward we felt as if we had a divinely spiritual food awakening, as if the actual hand of a God had created this food for us and I think looking back our feelings were right on target.

Tokyo

After a two-day return to our beloved city of Kyoto, we said goodbye to our new found friends, Keke, Teiko, Mario, Eri and Mark and headed on a bullet train to Tokyo. On the way to Tokyo, if you’re lucky and the cloud god allows it to be, you can see the majestic and the iconic symbol of Japan – Mr. Mt, Fuji. We, sad to say, did not have the favor of the Cloud God that day, and although you literally pass right alongside it, we did not see an inch of this natural landmark….rats!!!! I was upset, but perhaps in Tokyo, somehow I’d get another opportunity to somehow see the Fujiness.

Ahhh…. Tokyo…the sprawling metropolis with over 12 million inhabitants and the center of all that is happening in modern day Japan. Wow, Tokyo…. till you’ve been here you don’t know what it actually is. I’m a New Yorker, ok I live in Miami, but I lived most of my life in New York City. I know big cities. I’ve been in Paris, Rome, Madrid, Mexico City, Cairo, London, Buenos Aires, Athens, and several others…. Tokyo, my friends, is huge…. with a capital resounding H! We visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government center in the Shinjuku area, which are two gigantic towers sprouting from the center of the heart of Tokyo. The towers have observation decks that you can visit for free to see a panoramic view of Tokyo. I could not believe my eyes…Tokyo is big, bad, bold and brilliant…Unending, just massive…. how does a city become so big? I don’t know but coming from the mouth of a former New Yorker, it’s damn impressive. From these towers, if the Cloud God is on your side that day, you will be able to see Mr. Mt. Fuji. The favor of the Cloud God was not with us again on that day, such is destiny and my visual contact with the mighty Mt. Fuji was not to be.

Tokyo is a fire breathing, thumping, pulsating Japanese animated, Technicolor giant.  It is the center of the Japanese universe, where fashion, technology, business, and art begins and spreads throughout the country, Asia and the rest of world. Tokyo undoubtedly sets the pace for all of Japan and I dare say most of Asia. Here you won’t find the quiet streets of Osaka, Kyoto or Hiroshima…this is where the action is. Ants and ants of people crowded on the bright city streets seemingly hurrying from one place to another. Commerce, food, traffic, subways, buses, planes…everything and anything you need to find…. you’ll find it in Tokyo, of course Japanese style. In the center of Tokyo, and throughout its busy streets, it is very common to find a shrine within all the hustle and bustle. As a matter of fact within the center of the metropolis stands the Meiji Jingu shrine an oasis from the craziness of city life where locals as well as visitors go to rest their weary heads from the demands of urban living. The Meiji shrine is dedicated to the divine souls of Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shoken. After their deaths, the Japanese wished to commemorate their virtues and venerate them forever. So they donated over 100,000 trees from all over Japan as well as overseas and this park/forest was created. The shrine was established in 1920.

This is Tokyo and this Japan, a contradiction of energies, a way of seeing and living life in a finely tuned detailed manner while enjoying every precious day to its fullest manifested through culinary and visual delights. On the one end a fast vibrant moving society that is always on the forefront of modernization and on the other end, a traditionally rich culture where what matters most is holding on to your values and remaining true to the past.

As I leave this wonderfully inspiring country, I realize that I will miss many things that I have learned to appreciate while being here. The civility in which the Japanese treat each other is a big part of their way of being. In all of my time here, I did not hear one loud argument, see one harsh gesture or even witness one crossed stare. Even in Tokyo, with its massive amount of people, the streets are pretty quiet omitting the natural street noises of a big city. In all my time here, I heard 4 car horns! 4 car horns and only one in Tokyo in 5 days in a city of 12 Million! What does that tell you?

I came to Japan not looking for it’s outer beauty. I wasn’t searching for it’s clichés or it’s touristy eye candy traps. I came here hoping to find its heart. I wanted to know what made a country and a people so powerful yet so spiritually advanced tick. In the process, I realized that it would take a lifetime of visits here to even savor a small tablespoon of what that assorted plate has to offer. What I did find on this journey is that when you visit Japan there is no avoiding turning a little bit Japanese.

