is a Japanese–American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist, composer, arranger, and

bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or ...

. Akiyoshi received fourteen

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in ''

Down Beat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. In 1984, she was the subject of the documentary '' Jazz Is My Native Language''. In 1996, she published her

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...

, ''Life with Jazz'', and in 2007 she was named an NEA Jazz Master by the U.S.

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

Biography

Akiyoshi was born in

Liaoyang Liaoyang () is a prefecture-level city of east-central Liaoning province, China, situated on the Taizi River. It is approximately one hour south of Shenyang, the provincial capital, by car. Liaoyang is home to Liaoning University's College of F ...

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...

, to Japanese colonists, the youngest of four sisters. In 1945, after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Akiyoshi's family lost their home and returned to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, settling in

Beppu is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of March 31, 2017, the city had a population of 122,643

. A local record collector introduced her to jazz by playing a record of

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive swing pianist", Wilson had a sophisticated, elegant style. His work was featured on the records of many ...

playing "

Sweet Lorraine "Sweet Lorraine" is a popular song with music by Cliff Burwell and words by Mitchell Parish that was published in 1928 and has become a jazz standard. It is written in F major and has an AABA structure. A version by Teddy Wilson charted in Octobe ...

." She immediately loved the sound and began to study jazz. In 1952, during a tour of Japan, pianist

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...

discovered her playing in a club on the Ginza. Peterson was impressed and convinced record producer

Norman Granz Norman Granz (August 6, 1918 – November 22, 2001) was an American jazz record producer and concert promoter. He founded the record labels Clef, Norgran, Down Home, Verve, and Pablo. Granz was acknowledged as "the most successful impres ...

to record her. In 1953, under Granz's direction, she recorded her first album with Peterson's rhythm section: Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on double bass, and

J. C. Heard James Charles Heard (August 10, 1917 – September 27, 1988) was an American swing, bop, and blues drummer. Biography Heard was born in Dayton, Ohio and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. As a young child, he performed as a tap dancer in a ...

on drums. The album was released with the title '' Toshiko's Piano'' in the U.S. and ''Amazing Toshiko Akiyoshi'' in Japan. Akiyoshi studied jazz at the

Berklee School of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. In 1955, she wrote a letter to

Lawrence Berk Lawrence Berk (December 10, 1908 – December 22, 1995) was the founder of Berklee College of Music, a pianist, composer and arranger, and educator. Berk oversaw the growth of the modest Schillinger House music school into the Berklee College of M ...

, asking him to give her a chance to study at his school. After a year of wrangling with the

State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...

and Japanese officials, Berk was given permission for Akiyoshi to enroll. He offered her a full scholarship, and he mailed her a plane ticket to

. In January 1956, she became the first Japanese student at Berklee. Soon after, she appeared as a contestant on the 18 March 1956 broadcast of the CBS television panel show ''

What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...

'' In 1998, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee, by then known as the Berklee College of Music. Akiyoshi married

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pro ...

Charlie Mariano Carmine Ugo Mariano (November 12, 1923 – June 16, 2009) was an American jazz saxophonist who focused on the alto and soprano saxophone. He occasionally performed and recorded on flute and nadaswaram as well. Biography Mariano was born in ...

in 1959. The couple had a daughter, Michiru. She and Mariano divorced in 1967 after forming several bands together. During the same year, she met saxophonist

Lew Tabackin Lewis Barry Tabackin (born March 26, 1940) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and flutist. He is married to pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi with whom he has co-led large ensembles since the 1970s. Biography Tabackin started learning flute at age 1 ...

, whom she married in 1969. Akiyoshi, Tabackin, and Michiru moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in 1972. In March 1973, Akiyoshi and Tabackin formed a 16-piece

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

composed of studio musicians. Akiyoshi composed and arranged music for the band, and Tabackin served as the band's featured soloist on tenor saxophone and flute. The band recorded its first album, '' Kogun'', in 1974. The title, which translates to "one-man army", was inspired by the tale of a Japanese soldier lost for 30 years in the jungle who believed that World War II was still being fought and thus remained loyal to the

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

. ''Kogun'' was commercially successful in Japan, and the band began to receive critical acclaim. The couple moved to New York City in 1982 and assembled the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. Akiyoshi toured with smaller bands to raise money for her big band. Years later, BMG continued to release her big band's recordings in Japan but remained skeptical about releasing the music in the United States Although Akiyoshi was able to release several albums in the U.S. featuring her piano in solo and small combo settings, many of her later big band albums were released only in Japan. On Monday, 29 December 2003, her band played its final concert at Birdland in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, where it had enjoyed a regular Monday night gig for more than seven years. Akiyoshi explained that she disbanded the ensemble because she was frustrated by her inability to obtain American recording contracts for the big band. She also said that she wanted to concentrate on her piano playing from which she had been distracted by years of composing and arranging. She has said that although she has rarely recorded as a solo pianist, that is her preferred format. On 24 March 2004,

Warner Japan Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...

released the final recording of Akiyoshi's big band. Titled '' Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo'', the album was recorded 28–29 November 2003.

