jimmydearing
Japan-born, -raised and -returned Canadian-American residing in Tokyo for last sixteen years.
I really miss the many friends in Toronto, Canada & elsewhere in the western world so live here with the condition that I must get away now and then to keep in touch..
I love to play & accompany on fiddle, bouzouki, cittern, mandolin, guitar, piano, piano accordion, whistles, flute, bodhran, give or take a few instruments..
Fiddle players being ubiquitous and piano accordionists so few, my main instrument these days is my main squeeze – piano accordion, followed by fiddle and cittern. Real pianos are a bit scarce but a great pleasure with a few melody players gathered around.
I started playing ITM as an accompanist but soon realized that knowing the tunes made all the difference, so welcomed the challenge to play the melodies on all instruments as well as the chords.
I play Irish music mostly but also some Cape Breton, French-Canadian, original & other genres. I also love working out parts for & accompanying original songs.
I met my first Irish musicians in Toronto, subsequently NYC, Chicago, Detroit, Cape Breton, Montreal, elsewhere in N. America and throughout Ireland. Eight trips to the Emerald Isle in 1989 & yearly 1999-2005, 2007 & 2010; also three times to Cape Breton in 1992, 2002 & 2007 were all inspiring. Along the way in almost every case my eyes were opened to new potential in music. Let me count the ways!
Of course any job has its drudgery, politics and personalities to deal with – as others to deal with mine <grin> – so there have been disappointments and difficulties. But I've been privileged to play, teach & perform Irish/ Celtic music & tune pianos, ie., somehow do music for a living for the last 30+ years.. To have been able to continue with music in Tokyo since moving here in 1994 was a pleasant surprise.
I welcome your correspondence, inquiries about session happenings, etc., or visit to Tokyo.
Tunes in jimmydearing's tunebook: 7