June 1, 2007
The downtown New York jazz scene lost one of its busiest, most creative souls last weekend when percussionist Take Toriyama passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. We received the sad news late this afternoon in an e-mail from Michaël Attias, curator of the excellent weekly series “Night of the Ravished Limbs” at Barbès in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Born in the small town of Chiba, Japan, Takeaki Toriyama found early success playing in a popular Japanese rock band. In search of something more musically satisfying, he came to the U.S. in 1993 to study at the Berklee College of Music. Toriyama arrived in Brooklyn in 2000, and quickly established himself as one of the scene’s most promising newcomers. Some weeks it seemed that he was practically the house drummer at Barbès, one of the city’s most vital music venues.
Among the many performers whose live dates and recordings Toriyama graced are seasoned figures such as Jimmy Heath, Dave Liebman, Chick Corea, Danilo Perez and George Garzone, as well as rising stars including Attias, Ben Monder, Loren Stillman, Russ Lossing, Anat Fort and Monika Heidemann. He was a member of Matt Moran’s uproarious Slavic Soul Party!, and played on the band’s outstanding recent release, Teknochek Collision.
Members of SSP! and other musicians whose lives Toriyama touched will be gathering this Sunday, June 3 at 1pm to honor his memory with a musical march, which will start at the 9th Street entrance to Prospect Park and make its way to Barbès (9th St at Sixth Ave). Toriyama’s family has flown in from Japan; private donations will be accepted to defray their travel and funeral costs. It would be a lovely thing for them to see firsthand the many, many local listeners whose lives were enriched for all too short a time by Toriyama’s lively playing and joyous spirit.
—Steve Smith (from Time Out New York blog)
June 1, 2007
As many of you already know, our dear friend and colleague drummer Take Toriyama tragically died over Memorial Day weekend. There will be a march in his honor with members of Slavic Soul Party and other musicians leaving from Prospect Park this Sunday at 1pm and arriving at Barbès shortly thereafter for an informal gathering in his memory. We hope that his many friends and the many musicians he worked with will be able to attend. His parents and brother will be present. There will be a collection pot for private anonymous contributions that will help his family cover the expenses of their trip from Japan and of the funeral arrangements.
We will gather, this Sunday at 1pm, at 9th st and Prospect Park West (parkside) and then proceed to barbès.
—Olivier Conan (from Barbès’ website)
June 1, 2007
Take Toriyama, a musician who was a mainstay of the independent jazz scene in New York, has left us. He was perhaps best known for the joyous and infectious grooves he brought to Slavic Soul Party, but he lent his tremendous creative gifts to a staggering number of local bands, including groups led by Ben Monder, Yoshi Waki, Art Hirahara, Monica Heideman, Amanda Monaco, Tim Zeismer, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Anat Fort, Mark Small, Sebastian Noelle, Thomson Kneeland, Mike McGinnis, Paul Olenick, Gene Ess, Michael Bates, André Canniere, Loren Stillman, Dave Smith, Travis Sullivan, Josh Rutner, Pete Robbins, Adam Schneit, Stefan Zeniuk, Jamie Stratton, Eivind Ovspik, Curtis Hasselbring, Tim Kuhl, Justin Mullens, Tine Bruhn, Sean Conly, Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic, Ursel Schlicht, Katie Porter, Alon Yavnai, Tim Miller, Dave Allen, Michaël Attias, Jonathan Moritz, Ben Holmes, Lars Jacobsen, Vardan Ovsepian, Joshua Davis, Brian Drye, Bruce Saunders, and a slew of others I’m sure I’m forgetting right now.
On Monday, May 28, I learned that Take had been found dead in his apartment. I’d grappled about whether to post anything here until there was some kind of official announcement, but today I was forwarded an email by pianist Toru Dodo asking for help spreading the word about Take’s memorial:
There will be a farewell party and funeral for drummer Take Toriyama this coming Sunday.
Donation for his family are deeply appreciated. Please give it to Yoshi Waki who is in charge for this party.
Sunday, June 3
1 PM – March and Farewell party
March starts at Prospect Park area then go to Barbès (in the corner of 9th St. and 6 Ave. Brooklyn)
6 PM – Funeral at NY Buddhist Church
331–332 Riverside Dr. bet. 105th St & 106th St., Manhattan
I would also like to invite Take’s many friends and colleagues in the New York jazz community and beyond to share their remembrances of him in the comments below. He will be sorely missed.
—Darcy James Argue (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 1, 2007
Take was such a beautiful human and musician and he will be so sorely missed. Sending love to all those who’s lives he touched.