Thank you Japan, until we meet again Sayonara and Domo Arrigato Gozaimasu…

Though overgrown

With a dense thicket

Of briers and brambles,

A path needing tread upon

Is one that must be followed

(Waka poetry by Empress Shoken)

 Japan, she greets you like a two-sided coin soaring through the air smiling as she lands on her front surface covered in tradition and century old customs, while all at once flipping over to show it’s sparkling, multi colored cutting edge modern eyes gleaming through a world where everything is perfectly detailed and thought out.  This is Japan so far for me, and I merely say this from someone who has only but tasted a teaspoon of what Japan is. I by no means intent to know what makes this fascinating country and its people tick in a week’s time or even for the reminder of my short 3-week visit.

A very, very long flight left us at the Tokyo airport in route to our first destination in Osaka.  While waiting at the terminal for our next plane, a TV screen was broadcasting Sumo Wrestling tournaments. Seeing this incredible sport rich in Japanese tradition live on TV immediately fascinated me and seemingly set the pace for our Japan adventure. I also laughed at myself because in a way this was also feeding into my western stereotype mentality and the many clichés that I’ve always associated with Japan…the Sumo Wrestler. Personally I find the sport very addictive. Two massive warriors, and some of them I do mean massive, locked in battle in a circle with no fences or ropes. A sandy-dirt floor resting on a square outer platform where the competition takes place the two large men dressed in what seems an elaborate diaper, perfectly groomed traditional hair-dos and nothing else battle it out. Ironically the objective of the match is to knock your opponent out of the circle or have him lose his footing. The first fighter to fall loses. There are neither punches thrown nor any real violent attacks. There is a great deal of pushing, shoving and tactical maneuvers. There is a referee dressed in a folkloric costume who sees that the matches run smoothly and fairly. Matches last no longer than a minute at best. Before the battles begin each Sumo wrestler has a similar ritual of facing each other and striking some “intimating” poses at each other as a form of I guess of saying something like “are you ready for this?”

Osaka is the second largest city in Japan with an estimated population of 9 million. It was at one time the capital of Japan and it is known as the “kitchen” of Japan because of its history of great cuisine and great eaters. Being in a huge city as this you expect the usual things you find or hear in a huge metropolis. Noisy traffic; loud pedestrians pushing their way to their destinations; construction atmosphere, well you know the usual urban life hustle and bustle. What you immediately discover here is the silence or should I say the “sound of silence”. It is everywhere and it is Japanese. From the moment we hopped on our bus from the Osaka Airport to our hotel, I heard the silence. We were riding on a bus full of people and it was quiet. I mean quiet to the point I could hear myself breathe. Ok was it that it was already kind of late and everyone was tired? Well the following day, I heard the silence again. As I walked down an extremely crowded street, there was silence. Now let me make this clear not repressed silence, I mean I heard people talking and interaction but there was a certain hush about it. In the 7 days I’ve been here, I’ve heard one car honk! In a city of 9 Million!!!! In a subway train packed of people, quiet….yes quiet. So what is it about the Japanese, and where does the silence come from? It is in their heritage? Is it repression? Or is it just a way of life? A civilized people where they treasure the introspective moments of daily living and seem to absorb all things surrounding them.

