In 1987 I met the great German saxophonist Peter Brötzman in Chicago. We did a duet concert together. He had been travelling in Canada at the time with two other European musicians, but they had some problems crossing over into the US. So Peter contacted the promoter of the concert he was to do in Chicago and asked him if there was a drummer there that he could play with because of the border situation with the other two musicians. The promoter recommended me.

Thus the pre-journey began to meeting Kondo-san and also the great bassist and multi-instrumentalist William Parker. That first concert with Peter in Chicago turned out pretty good, by the way.

In 1989 Peter called together William Parker, Toshinori Kondo and myself to form a group that he called Die Like A Dog. We participated in a small festival in Wuppertal, Germany, sponsored by our good friend Uli Armbruster.

Kondo-san, what an amazing and funny man. A gifted and inventive trumpet player. From the first gathering of Die Like A Dog I knew we were all bonded together and that Kondo-san and I would have a good and long friendship.

So many things I could say about him, many stories I could tell. He was my brother and friend. I will relate a few stories which to me speak to a small degree of being-ness.

Kondo-San had associates in just about every genre of music. The well-known bassist and producer Bill Laswell was one of them. I had been working with Bill for a number of years, and one day I got a call to go to Japan and be a part of a group with the great gimbri player from Morocco, Maalem Gania. Many may be familiar with the recording The Trance Of Seven Colors featuring Pharoah Sanders that was produced by Bill. Kondo-san was part of the production for the Save Mount Fuji Festival that we were invited to.

When leaving Chicago I assumed I had all my documents for entering Japan, but when I got to customs I was informed my paper work was not in order and as a result I wouldn’t be able to enter the country. I was escorted to a side room and the customs officers proceeded to ask me why I had come. I told them that I was here for the festival. I said, “Maybe you can speak with my friend who came to pick me up from the airport and who is also involved in the festival, he is waiting at arrivals for me.” I told them his name is Toshinori Kondo. The three customs officers looked at each other and one of them said in a very strong voice, “Kondo-san?” I said, uh, yes. He said to wait here.

When he returned Kondo was with him. They were all so excited to meet him, they were bowing and asking for his autograph. I didn’t know that Kondo was a star of a very popular Japanese soap opera at the time. Immediately, they filled out a form and said, “Just have this stamped by customs when you are leaving the country and everything will be fine.” Of course, when we left Kondo-san gave me his big smile and laughed.

One day I received a phone call from Kondo. He said he had been in the Andes Mountains doing a documentary film for Japanese TV, and asked if he could pass through Chicago when he was finished, stay with me and go into the studio. I said, sure. I asked him what did he want to do. At the time, I was pretty active on the reggae circuit in Chicago. He said, “Can you get a few of your reggae friends together and we could do a reggae version of Otis Redding’s “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay”?” I said “Whaaaaatttttt?” He wanted us to do the recording, and when he returned to Japan, he would have a friend of his sing the lyrics in Japanese. It was for a television show. I said, whatever you want Kondo-san, and we did it.

Also during this trip to Chicago Kondo got to meet and play with Baba Fred Anderson, the great tenor saxophonist and owner of the well-known music venue The Velvet Lounge. He also met the wonderful bassist Tatsu Aoki. Fred, Tatsu and myself had been collaborators for many years. The recording from a gig that night was recently released through the efforts of Tatsu-san. I remember after the concert Fred came up to me and said in his very Fred Anderson way – those who knew Fred will know exactly what I mean – “Hamid I don’t think I have ever played with a trumpet player quite like that before, ah man.”

I met so many interesting people through Kondo-san. He helped put together a peace festival on the island of Miyajima, close to Hiroshima. In order to do this festival he felt it was important to travel to India and seek an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and ask that he bless the festival. He met with His Holiness, filmed the encounter and opened the festival with the video of him blessing the festival and speaking about the importance of music in regards to peace.

Kondo-san’s wife is a master of the Tea Ceremony. At that festival, he asked her if she would make some tea for me in the traditional way. He knew I was fond of things of that nature. I still remember its taste and her subtlety in the preparation.

The last time I saw Kondo-san was December 2019 in Chicago. He was a special guest for the 29th Annual Winter Solstice Concert that our friend and great percussionist Michael Zerang and I had been doing. Through the help of Tatsu Aoki and The Japanese Cultural Association he was able to come to Chicago.

Kondo arrived from Tokyo the day of the concert and played beautifully.

What else can I say? There are so many stories, memories, adventures, van and train rides, soundchecks, dinners, waiting around, conversations and silences. A dear friend has left us at least physically. But he is right there, right here. Heart space. So many great ones, friends have gone on. Rare gems, shinning lights each in their own way. All had found their own creative voice and were truly themselves. Perhaps the finding of our own creative voice and being true to that is one of the great lessons/gifts they have left us with. May we continue to do that. If we haven’t started yet, start.

Dear friend and brother, Kondo-san, thank you, thank you. Your friend/brother, Hamid.