Interview with Yoko Noge

Back in August, I had the real pleasure of sitting down with the blues singer and pianist Yoko Noge. I had seen her play blues at the Art Institute many years ago and recently at the Ginza Festival in Lincoln Park. Below is a small portion of the incredible interview that we had.

I asked her to describe her work. She told me, “I’ve tried to make people happy. Music is something in me and I have to release it. I’ve been singing since I was 18/19 years old as a professional. Neither fame nor money has been my first priority. That’s not my purpose of playing music or singing. The reasoning for doing it is [that] I just have to do it. I’m happy when I believe I can make people happy listening to my music. Life is very tough sometimes for all of us and we need something to put our mind away. I can do that with my music for myself and for somebody else and that’s why I do it.”

I asked her what it was like to come to Chicago to see the blues scene year after she had established herself as a blues singer in Japan. Yoko Noge told me, “People are awfully nice and welcoming. I didn’t expect that openness of people, so it was very happy experience.  I didn’t think of myself singing on the stage of Chicago, I was there to observe and see the scenes. So when they said, ”Yoko sing. You are a singer, right? You sing.” I was like: “What? I can’t do that.” But they persuaded me, so I sung and they liked it. The other time, I had my ex-husband who was a blues’ guitar player, Japanese blues’ guitar player, I had a band with him in Japan. He became side guitar player for Willie Kent Band. I was a guest singer for the band. Here and there, they gave me a little bit of money. When they gave me $20, it was a big deal for me. Wow! And when I went to over to Maxwell Street before they moved, they had had always street band, right. So I joined them and sung with them and tips always came in, so they wanted me to come back week and week, so I did that.”

That’s just a small part of our interview. Check out Yoko Noge’s website and Facebook for upcoming performances, music, and much more: 

https://www.facebook.com/yokonoge

http://yokonoge.com/

Yoko Noge and her band at the Ginza Festival in August 2015

Upcoming Art Events

October is going to be an exciting month. So many artists will be opening their work. Here are two of many events featuring artists who have participated in the project.

First, Yoko Noge and Jazz Me Blues will play a free concert at International House, University of Chicago, 1414 E. 59th Street at 5:30 on Friday 2nd. The event is co-sponsored by International House Global Voices Program.

For more information, check out: http://ihouse.uchicago.edu

Second, Carron Little and Judie Anderson will both be presenting work at the Beverly Art Walk on October 3rd. Judie Anderson will be holding Open Studio so check out her amazing work. Carron Little will debut her Neighborhood Magic.  More information about her piece here: http://www.beverlyarts.org/events/neighborhood-magic-carron-little-featured-artist-beverly-art-walk-2015/

Check out more information about the Art Walk here: http://www.beverlyarts.org/

There's a lot going on in the next few weeks. These are just two of many awesome art events you should check out!