A Letter From Tokyo:
Where the Blues Gets Respect

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Being immersed in Japanese language, food and culture for the past four months has made me a little more appreciative of the down-home southern way of living. As a black Louisiana woman who was reared with the blues in mind, I was quite concerned when I read the New York Times front-page story discussing the dying popularity of blues in the Mississippi Delta (4/24/ 01). One Blues musician commented that he can profit $2,000 a night in Tokyo, but can barely earn $300 a night in Mississippi—that is, if he can get a gig at all. Perhaps a similar scenario is happening all across the U.S. with not only blues, but also jazz.

The author recalls jazz diva Dianne Reeves' performace in Tokyo.

It seems like blues and jazz are becoming increasing popular in places like Japan and some European countries, while fading away in the very nation that produced the historical context out of which such music could be born. The publication of the Times article coincided with one of Dianne Reeves' week-long performances in Tokyo. I had the most amazing pleasure of seeing the modern jazz diva perform her tribute to Sarah Vaughn at the Tokyo Blue Note (cousin to New York Blue Note), one of the most expensive jazz spots in Japan. Reeves performed two shows, every night for one week at roughly $75 a ticket. Lucky for me, students receive a 50% discount.

When I ask Japanese people what type of music they like, they often respond, "I love jazz" or "I am a blues fan." HMV, Tower Records and the small mom and pop CD shops in Tokyo always have a large jazz and blues section, not to mention r&b, hip hop, rock and other popular American music. So, if the "Blues is Dying in the Delta," then it is being reborn in Tokyo! But still, wouldn't it be nice if 10 years from now, I could take my children to the blues festival in downtown Baton Rouge, La., like where I used to go when I was a kid.

Sunshinely,
Kiondra Sampey

-- May 17, 2001

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