On the following day, we went to visit the center of Osaka an area called Namba (Shinsaibashi). It is the hub of the city, the main shopping, culinary, and culture district. It sports an endless outdoor covered mall that runs for many many many endless blocks. Shops after shops after shops of just about anything you can fancy. The main artery of the area is the mall but as you walk through the crowds of endless Osakians (very fashion conscious and incredible puffed out big hair for both men and women) you notice that there are alleys and streets with even more shopping and eating opportunities along the side streets of the main mall strip. Our mission was to find a typical Japanese delight known as “Takoyaki”. These are Octopus balls covered in flour and deep-fried. After walking for a very long time, we saw an eatery with a huge animated red Octopus protruding from the top of its storefront. We sat and enjoyed our very strange but delicious meal. I say strange because beside the Takoyaki and the beer we had no idea what we were ordering. Everything was in Japanese and none of the staff spoke a word of English. God bless my fishetarian soul if something we ate was not either fish or some sort of veggie food. It was a delight and an experience. Another typical food we enjoyed a few days later in Osaka was this cabbage-based pancake called: “Okonomiyaki”. This “pancake” is another common food that is quite delicious and unique. The main ingredient is cabbage but the toppings are various. We tried 3 different ones: a cheese & corn; a noodle & garlic; and a seafood one. All three great and different, and each one topped with an assortment of sauces.

In the west it seems to me that we take many things for granted, we resolve things quickly and sometimes leave the specifics out for another day or time. The Japanese live in the details. Everything seems to be really well thought out and implemented perfectly. A typical example of this is when you step into a public bathroom, you walk into a stall and the first thing you see is a dispenser at eye level containing a cleanser and next to it another paper towel dispenser. This is for you to use to wipe off your toilet seat. The toilet itself is a work of art. Ok you sit on the toilet and automatically you hear a flushing noise, you stop and look around and realize that your toilet seat has a sensor on it upon contact to cover up any noisy bodily functions that you may need to release upon sitting down. After you’re done, you have an option of a bidet; a cleansing shower; and on some even a dryer all options displayed on the side face of the toilet seat. What can be more civilized and high tech? All the care for details can be seen in most parts of life here. The taxis and their chauffeurs elegantly dressed both vehicle and driver. The food anywhere is carefully presented and served. Subway trains are always clean and on time. The endless amount of vending machines (over 5 million nation wide) throughout the streets of Japan are perfectly maintained and useful to get just about anything you need from fresh coffee to sake to beer to cigarettes to noodle soups and so on. Ahhh…. yes life here in Japan seems so well thought out and runs so smoothly.

I’m here to experience my wife’s work. She’s been invited to Japan to teach and perform the art of belly dance. You notice on the faces of the young ladies taking her workshops that they wish to learn something beyond the technique and movements of the ancient dance. They crave the emotional performance side of the dance, that vital essence of expression that makes a good performer turn into a great performer. In their eyes I see how they are mesmerized by Bozenka’s artistry but even more so by the undeniable flow of her emotions through her movements. Her performance in Osaka is wonderfully executed and yet the audience is very quiet and polite. They clap and seemingly enjoy her show. For a westerner who is used to all kind of very loud forms of expressing approval from an audience, I was worried at first that something was lost in the translation. Then I remembered everything I’ve experienced since arriving here; the sound of silence; the art of the detail; the respect for others and their immediate space. Yes they loved the show and yes I love Japan so far. Why? Because perhaps it is so different from what I know and what I’ve experienced in my life till this point. Every street and every face greets you with a different and wonderful reality. Blessed in its details, Japan glows with the spirit of an honorable past and strides with the pride of being the frontrunner in humanity’s modernization. If you listen closely you can hear the sound of silence it’s waiting for you here in Japan and I’m pretty sure it’ll be a part of you forever.

Next stop Kyoto, then Hiroshima, and topping it off in Tokyo. Till next time: keep the rhythm flowing….ET

As the dust settles on the impressive life of Michael Jackson, I’ve had many mixed emotions since I first heard of his passing. There was no doubt ever that Michael was a unique talent in the music and entertainment world. An artist that could wear many hats and do many extraordinary things with his talents. I admit that I had not really followed his career in the last decade, and the whole child molestation fiasco I never really paid that much attention to. Personally, I always thought that those accusations had no real substance to them, and I felt, that it was just some folks trying to get a lot of money from a very rich and vulnerable celebrity.

Michael never really grew up. He was forever the classic man-child. An adult that could have anything in the material world and chose to create an imaginary playground that could cater to his Peter Pan fixation. I wonder what he saw when he looked at "the Man in the Mirror?" His physical transformation was a direct personal rebellion to his never having a real childhood and being the product of an obsessive parent that used any means necessary to make Michael and his brothers into mega stars.

