Blake Foster
December 23, 2010
Japanese Language, Culture and Society- Fall quarter
Music Studies in Japan, Part 2: The Galop Bar
Back in September I was lucky enough to stumble upon a small bar in the Maiko area of Kobe, not too far from where I live. Having eyed the place while running, it initially caught my attention due to the small amount of Western-style bars in the relatively quiet area (the bar lies close to Maiko station right by the Akashi-Kaikyou suspension bridge). When I finally entered the bar, titled I was unaware of just how important and influential a spot it would be for the latter half of this exchange. Run by a 60-year old Japanese bass guitarist and his daughter, the bar's main purpose serves as a meeting place for dozens of musicians from in and outside the Kobe area, both Japanese and foreign. Although it also functions as a meeting place for all locals, the musical aspect definitely stands out overall. The bar hosts live events on a regular basis, even with its space constraints, unable to fit a drum-kit but still capable of featuring four or more piece acts, usually with improvised percussion instruments. Even on days without an official show, the master of the bar has no qualms about plugging his bass guitar into the bar's impressive sound system to show off his forty-plus years of playing, along with letting other musicians plug in guitars and microphones, play tribal drums, etc. Impromptu jam sessions are a regular activity for the master and his customers. As I went to the bar more and more, the realization that I had found an invaluable resource for studying and participating in music during my stay here started to sink in. Through the master and other regular customers I have been able to see professional-level musicians perform on a regular basis and in a variety of settings. Seeing how passionate these Japanese musicians are and how they forge relationships with foreign musicians in the area has opened a whole new world in exploration of music in Japan.
The master of the Galop Bar has run the place for over ten years. His wife passed away some time ago and he has been running the bar with his daughter since then. A typical day has him sleeping until the afternoon before coming and opening the bar at around seven. He drinks about a forth of a bottle of tequila every night before his daughter cuts him off. In spite of the amount he drinks every night, he still has a calm and cool demeanor, and always jumps at the opportunity to play his bass around customers. When he showed me his skills the first time I was at the bar, I knew that I had stumbled upon someone legendary. Decorating the wall of the bar are photos of the master with his band back in the early 1970's posing with African-American jazz musicians who were in Japan. He was involved in the “Group Sounds” movement, a period that greatly influenced modern Japanese rock and pop music, and can list a variety of musicians that he has played with, mainly in terms of jazz. These days he still stays active in different musical circles playing jazz, blues, rock, and anything else that comes his way. An American man who lives in Kobe and frequents Galop often holds jam sessions in a rental space, to which he invites several musicians around the area, both foreign and Japanese. The master will often go to these sessions after closing the bar early, along with his daughter and other close friends of the bar. The last time I went to a session, Paul Jackson, the bassist from Herbie Hancock's The Headhunters showed up to play. The master had recently met Paul Jackson for the first time and was thrilled when the accomplished bassist was blown away with the master's playing ability. Even at his age he still maintains a childlike excitement over music, and his charisma has made him a connecting figure between Japanese and foreign musicians in Kobe.
The master's tastes in music extend to both Japanese and Western music of various genres and eras. He and the other musicians who frequent the bar show an affinity for American and British music, particularly blues rock and hard rock music (The Eagles' “Hotel California” is a common song performed by musicians in the bar) and classic artists like The Beatles and Eric Clapton. The radio rarely ever features music by Japanese artists, which is not uncommon in any Japanese bar or restaurant. When musicians play songs in jam sessions, they also rarely ever play songs by Japanese artists. During more official shows at Galop, however, they often play songs by older Japanese musicians, usually for an audience made mostly of Japanese people. This may be because many listeners are not familiar with songs from the West, or because they prefer to play American and British music during jam sessions because of their more bluesy structures, allowing for more improvisation. Either way, a full appreciation of both Japanese and music from Western cultures is clearly visible in the musicians at Galop.
Perhaps more impressive than the master's accomplishments in music is the fact that he operates his own business while living the life he wants to live. Being able to indulge in his passion for playing music and being able to drink late into the night show make him an exception to what some aspects of Japanese society have traditionally dictated: that seeking full, life-long employment in a good corporation is the only path to true success. During my first exchange in Japan I knew someone, around my age, who was very enthusiastic about the notion that all Japanese must be in the mainstream in order to be happy and successful. He played music himself, but eventually gave it up because he said he “grew out of it”, in the sense that he considered it a hobby unsuitable to carry on into his college life. The master of Galop, however, has led a successful life and raised a family, even if his life does not fit the traditional Japanese idea of success. In this sense, his life itself shows that there are ways to be successful in Japan without simply following the path of becoming a life-long company employee.
Other musicians that frequent the bar are also in their middle age and have continued playing music even as they have careers and families. One show featured a guitarist who played original songs, who looked like a typical businessman and father, also playing with an even younger guitarist who is a grandfather, among several other band members who were all on a professional level, perfectly hitting the harmonies of their own work and covers of The Beatles and other artists. Since the world of Japanese employment can often be strict in limiting the amount of free time someone has once becoming fully employed, many younger Japanese musicians find it hard to imagine a lifestyle where they can actively play music while having work and other obligations. For example, many members of the Folk Song Club who take a serious interest in music dread the thought of getting full employment and having to abandon their passions because of what society dictates.
One musician who comes to the bar is in his mid twenties and is fully employed. However, he still manages to write songs and perform around Kobe. While he claims music as a hobby rather than something he would prefer to pursue over work, the question is whether he really feels that or if he has just regulated music as a hobby because of his responsibilities at work. His willingness to play his songs certainly shows his enthusiasm for playing, making it clear that on some level performing music, among pursuing other creative outlets, is not considered a viable path to success in Japan. This aspect of Japanese society can be stifling to people who wish to pursue their talents and passions, and while societies like the United States may on the opposite end of the spectrum overvalue individual dreams to the point where self-worth is inflated and distorted, the disillusionment in younger Japanese generations over a work system that no longer offers the possibilities and securities it once did remains palpable. While there are voices in Japanese society, mainly through Westernized pop culture, that encourage individuals to pursue their passions, the traditional systems of education and family often ingrain a contradictory mindset into the Japanese from a young age. As a result, young musicians might abandon their talents instead of pursuing them, without realizing that it may not be necessary and they have the potential to live in a way where they can develop their love of music like the musicians at Galop. The nature of Japanese society might make it difficult to both succeed traditionally and personally in life, but the musicians I have seen through visiting the Galop Bar have shown that it is at least not impossible, whether it be on the level of owning a bar and drinking tequila every night like the master does, or being able to continue playing music even with being heavily occupied in one's career.
In terms of seeing more authentic musicians, going to Galop on a regular basis has opened up a whole new world of music studies in Japan. The relationships between Japanese and foreign musicians also shows how music can bridge cultural gaps, even when neither musician can fully communicate in English or Japanese. By meeting the people who play music at Galop, I gained a solid understanding of the amount of passion that many Japanese have for it, and that this passion has remained well into their adult lives. Outside Galop as well, there is still a lot more to be learned about musicians and music fans in Japan, but what has become clearest of all through observing and experiencing Japanese musical culture is that music can sometimes say more about a culture than words alone.
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