Music

Akiyoshi's music is distinctive for its textures and for its Japanese influence. When

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

died in 1974,

Nat Hentoff Nathan Irving Hentoff (June 10, 1925 – January 7, 2017) was an American historian, novelist, jazz and country music critic, and syndicated columnist for United Media. Hentoff was a columnist for ''The Village Voice'' from 1958 to 2009. Fol ...

wrote in ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...

'' that Ellington's music reflected his African heritage. Akiyoshi was inspired to investigate her Japanese musical heritage. She composed using Japanese themes, harmonies, and instruments (

kotsuzumi The or ''tsuzumi'' is a hand drum of Japanese origin. It consists of a wooden body shaped like an hourglass, and it is taut, with two drum heads with cords that can be squeezed or released to increase or decrease the tension of the heads respec ...

, kakko, utai, tsugaru shamisen). But her music remained planted firmly in jazz, reflecting influences from Duke Ellington,

Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and ...

, and Bud Powell. One reviewer of the live album '' Road Time'' said the music on her big band albums demonstrated "a level of compositional and orchestral ingenuity that made her one of perhaps two or three composer-arrangers in jazz whose name could seriously be mentioned in the company of Duke Ellington,

Eddie Sauter Edward Ernest Sauter (December 2, 1914 – April 21, 1981) was a composer and arranger during the swing era. Biography Sauter studied music at Columbia University and the Juilliard School. He began as a drummer and then played trumpet profession ...

, and

Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role ...

." In 1999, Akiyoshi was approached by Kyudo Nakagawa, a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

priest, who asked her to write a piece for his hometown of

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...

. He sent her some photos of the aftermath of the nuclear bombing. Her initial reaction was horror. She could not see how she could compose anything to address the event. Finally, she found a picture of a young woman emerging from an underground shelter with a faint smile on her face. Akiyoshi said that after seeing this picture, she understood the message: hope. With that message in mind, she composed the three-part suite ''Hiroshima: Rising from the Abyss''. The piece was premiered in Hiroshima on 6 August 2001, the 56th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. The Hiroshima suite appeared on the 2002 album '' Hiroshima – Rising from the Abyss''.

Awards and honors

* NEA Jazz Master, 2007 * Jazz Album of the Year: '' Long Yellow Road'', ''

Stereo Review ''Sound & Vision'' is an American magazine, purchased by AVTech Media Ltd. (UK) in March 2018, covering home theater, audio, video and multimedia consumer products. Before 2000, it had been published for most of its history as ''Stereo Review''. ...

'', 1976 * Gold Disk: ''

Insights Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings: *a piece of information *the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intui ...

'', ''Swing Journal'' * Silver Disk: '' Kogun'', ''

Salted Gingko Nuts , also known by its Japanese title ''SHIO GIN NAN'' ( = salted ginkgo nuts), is the sixth studio album by the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. Released in 1978, the album received the 1979 Silver Disk award from Japan's Swing Journal m ...

'', ''

Four Seasons of Morita Village ''Four Seasons of Morita Village'' is the fifth album recorded by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. It was released in 1996 and won the Swing Journal Silver Disk Award for that year.jazzcd.jp: 1996 Swing Journal (Jap ...

'', ''Swing Journal'' * Special Award: ''( 50th Anniversary Concert in Japan)'', ''Swing Journal'' * ''Down Beat'' magazine Readers' Poll winner: ** Arranger: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1995 ** Big Band: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 ** Composer: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986 * ''Down Beat'' magazine Critics' Poll winner: ** Jazz Album of the Year: 1978 (''

'') ** Arranger: 1979, 1982, 1990, 1995, 1996 ** Big Band: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 ** Composer: 1981, 1982 *

nominations:LA Times, Grammy Nominees Database
accessed 3 June 2007 ** Best Jazz Instrumental Performance – Big Band: 1976 ('' Long Yellow Road''), 1977 ('' Road Time''), 1978 (''

''), 1979 ('' Kogun''), 1980 (''Farewell''), 1981 ('' Tanuki's Night Out''), 1984 (''

Ten Gallon Shuffle ''Ten Gallon Shuffle'' is the first recording released by the New York-based Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin (following 13 previous releases by the Los Angeles-based Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band). The compo ...

''), 1985 (''

March of the Tadpoles ''March of the Tadpoles'' was the fifth studio recording of the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. The album was released in Japan in 1977 by Baystate. The album received two 1985 Grammy award nominations – for "Best Jazz Instrumenta ...

''), 1992 ('' Carnegie Hall Concert''), 1994 (''

Desert Lady / Fantasy ''Desert Lady / Fantasy'' is the fourth recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. Not to be confused with the 1989 Lew Tabackin (Quartet) Concord Records release, ''Desert Lady''. The album received two ...