—Amy Cervini (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 1, 2007
This was certainly unexpected. I never met Take, but I think it was Michael Bates who first mentioned his name to me, out at Banff. My condolences to everyone in the community — it’s a small one and each loss hits us hard.
—Ryshpan (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 2, 2007
I just learned of the tragic and unexpected passing of Take Toriyama. He was found dead in his apartment on Monday, May 28th. Take was was one of the most creative and respected drummers in the New York jazz scene, and will be remembered by his beautiful spirit and his incredible talent. On occasion he has been known to contribute his abilities to my group, and I consider myself lucky to have had the honor of making music with him.
On Sunday, June 3rd at 1 PM, there will be a memorial march in his honor led by his former bandmates from Slavic Soul Party. At 6 PM his funeral will be held at the NY Buddhist Church, located at 331–332 Riverside Dr. bet. 105th St & 106th St. in Manhattan.
—Andre Canniere (from The Tip Down)
June 2, 2007
追悼、Take Toriyama。 NYとボストンで頑張っていたDrummerのTake Toriyama（Takeちゃん）が、 メモリアルDayに亡くなってしまった。
NYに住んでる日本人ミュージシャンなら、一度は共演した事あるだろうTakeちゃん。 Visaの都合で帰国が決まっていたというのに、何故なんだろうか。 あんなに税金とかの経費もきっちり細かく書いていたしっかりもののTakeちゃんに、 いったい何があったのだろうか。
勿論僕もNYに引っ越した当初から随分付き合いがあったし、ボストン時代からの付き合いのミュージシャンも数多く居る事だろう。
残念ながらここ1,2年、NYの日本人ミュージシャンとは接する機会があまり無かったので、なぜTakeちゃんが行ってしまったのかはまるで判らない。
こんな時にしか連絡を取り合わない仲間も何だが、NYで頑張ってる日本人若手ミュージシャンにはショックな事件である。
僕も引っ越す前の家で、“このまま何かあって死んでいたら、誰も俺の事には気づかないだろう。”と思った事がある。
外国で住むという事は、それだけ孤独との戦いが、必ず背中合わせにあると思っている。
日曜日にお葬式だそうだが、残念ながら僕はその日の朝に日本に発たなくてはならない。
Takeちゃん、何があったかは判らないけど、死なないで欲しかった。
ご冥福をお祈りします。
—塩田哲嗣 (from Nori Shiota’s blog)
June 3, 2007
Thoughts and love go out to one of my best friends, colleague Take Toriyama, who took his own life on Sunday May 27th.
Take was a pivotal musician in my own musical development, and after 12 years of playing together, doing gigs and rehearsals on a weekly basis, touring together, and even living together, I can’t possibly express what his loss means to me. Losing a best friend is incredibly painful; losing one of my musical “soulmates” is just as devastating. Everyday, I hear Take’s playing in my own, all the ideas and aesthetics that we exchanged throughout the years from odd meters to Balkan grooves and Indian influences to lyricism and textures of beauty and silence. He was one of the few drummers to truly understand and utilize the power of silence and space, and this made him deeply original. Take was an incredibly unique man and musician and the most influential person in my own artistic development, turning me onto so much music and sharing so much on the bandstand and off.
Take, thank you for your friendship and your final gift of recording my music these past few weeks. I wish things could have turned out differently, and you and your playing will always have a place in my heart and my music.
—Thomson Kneeland (from Thomson Kneeland’s website)
June 3, 2007
I feel the need to leave something here as much for my own personal healing as for Take and his family and friends as we all struggle with his death. I had the pleasure of being Take’s roommate in Boston.
He was an incredible individual, a master musician and one of the most respectful and intelligent human beings I have ever met. He always emitted a positive energy. We talked a lot about drumming history, music, cymbals; he shared his drumming wisdom with me in our basement studio sometimes. His own drumming was perfection; he was a uniquely original virtuoso. He was a bit of a workaholic when it came to music, constantly traveling between Boston and NYC, always out playing gigs, recording or rehearsing. He had the best attitude, no ego at all, nothing but kind words. He once gave my cat a tomato juice bath in the sink after my cat got sprayed by a skunk while I was out. Take would do anything for you!
When he left our house to make his move permanent, I was sad to see him go. But it only made sense; New York City deserved to have this drummer. I will miss you Take, you will live on in our hearts and spirits!
—Scott Goulding (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 3, 2007
Take,
I can’t believe you’re gone in such a flash.
You were such a creative rhymicist and I loved playing with you
over all these years. What a hole you have left in our music community.
You will be missed and remembered by many forever. I’m so disappointed in learning of this loss and can only take solace in the vision of you affecting the rhythms of the universe out there in the other world.
—Sam Thomas (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 3, 2007
I learned this week that a friend and fellow musician passed away suddenly. It’s always so hard to come to terms with the passing of someone who is loved but especially when there was so much more for them to say. Take Toriyama was a beautiful musician and although I didn’t have the honor of playing with him I heard him play with many friends and know how important he was to them. There is a service today and a march in Brooklyn. More information at the Barbes website.
I went to see Dominique Eade last night and turned out to be just the thing to start the healing. The band was great and the combination of Jeremy Udden and Dominique was even more genius live than when I heard it in my head! My plans for tonight have changed and I probably won’t be able to go see Jack Donahue because I want to be at the service for Take. But you should definitely check Jack out. Later tonight my friend Ashley Paul will be at the Stone and hopefully I will be able to make a bit of that after the service.
Thought I’d include another live ACQ track today. It’s what I call a “palate cleanser”— like the sorbet between courses at a big fat Italian wedding. Hope you enjoy and that it brings you a smile.
—Amy Cervini (from Amy Cervini’s website)
June 3, 2007
I’m saddened to learn tonight of the death of Slavic Soul Party member Take Toriyama. Mucca Pazza and I opened for him and Slavic Soul Party two weeks ago at Martyrs in Chicago. I’m honored to have shared the stage with him.
I don’t think there is a better way to ensure immortality than through music. Like life, music is temporary. There is a start, a middle, and an end. It is art that lives and than dies, right before your eyes on a stage. Everytime an orchestra performs a Beethoven symphony, or a rock band covers a Nirvana Song, or Slavic Soul Party covers the part of Take, they live again.
—Greg Nicolett (from Greg Nicolett’s website)
June 3, 2007
This Sunday was mostly grief. After a delicious breakfast from Birdbath, we headed to Brooklyn for a memorial procession for Take Toriyama, an incredible drummer who died tragically last weekend. The memorial was attended by about 100 people, mostly musicians, kind people feeling the void left by Take’s sudden flight. Take’s former bandmates in Slavic Soul Party performed an incredibly emotional rendition of Ederlezi in his memoriam. (I had played the very same Ederlezi at a wedding reception, just the night before.) I wish he could’ve heard this band, seen all of the people!… Take and I had the pleasure of performing together several times with Romashka, and everyone’s jaw dropped each time he took a solo. He seemed to me as one of the most softspoken musicians in the NYC gypsy scene. I hope he is at peace…
—Lev “Ljova” Zhurbin (from The SoupASonic)
June 3, 2007
Take Toriyama passed tragically earlier this week. There is an excellent post on Darcy James Argue’s blog that has a great video of Take playing and other information. I never had the good fortune to meet or hear Take live, I’m sorry to say. I’ve heard him on record, though, and remember being blown away by his touch and uncanny musicality. New York’s creative music community has lost an important contributor.
—Harris Eisenstadt (from Tie a Bow Not a Knot)
June 4, 2007
One thing that struck me about the memorial procession for Take today was that we were surrounded by real people — warm, sincere, and eager to unite in caring for each other. Let Take’s tragic passing serve as a reminder to ALWAYS be surrounded by real people. And I can only hope that our gathering was of some comfort to Take’s family, where there is nothing we could have done to help Take himself.
—Inna Barmash (from The SoupASonic)
June 4, 2007
Dear friends,
One of my favorite musicians, Take Toriyama, left us last weekend.
Over the last three years, Take and I were part of an extraordinary
experience that any musician would be very lucky to have over the
course of their lifetime. We were part of a band which,
through about 300 gigs, brought much joy to many people,
including the band members themselves.
Take’s innovative style, on nothing but a snare drum and a cowbell,
created the “fusion” of Slavic Soul Party, which is an improbable
but amazing combination of drum’n’bass with Balkan brass band music.
If you never got to see the happiness he made,
check out this brief clip, which is all about Take,
and the chaos of a room full of people bouncing around to his groove:
Take was also a bandleader and creative force to be reckoned with: He put together one of the most remarkable combinations of musicians I’ve ever seen for a gig at Bar 4: a trio of himself on drums and electronics, Tom Rainey on drums, and Ben Monder on guitar. Few musicians have the courage to create bands like that, let alone to make it successful like Take did. He was an inspiration.
We will all miss him very much.
—Jacob Garchik (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 4, 2007
I am still in shock and deeply saddened by this great loss. Take was my former roommate in Woodhaven, New York and my friend. We played a lot of gigs together and hung. I learned so much from Take. Take was sincere, honest, serious yet funny, creative, very passionate, strong, driven, soulful and one of the baddest drummers.
Take could play in any meter, metric modulation, polyrhythm and read anything as well as swing & groove with fire! Take was also unique… his voice on the drums was distinct.
