re: #148 Barefoot Grin

I lived in a tiny rural town in northern Japan for a couple of years and was invited to play guitar with a local swing band. Mostly farmers, small-business owners, and local government employees, they were really good—mostly just from their high school days. I was the one faking it most of the time (rock background).

Not much to do in the winter in small town Japan, I guess. ;-)

I was really surprised during my travels there by all the jazz playing in bars, cafes, and restaurants as background music. In China, you might hear bossa nova, but never bebop, cool jazz, big band, or any other variety of jazz.