''). ** Best Arrangement on an Instrumental: 1981 (for "A Bit Byas'd"), 1983 (for "Remembering Bud"), 1985 (for "

"), 1994 (for "Bebop") * JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 4Class BAR

Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, 2004

Discography

* 1954 '' Toshiko's Piano'' ( Norgran) * 1955 '' The Toshiko Trio'' ( Storyville) * 1956 '' Toshiko – Her Trio, Her Quartet'' (Storyville) * 1957 ''

Toshiko and Leon Sash at Newport ''Toshiko and Leon Sash at Newport'' is a live album recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 and released on the Verve record label. All 4 Toshiko Akiyoshi tracks are also included on some later re-issues of the Norgran (Verve) recording ...

'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

) * 1957 ''

The Many Sides of Toshiko ''The Many Sides of Toshiko'' is a jazz piano trio album by Toshiko Akiyoshi, recorded in New York in 1957 and released on the Verve label. Track listing LP side A #" The Man I Love" ( G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 5:27 #"Minor Moods" ("Midnig ...

'' (Verve) * 1958 '' United Notions'' ( MetroJazz) * 1961 '' The Toshiko–Mariano Quartet'' ( Candid) * 1961 '' Long Yellow Road'' ( Asahi Sonorama) * 1961 '' Toshiko Meets Her Old Pals'' (

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

) * 1963 '' Toshiko–Mariano Quartet (in West Side)'' (Takt/ Nippon Columbia) * 1963 '' East and West'' (

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

) * 1963 ''

The Country and Western Sound of Jazz Pianos ''The Country and Western Sound of Jazz Pianos'' is an album recorded by jazz pianists Toshiko Akiyoshi and Steve Kuhn in New York City in 1963 and released on the Dauntless label. It was later re-released on the Chiaroscuro label under the t ...

'' with Steve Kuhn (Dauntless) * 1963 '' Miwaku No Jazz'' (

Victor The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...

) * 1964 '' Toshiko Mariano and her Big Band'' (

Vee-Jay Records Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a ...

) * 1965 '' Lullabies for You'' (Nippon Columbia) * 1969 ''

Toshiko at Top of the Gate ''Toshiko at Top of the Gate'' is a live jazz (quintet) album by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. It was recorded at the Top of the Gate in New York City in July 1968 and was released by Nippon Columbia and Denon Records. Track listing LP side A ...

'' (Nippon Columbia) * 1970 ''

Toshiko Akiyoshi in Japan ''Toshiko Akiyoshi in Japan'' (also released as ''Long Yellow Road, Toshiko Akiyoshi Quartet'') is an album by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, recorded at the Osaka Expo Hall in Osaka, Japan in 1970 and released by Toshiba Records. It is not to be co ...

'' (Liberty) * 1971 ''

Jazz, the Personal Dimension ''Jazz, The Personal Dimension'' is a jazz album recorded by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Quartet in New York City in early February 1971 and released by Victor (Japan) Records (Victor SPX-2). Track listing Side 'A' #"The Village" (Akiyoshi) #" The ...

'' (Victor) * 1971 ''

Meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...

'' (Dan Records) * 1971 '' Sumie'' (Victor) * 1971 '' Solo Piano'' (RCA Victor) * 1974 '' Kogun'' (RCA) * 1975 '' Long Yellow Road'' (RCA) * 1976 '' Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan)'' (RCA) * 1976 '' Road Time'' (RCA) * 1976 ''

'' (RCA) * 1976 '' Dedications'' (Discomate) * 1977 '' Dedications II'' (Discomate) * 1977 ''

'' (RCA) * 1977 '' Live at Newport '77'' (RCA) * 1977 ''

Live at Newport II ''Live at Newport II'' was the third live recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band and the second release of music from the band's performance at the 1977 Newport Jazz Festival (following '' Live at Newport '77''). It ...

'' (RCA) * 1978 ''

'' (Ascent) * 1978 ''

Toshiko Plays Billy Strayhorn ''Toshiko Plays Billy Strayhorn'' (also released as ''A Tribute to Billy Strayhorn'' (JAM) and ''Dedications III'' (Alfa)) is a jazz album recorded by two different configurations of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio in 1978. It was released on the Dis ...

'' (Discomate) * 1978 ''

Finesse In contract bridge and similar games, a finesse is a type of card play technique which will enable a player to win an additional trick or tricks should there be a favorable position of one or more cards in the hands of the opponents. The player a ...

'' (

Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the j ...

) * 1979 '' Notorious Tourist from the East'' (

Inner City The term ''inner city'' has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Sociologists some ...

) * 1979 '' Sumi-e'' (Insights) * 1980 '' Farewell'' (RCA) * 1981 ''

From Toshiko with Love ''From Toshiko With Love'' is the twelfth recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band (ninth studio recording). It was released in Japan by Victor Records and in the U.S. (under the title ''Tanuki's Night Out'') by Jaz ...

'' (Baystate) * 1982 ''

European Memoirs ''European Memoirs'' (a.k.a. ''Memoir'' in Japan) is the tenth studio recording of the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. