About

Welcome to Mari’s World – a Blog to hopefully inspire others to follow their dreams.

My name is Mari, mostly known as a multi-instrumentalist and entertainer. Throughout the years I’ve played with local bands and performed as a solo artist. After pursuing my interests in Japanese culture, I discovered and adopted the high energy music style and founded Jinokoya in 2009.

I am also an actor and writer… but more on that shortly.

How It all Began

Music has been the core of my universe as far back as I can remember. Dancing in nursery school performances, playing Xylophone in elementary school music ensembles…then starting my own band in High school to joining a local band playing A-rooms in the Baltimore area.

I never imagined that pursuing my interest in Japanese culture, would have me playing solo for large events, singing Japanese at Cherry Blossom fests and Anime conventions, or even playing a concert in Tokyo.

But how I learned to play music is not so glorious. My life didn’t start out all rainbows and unicorns. My father abandoned the family after I was born, then four years later my sister was killed in an accident. At the age of seven more tribulation too traumatizing to reveal had me burying my whole existence into the living room upright piano. I couldn’t read music and never had lessons but learned to create music to express the feelings and thoughts I couldn’t verbally communicate. Music became my sanctuary. 

On my 14^th birthday, a family friend gave me an acoustic guitar. After building the necessary calluses needed, I discovered I had an ability to play any song by ear and create my own music… on different instruments.  And so it began….. I am now a keyboard player/ programmer, bassist, guitarist, and vocalist who has also dabbled in trumpet, clarinet, digeridoo and shamisen. 

Currently I am the lead performer for Jinokoya and Keyboardist for the band Dying Breed.

Why Japan?

“Why Japan?” … most people ask. Love makes us do strange things and for me, it was simply out of love for a Japanese musician who breathed the musical fire back into my soul. 

After a divorce and a ten year hiatus from music, I yearned to get my life back and break out of the shell I was hiding in. Always having been fascinated with Japan, I decided to go to college and take a Japanese Language & Culture course. After classes ended I met a Japanese visitor (our first encounter was quite humorous) who introduced me to his world of Japanese music. He gave me a list of songs and I began to search them online. The very first song I listened to reminded me of the originals I used to play years ago. I desperately needed to play music again. I dusted off the keyboards and had programmed that song before the next morning. It was addicting and soon I had learned quite a few songs on both keyboards and guitar. When my dear friend returned to Japan, I wrote my very first Japanese song, Sayonara Sun to honor his friendship.

Mesmerized by Japan’s music and lyrics, I went on to complete all the college language courses, then joined a language partner program working with Japanese foreign language students. The network grew and I met more musicians. Amused at this American who could play and sing in Japanese, they began asking me to perform at small events. These small events led to playing larger cultural venues and soon I was playing convention centers and Festivals. During one of the Cherry Blossom Fests I met a Japanese teacher who offered to take me on my first trip to Japan. I accepted, and can say I’ve never experienced anything more magnificent. I was also given the opportunity to perform at a neighborhood block party in Hokkaido – my first performance in Japan. When I returned from my trip I posted photos on social media and connected with even more people.  Do you see where I’m going with this? 

Two years later one of my foreign language students emailed and invited me to perform at her concert in Tokyo. This was a dream come true and during this venture I was finally able to see the man that started me on this fantastic musical journey. 

Since then I’ve been to Japan more times than I can count; performing, and networking with more musicians. This dream has only just begun….

Acting

Yes, I’m also a professional actor. Nothing big, I’ve only been doing it for two years. Television crime dramas, short films, commercials, photo shoots, and even a featured background on House of Cards.  I’ve always wanted to try acting, but music was my thing…. until I met my favorite actor. 

He gave me his thoughts on the differences between the film and music industries, and how the music business is more difficult to thrive in compared to acting. I asked what it takes to be successful and he said these words that I live by:

“Surround yourself with people like you, doing what you want to do, and successful at it”

Two months later I found myself in acting classes and already filmed for my first television crime series. The camera became another addiction and if I’m not practicing or playing music, I’m auditioning for the next role.

Writing too?

Yes…
It all started as a simple journal of my travels to Japan. I often reread the diary to see where I had left off and each time was astounded by the uncanniness of the events that had taken place. I was dumbfounded by how chasing a dream led me to places I never would have seen, or do things beyond my abilities. I learned if others become aware of your honest hard work, dedication, and efforts, they usually help fight for your cause. My journey had become so remarkable it seemed as if I was reading a fiction novel. I felt myself cheering on the heroine and couldn’t wait to read the next chapter.  My story needed to be seen and not just hidden away in the nightstand. I turned my diary into an inspirational story to hopefully inspire the lost souls, the broken, and the dreamers in this world. “To Chase a Rising Sun”. Writing became another form to release my thoughts and dreams.

Because of the childhood nightmares, I’d often make up a small stories in my head to help with falling asleep. To this day, these stories are still being written in my mind. After the death of my mother, I began releasing these continuous episodes, completing two novels and working on my third. The vivid images, character backgrounds, and story line, in my opinion would make for a great TV drama, so I ended up converting the first novel into a script. I look forward to copyrighting the story for 2019 and hope to start filming in 2020.