The significance of Michael’s passing is a direct symbol of the end of an era. There will probably never be another artist of the magnitude of MJ. One that single handedly affected music; culture; fashion; technology; and overall society. I feel that there have been three musical/cultural icons in the last half-century that truly have had a powerful impact in our cultural and some can say “social spiritual lives”. These artists not only changed the way we saw music and culture, but these artists helped change the way we looked at ourselves. They brought freedom of expression to the forefront of American and subsequently international society. Elvis Presley; The Beatles and Michael Jackson were all the musical and cultural icons of their respective times.

So when Michael died it symbolized for many of us that end. Given today’s new musical landscape, where new artists and even existing known artists are not given that huge platform anymore, it is almost impossible for any extraordinary talent to rise to the level of an Elvis, Beatles or MJ. The music industry and our “short attention” span society just doesn’t have the patience to see an artist develop from a seed into a magnificent Oak tree like we saw with Michael from the time when he was a boy wonder in the late 60’s till he became Mr. Thriller.  The fact that not since Michael, have we had an artist that has had his impact on an international culture level, directly demonstrates that our new disposable “American Idol” mentality is what our generation deems as a cultural phenomenon.

History will be kind to Michael Jackson; yes “-throwaway” media will continue to focus on MJ’s eccentric personal life. His strange physical transformations will always come up in discussions about him. The sex allegations will surface again and again as will his fascination with exotic animals; Peter Pan; his children; and his personal relationships. I think that history will be kind to Michael because when all the dust settles; when all the bullshit stops sticking to the wall; when we finally see pass his “unique” personality; there will be one Michael Jackson left standing. That MJ is the one that will be remembered, the one who left the world a better place through his music and his talents. His music, like Elvis and The Beatles will live on for generations to come and will continue to resonate with up and coming artists as well.

We all lost something when Michael died, some of us will never know what is it is, but history will. Part of it I think will be the realization that Michael let us all express the child in us. The proof of that statement is how fresh his music still sounds today even the stuff he recorded back when he was a kid. Listen to “I want you back” and tell me honestly if that doesn’t just make you feel younger just by listening to it. His music just always made you feel like living that moment, and enjoying every second, every beat, every word of whatever great song of his you were listening to.

History will say that no other artist ever had the culture and financial impact that he had on his generation and in his industry. It will always be debated who was the greatest and most talented. MJ was one of the greats for sure, a true prodigy that grew to be a phenomenal entertainer. Only guessing here from an outsider looking in it always seemed to me that Michael never really wanted to be understood he just really wanted to be accepted, and there is no question what time will have to say about that.

Hola my Dear Connectors:

So this my Blog, this where I will share my thoughts, hopes, ideas, music, videos, and other various effects & stuff with you all. The idea for me of a blog is to have an open dialogue with a wide range of people who might not always think the same but will have something cool, clever, silly, or exciting to say...not that it always has to be that way, it can be anything we make it to be.

Although my background and profession is music, I am and I will be open to discuss any topics that are interesting, and of a positive nature. We are living in a very exciting time in history, change is the operative word for almost every facet of our lives. I am excited and yes I do confess, a little bit anxious about what lies ahead for me personally and for the rest of  humanity. I believe that we are all living through a time of renaissance while the giants that fall others will raise with a new proposal and a new direction. When I say "Giants" I include all of us....for we are all giants and we are all equals, and i don't just mean that in a "Civil rights" kind of way, but in a spiritual sense, we are made from the same fabric, we all start the same way and we all end the same way. It is the bittersweet beauty of life.

So my dear connectors I will make this first blog entry a quick, sweet greeting. I am really happy to be here at this time and place in history. I feel fortunate to be alive and I'm excited to meet you all through this blog and exchange our ideas and our feelings.

I would love to hear your ideas of what topics you'd like me to bring forth if anything in specific....remember anything goes that is positive and true and that will help us all achieve a higher ground.....

As I will end all of my blogs....In Love and Service....

ET