The service was beautiful and very sad, yet is was healing for all of us. I want to especially thank Yoshi Waki for doing all he did for Take, Take’s family and all of us. Please try to donate some money to Yoshi & the family to help with the costs of the service and the trip from Japan. I’ll get some pictures of Take up on my website to share with all of you. I will always remember Take Toriyama. Take Toriyama. Take Toriyama.
—Nick Russo (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 4, 2007
We had so much fun playing and talking and touring and discussing and watching “Ocean’s 11.” Goodby my friend. See you later!
—Ro Gebhardt (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 4, 2007
When I left for Take’s funeral it started raining and so it did for almost 24 hours straight. Now the sun is coming out but I’m still devastated and confused. It was painful to see his parents suffer. Take left and we all have to deal with it. From what I learned it was a very conscious decision on his part. The priest talked about a “sickness of the mind” but I’m at a loss when I try to imagine what went on in Take’s head the last few weeks of his life.
Very moving speeches by Hal Crook, Yoshi Waki and Oscar Noriega. When Take’s brother thanked everybody and apologized for the pain this caused us, I just completely lost it.
For me, Take’s spirit will live on. His dedication, sensitivity, humor and boundless creative energy taught me a lesson for life.
—Sebastian Noelle (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 4, 2007
Wow. I am floored by this news. I just found out about Take’s passing. It is particularly perplexing to me, because as much as I remember Take’s incredible playing and ability to instantly hook up musically and personally with new people, I also remember his deadpan sense of humor, musical and otherwise. He seemed such a profound person; understanding of the world and at peace with it and himself. We have lost one of the great ones. If there is a lesson to be learned by this, it is perhaps a deeper awareness of the disease of depression, the need for its study and treatment, and for the need to reach out to people suffering with it.
—Mark Shilansky (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 4, 2007
I can’t put to words how much take will be missed. The enormity of his life was very evident in yesterday’s march and funeral. In such a short life he so beautifully generated so much love, so much sound, so many friendship. I feel that through this experience we all became a real community. I never realized how many good people I knew until today. How many friends. we were all very much there for each other and with each other and I thank everyone of you for that. So many words were said. So many more will be said in days, weeks, months and years to come. I am sure this experience has changed us in more ways than we know now. Knowing take definitely has. TAKE to me was a close friend, and true partner in music, and thought and emotion. My words are raw now, but I will let them be that. No edits. Maybe at a later time I will sit to compose something more… at the moment, this is what I have. I can feel him. He is so strongly with us. With all of us who loved him. Who love him. Thank you to all of you who helped organize yesterday’s events. I’m sending vibrations of love and strength to his family and whoever else may need them…
—Ayelet Rose Gottlieb (from Ayelet Rose Gottlieb’s website)
June 5, 2007
The time I played with Take was a trio plus singer gig, me being the singer. Our pianist had to miss the first set, so I sang from behind the keyboard. My playing is competent at best, and I was a little nervous playing with a bassist and drummer out of my league. I needn’t have worried: Take made me feel like Keith Jarrett. Every idea I played was answered by a musical, “Well isn’t that clever!” or “You don’t say!” from the drums. It is the most fun I ever had playing piano.
—David Scott (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 5, 2007
I was sad to receive the devastating announcement on Sat. morning that Brooklyn drummer Take Toriyama died over the Memorial Day weekend. Take was a brilliant musician and a fabulous human being. I had the pleasure of seeing him with playing with so many different acts over the past two years (Curtis Hasselbring’s Curhakestra; Loren Stillman’s alto trio; Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic’s BOMB X; and his own group with Ben Monder, Andrew D’Angelo, and Chris Lightcap). His leaving us is so tragic and he will be dearly missed by all those he inspired.
