Sapporo Jazz

 Bossa Nova in Hokkaido

[ Jazz night life ]

I had read about the jazz scene in Sapporo so Norah and I went looking around the Susukino Station near Odori Park where several clubs were playing on a Saturday night. I had emailed Slowboat earlier in the week to reserve a table for the first set so we headed that way at about 7:15 p.m. We found the sign for the club in front of a dark store front so we tried the door. It was open. We went inside. There was a stairwell, and we could hear some people talking, so we went up. Nothing on the second floor. Nothing on the third floor. Then, I saw some bicycles stashed on the stairs leading to the 4th floor, so we kept going. At the top of the steps there was a door half open and as we approached, the door opened and a woman looked at me from inside and said, "Victoria?". We had arrived. 

[ getting ready for the first set ]

Arrived to a tiny room, with six tiny tables and a well-stocked bar. Five of the tables were occupied and Norah and I were seated at the sixth, in the front corner near the musicians who were tuning up when we arrived. We were handed a drinks menu by the owner, Yasuko Fukui, who had met us at the door. She and her late husband Ryo-san, who was a jazz musician, opened the club 25 years ago. 

[ so many choices ]

It did not take long for our drinks to arrive with the loveliest bowl of salty snacks and chocolates, artfully arranged and abundant. I think I gasped out loud. 

[ gin and tonic never tasted so good ]

[ a glimpse of the well-stocked bar behind me ]

The first set got underway and the two musicians played the complete Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto songbook. The guitar player, Ryoichi Hizawa and the singer, Siho Kodama, were really fabulous. They spoke to the audience between songs and paused to ask me where I was from (switching to English) later in the evening. Everyone was interested when I told them that Norah and I were living in Niseko!

[ Copa Doice sing Bossa Nova ]

During the second set, the audience changed a little. A few people left and a few arrived. A young couple from Israel who were on their honeymoon sat down at the bar, a young Korean couple sat next to us, and a guy from London, carrying his flute in a case, showed up hoping to join the set. The whole night was a wonderful moment of shared humanity together appreciating art. Such a great feeling.