芸者三味線とセッション Jammin' with a geisha

March 7, 2009: 青い目のおもてなし This American’s Omotenashi

impromptu shishi lion

普段は「どのネタにしょうか?」という日があるけど、今
日は「ブログに何を書こうか」とちょっと悩んだ日です。過去の経験では、こういう時は気をつけるべき。今日も結局そうでした。
お客様の宴会で挨拶をしたら、なぜか何の楽器ができるかと聞かれました。あほみたいに、しし笛と答えておきました。そのお客さんは芸者さんが二人を呼びました。三味線のベトランの春駒さんと踊れる千姫さん。宴会の途中で私が笛を吹きに呼ばれました。そして、一人のお客さんが座布団・酒瓶、と帯でできた獅子で踊って、もう一人は太鼓、春駒さんは三味線、私が獅子笛で1曲をやりました。私はまだまだ獅子笛の初心者なのでいつも前の人の指を真似しながらやっている。一人じゃ。。。まあ、何とかなりました。お客さんも喜んでくれた。(酒のお陰?)
Normally, my biggest problem in writing this blog is choosing which among the interesting things from the day to write about. Today was unusual in that I was starting to get worried about not having anything to write about. That's usually when something funky happens, and today was no exception.
When I made my official "greeting" at one of the banquets, for some reason I was asked what musical instrument I play, and I replied the shishi flute. I have to learn to shut my big mouth! That particular group had requested some geisha for entertainment, including the shamisen veteran Harugoma-san. Partway through the banquet, I was called back to play the flute. We ended up jamming, with one guest doing a dance with a shishi made up of a seat cushion, sake bottles, and an obi, another customer played the taiko drums, Harugoma-san on the shamisen, and me on the flute. I have to be honest: normally when I play the flute there is another member in front of me and I follow his finger movements. So I was way out of my league to play flute for those guests, but they seemed to enjoy it (maybe thanks to the sake?).



Harugoma-san and Senhime-san w/ guest taiko player


veteran shamisen


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