—aquabenz (from All about Jazz Jazz Bulletin Board)
June 6, 2007
TaKe Toriyama was, not only a good friend and musical soul-mate, he was perhaps THE best over-all musician I have ever worked with. I hated to see him leave Boston, but knew he would do well in New York…he was always so creative and supportive musically… always dependable, and always uplifting. My memories of TaKe… on gigs, recording sessions, talks, toasts… they are ALL good… What a devastating loss…
—Chris Taylor (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 6, 2007
今週、まったく考えもしなかったことが起きて、
正直本当に参ってました。
この現実を、このブログに書くのもはばかれるのですが、
（ブログってなんなんだ）
でも、やっぱり、僕は、生きていかなきゃいけないわけで。
避けずに、書きたいと思います。
バークリー留学時代からの友人で、NYで共に生きてきた
日本人ドラマー、鳥山タケさんが、亡くなりました。
今の時点で、いつ亡くなったのかよくわからないのですが
２８日の月曜日、アメリカではメモリアルデーという祝日に、
共通の友人であるベースのヨシワキさんから、電話で知らされました。
自殺でした。
バークリー時代、一緒に様々なセッションをして切磋琢磨してきたドラマーでした。
初めての自分のトリオでNYブルーノート出演した時のドラマーでした。
クレオパトラでの年越しライヴバンド、お屠蘇組のドラマーでした。
この時、酔ったいきおいで、チューまでしたこともある友人でした。
昨年のクリスマスイヴのクレオパトラのホストバンドで共演したのが
最後になってしまいました。
今年に入って、会う機会がなかったのです。
今月、彼が帰国を決めていたことは、
少し前にヨシワキさんから聞かされていて、
少し寂しい感じはしていたのです。
４月に花見でもしようかと、彼を誘ってみたのですが、
日程が会わず、それじゃまた別な日に、パーティーでもしようと
ヨシワキさんと話をしていた矢先でした。
なぜこうなってしまったのか、わからないのです。
本当に優しい人で、かっこいい人で、
どうして最後がこんな終わり方になるのか理解に苦しむのです。
残念です。悔しいです。
腹立たしい感じもあります。
しょうがないとも思います。
なにしろ寂しいです。
こんなの読みたくない人もたくさんいるとは思いますが、
ごめんなさい。僕は生きていかなきゃいけないので、書きました。
—百々徹 (from Toru Dodo’s blog)
June 7, 2007
I thought long and hard about posting this. My friend and colleague Take Toriyama was put to rest last Sunday. Take passed away last week in his apartment. We in the jazz community were devastated by the loss. Take was a warm, fun loving person with an immense amount of musical talent. I have had the pleasure to perform, travel and be friends with him.
It has been more that 20 years since I last went to a funeral. I am happy to say that I have not had to attend many. Take’s funeral and memorial service was an important one for me and for many others who loved him.
On Sunday, June 3rd at 1:00pm there was a memorial march that began from Prospect Park in Brooklyn to Barbès (a music venue and bar that Take performed at regularly). There must have been about 200–300 people at the park and I knew many more who wanted to attend but could not. I was so moved and yet not surprised by the numbers. Take’s family flew in from Japan and I was devastated to see his family in so much pain. I was overwhelmed with sorrow and even now as it has been almost two weeks, I still cry when I think of Take. Slavic Soul Party (a band that Take was a member of) with a few other musicians, played as we marched and I was moved by the beauty and the sorrow that I saw in everyone. We all had different relationships with Take, whether we performed with him, saw him play, hung out with him or didn’t know him personally but was an admirer of his music, everyone was there to pay him hommage. I was so glad that his family witnessed the love and respect that was paid to him. While at Barbès there were computers with photos of Take performing, hanging out and pics from being on tour. I saw a picture of myself playing with Take and it gave me a warm feeling inside even though I was weeping. Later on that day I went to a Buddhist funeral for Take and it was beautiful and healing for me to attend. Take was in an open casket and that was the first time I had experienced something like that. It really brought the harsh reality to me that he was gone and that I would never bump into him on the street and chat or I won’t hear him honking his car horn when he sees me in the neighbourhood and I won’t ever see his name written in the live show listings or hear him perform and I won’t see him smile or hear him laugh again. All those things came rushing into me and when I laid a flower in his casket, I could no longer weep quietly and politely anymore. I saw my best friend in the aisle way and a wailed on his shoulder until I was too tired to do anything else. It’s funny, Take and I were not close like his other friends and colleagues were but his presence was important to me and I always loved seeing him and talking to him and joking around and playing music with him.
I spoke with my good friend Vinnie that day and we both agreed that the one thing we need to remind ourselves is that we should never take anyone for granted and that our community is important and we are all in this life together and we should love and embrace each other always.
I have countless thoughts about this experience but I feel that some should remain with me only. Take was my friend and colleague. He gave me inspiration in music and in life and I will miss him dearly.
I will never forget you.
Peace to you Take, my friend.
—Yoon Sun Choi (from Yoon Sun Choi’s website)
June 9, 2007
Even those of us who just discovered Take Toriyama through Slavic Soul Party are griefstruck by his loss. My 2 kids and I heard SSP in Providence and fell head over heels in love with the music and with his unmatched talent — we were and continue to be dedicated fans and deeply inspired by his work. Now we will find everything we can of his, to listen to. We send our soulfelt condolences and will cherish our one live encounter with his music.
—Carol Leo and Micaela (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 9, 2007
While it was a welcome surprise to hear Slavic Soul Party on NPR’s Weekend Edition this morning as I had recently heard the band live, I was startled by the band’s dedication of the last tune in their radio spot to their dear friend, Take Toriyama. Although I did not know him, I clearly remembered his wonderful playing and joyful energy at the band’s performance at Mass MoCA. I send heartfelt condolences for his untimely, tragic loss to all who knew him as band member, fellow musician, and friend.
—Ilene Stahl, Klezperanto, Klezmer Conservatory Band (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 11, 2007
I just found out about this information NOW!! this deeply saddens me. Take was a amazing performer, teacher and person. I studied with him in college, at Towson, in Baltimore MD. Take was and still is a huge inspiration for me for how I play and feel about music. One of the reasons I moved to NYC was to be as hip as he was… true inspiration. What a loss. He will be missed. Many thanks to all he gave to music and life.
—Tim Kuhl (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 11, 2007
I had the pleasure to have him play in my group for a handful of gigs. The last gig being with Dave Liebman and Harvie S and myself. He hooked me up with a nice photographer who took a bunch of photos from the concert. Never occurred to me that these photos of him would be sort of a memorial… I hope he is in a better place now. We talked about doing some gigs in Okinawa together… Time marches on…
—Gene Ess (from Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society)
June 12, 2007
６月３日（日）。
曇り空の中、昼過ぎに、ブルックリンのプロスペクトパークで
鳥山タケさんを偲ぶ葬送行進が行われた。
その後、マンハッタンにあるNYブディスト教会で、
彼の葬儀が行われた。
式を司るお坊さんが、
『お焼香は３度行うのですが、今日は一回でお願いします。
あまりお香をたきますと、この会場の空気も薄くなりますし。』
等と、読経の前におっしゃったくらい、参列者はゆうに１００人は超えた。
椅子も足りず、立ちでの参加者も多くいた。
アトランタからは、バークリーで同期だった宮本貴菜さん、
ボストンからは、彼の恩師であるハル・クルックの姿があった。
日本からかけつけた彼のお父さんとお兄さんの気丈な振る舞い、
お母さんの憔悴しきってうなだれている姿を見るのが辛かった。
式の間中、様々な思考が僕の頭の中を駆け巡った。
これほどの大勢の人に見送られる彼は幸せのように思える。
集まった参列者のほうが、彼を失ったことで、不幸なように思える。
年老いてボロボロになっていく僕たちの心の中に、
彼は３８歳の若さのままずっと生き続ける。
長く生きる事は、愛する者の死を、これからどんどん体験して
いくことでもある。若く死んだ彼は、これから二度とこの悲しみを
味わうことはない幸せ者でもある。
何故か、さだまさしの関白宣言の歌詞にある
『俺より先に死んではいけない。』
という節がやたら頭に浮かんできた。
友達はあまり欲しくないとも思う。
失ったときの悲しみが増すだけのように思う。
でも孤独な者は幸せ者なのか。
タケさんは生前、誰に対しても優しかったと思う。
人の悪口を言うのを聞いたことがない。
偉ぶることもなく、常に、バンドの中で
いい音楽、いいリズムを演奏することに情熱を
かけていたと思う。
思い出しても、何も彼の悪い所が浮かばない。
その彼が、自殺という終わり方をしたことが、
はじめ、僕は理解できなかったし、許せなかった。
彼らしくない終わり方だと、誰もが思ったことだろう。
しかし、わからない。
わからないが、抜け殻になって棺におさめられた
彼の表情を拝んだ時、安らかな眠りという表現とは、
ほど遠い、その苦しげな表情を見た時、
僕は、彼はやはりこの決断をするしかなかったのかもと
思った。
棺に中に、花をそえて最後の別れをした時、
傍らに立つ、彼のお兄さんが
『すまなかった。許してくれ。』
と僕に詫びた。
僕は理解しようと思った。
タケさんの最も親しかった友人であり、
遺体の発見者であり、その後の
処理をすべて行ったヨシワキさんによる、
弔辞は、許しに満ちた温かいものだった。
（僕は、ヨシワキさんを誇りに思う。）
タケさんを息子のように思い、鍛え育て、
ツアーに回ったハル・クルックは、身体を
震わせ、何度も声をつまらせがら弔辞を述べた後、
『Take Toriyama, Take Toriyama, Take Toriyama…』
と語りかけながら、棺で眠るタケさんに
最後のキスをした。
会場の皆が、泣いた。
映画みたいだが、外は、大雨が降りしきっていた。
もっと一緒に音を出したり、笑ったり、
語り合ったり、悩んだり、苦しみたかったけど。
しょうがないね。
こんな素敵な葬式に参加したことは今まで
なかったし、なんだかわからないけど
うらやましいくらいだ。
彼の訃報を聞いて、一週間が過ぎた。
相変わらず、彼のことを考えてばかりいるが、
好きだったんだよね。愛してたんだって
いまさらながらわかる。
『好きだ』ともっと言えばよかったと思う。
後悔先に立たず、というけどその通りだ。
でも、もし未来がわかってしまうと、
それはそれで不幸なわけでしょ。
彼に初めて出会ってから１２年近く
たつわけだが、会った当初、
彼が１２年後にこういう形で亡くなることを
知っていたら、『好きだ』なんて
どちらにしても気味悪くて言えなかったかもしれない。
よくわからない。人生の不条理ってこういうことなの。
どどさんこうして大人になっていくのかいね。
まいったね。大人って辛いのね。
あーあー、だ。ばかやろうだ。ちくしょうだ。
しょうがないから飯でも食べようっと。
—百々徹 (from Toru Dodo’s blog)
June 14, 2007
そもそも、
やれって言われて音楽家になったわけでもない。
行けって言われてNYに行ったわけでもない。
勝手に音楽家になろうとして、
勝手にNYで生活しているだけでしょ。
でもたまに、作った音楽が、褒められたりすると
嬉しいわけで。そうすると、もっと多くの人に
褒められたくなってくる訳で。
自分が思ったように、褒められないと、
何故だ？
とか、とても褒められている同業者を見て、
何故だ？
とか、悩んだりするわけでしょ。
でも所詮、勝手にやってるものだし、
それを、無理矢理聞かせて、好きになれ、CD買えなんて、
ちょっとレイプに近いですよね。
たまったもんじゃないですよね。
だから、音楽家は普段は謙虚になるしかないわけでしょ。
タケさんは、謙虚だったなぁと思う。
彼は、アメリカ人のバンドに入って、
レコーディングしたり、世界中をツアーしていた
数少ない日本人ドラマーだった。
彼のお葬式の参列者およそ１５０人強のうち、
日本人が２割で、８割は日本人以外であったことを見ても、
彼がいかに人種の壁を超えて愛されていたかがわかる。
彼はそういう輝かしい自分のキャリアを、
昔から、親しかった僕やヨシワキさんの前で
決して自慢げに語ることもしなかった。
彼はどちらかといえば、僕たちの自慢話を聞いて、
優しく祝辞を述べる役だったし、
時に軽口をはさんで、僕たちを笑わせてくれる人だった。
勝手にやっているだけにすぎないミュージシャンとしての、
立場を誰よりもよく理解していたのかもしれない。
インターネット時代、
誰もが、自分のサイト上に、自分の功績を自分で讃え上げる事が出来る
世の中になっているというのに、彼が自分のサイトを持つように
なったのは、ほんの最近のことだ。
しかもほとんど更新していなかった。
（かたや、有名人と共演しては、どうだすごいだろうとか、
CDが出ると言っては、すごいから買えとか、
アフリカに行ってはすごかったすごかったと、
自分のサイトではしゃいでいる、眼鏡ズルズルの、一見、
学校の先生みたいなピアニストもいるというのにね。）
そんな彼が、でも、先に逝っちゃうんだからね。
せめて遺書のひとつでも残してくれればなぁ。
最後ぐらい彼の言いたかった事、聞きたかったな。
どどさんも、なるべく謙虚にはしてますけど、
やっぱりたくさん褒められたいし。チヤホヤされたいし。
このサイトやブログだけは、命の限り書いていこうと思うわけで。
読んでくれる方々には、本当に申し訳ないですけど。（ね、謙虚でしょ。）
—百々徹 (from Toru Dodo’s blog)
June 16, 2007
Take Toriyama Take Toriyama Take Toriyama
Like a blank slope that grants no purchase, we miss you.
—Mary Jepson (from Mary Jepson’s MySpace blog)
June, 2007
June brings some very sad news. Extraordinary human being and musician, drummer Take Toriyama, passed away at his home in Brooklyn, NY on May 28, 2007. He was 38 years old.
Hundreds of people attended the funeral march in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the memorial service at Club Barbès and the funeral ceremony in Manhattan on Sunday, June 3rd. Those interested can go to www.yoshiwaki.net/take.html and read the eulogy given at his funeral.
Take surely did not die from a lack of love or concern or respect from his family, friends and peers. I’m grateful to Yoshi Waki, Natsu, and Oscar and Valerie Noriega, and his many other good friends for the help they so graciously gave to Take’s family, and to everyone else for their generous donations.
Take is featured on my latest CD recording called Creatures of Habit – CHI, all the proceeds from which will now go to a scholarship fund being set up in Take’s name at Berklee College of Music, of which Take was an alumnus. For more information about Take, go to taketoriyama.com.
Please contact Jason Camelio at jcamelio@berklee.edu to make a much appreciated, much needed, and much deserved donation. Thanks.
—Hal Crook (from Hal Crook’s website)
June, 2007
鳥山健明さんのウェブサイトに来て頂きありがとうございます。 残念なお知らせですが、鳥山健明さんは２００７年５月２８日、ブルックリンの自宅にて急逝されました。
あまりにも突然の事で、今でも信じられない気持ちでいっぱいですが現実として受け止めるしかありません。 ただ、たけさんが残してくれた多大なる影響は強烈に今でもこれからも私達と共にずっとずっとあると思います。
６月３日、１時から行われたマーチングではNY、 ボストンから想定２００人以上の友人がプロスペクトパークに集まりたけさんを偲びました。 たけさんがよく演奏していたバルベルスにはそれはすごい人の波で絶える事がありませんでした。 そして６時からのNY buddist churchでは雨が降りしきる中、１０９人もの参列者の方々に見送られました。
でもこれがお別れだとはやっぱり思えないので、ご家族の許しを得てたけさんのウェブサイトはあるべき時まで残させて頂く事になりました。そしてまだアップしてない写真は山のようにあるので、たけさんの事を思い出したら又来てください。
—高井花代 (from Take Toriyama’s website)
June, 2007
Take Toriyama, the great person who also happened to be a great drummer, passed away a week and a half ago. Unspeakably sad and tragic. You can see and hear him play if you click Squib or Pedal (videos). For that concert Take took the bus to Boston (4.5 hours), played one set with me, got back on rhe bus to NY (another 4.5 hours). I think I paid him $125. Another time Take, Alexis Cuadrado and I drove to Washington from NY to play with Antonio Arnedo. I think that was an 7 hour drive each way. We drove, played the gig, drove back. Take never complained, always played great and never said a word about his incredible sorrow. And I’m so pissed at him because now I can never pay him back, not that I ever could, for all he did for me. I hope you got some peace, Take.
—Bruce Saunders (from Bruce Saunders’ website)
June, 2007
Last month ended sadly with the passing of the great Take Toriyama just a couple of days after the second of two recordings I had the opportunity to do with him in May. He will of course be missed by all musicians that knew him, and I highly encourage anyone that didn’t to check out some recordings of him as he was a unique (and I think important) voice on the drums. My thoughts are with his family and all that were close to him.
—Dave Smith (from Dave Smith’ website)
June 9, 2008
It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since Take left us. It’s still such a shock to most of us and so painful to realize that he’s gone. Like so many others, I had some of the most beautiful and wonderful experiences with him personally and musically. The guy really had a sound, and when you played with him, you were never just playing with a drummer… it was always something greater than that, and so incredibly selfless. He was really the whole package, and exuded such groove, sensitivity and joy when he played. I’ll never forget the string of trio sessions and hangs that Take, Chris VanVorstVanBeest and I did at my old place in Park Slope, and fortunately there’s some material from a recording session that Take and I did together with Ethan Herr in 2004 or 2005 that I’ll cherish.
I’m still amazed when I remember how many people showed up to share their grief and pay him tribute at his memorial. Never had I seen a gathering of musicians that transcended the cliques or divisions that supposedly exist in our little music world.
In just a few short years in New York, Take had touched so many people. Anybody who was there for the walk down 9th street from Prospect Park will never forget the intensity and the collective feeling present that morning. Such a strange mix of sadness and joy to see the music community together that morning, so many friends normally wrapped up in their own lives who rarely come together otherwise unless it’s for a gig. To take his life the way he did, Take had to have been suffering in a deeper way than any of us can imagine. I remember the Buddhist monk who conducted Take’s formal memorial pointing out that just like cancer can invade the body, there is a sickness of the mind that is so powerful and debilitating that one loses all hope that things can get better. Take and I were never the closest of friends, which never seemed to matter to me. We’re both fairly quiet people and he was somebody I felt close to without opening up to or spending loads of time with. Regretfully, I didn’t see him much in the last six months of his life, but through others I know he was going through some really difficult things and kept so much of it inside, fearing that he would burden others by sharing his pain. One of the most tragic things is to think of just how many people would have done anything for him had he reached out. Most people knew he was down, but nobody saw what was coming, and I think his suicide made all of us aware of just how real of a phenomenon it is, one we all need to keep in the back of our mind when we know somebody is suffering.
Take’s friend and teacher Hal Crook spoke at the funeral, and it’s been posted on Yoshi Waki’s website. I don’t think anything better or more comforting could have been said.
(quote)
—Sam Sadigursky (from The One Seat)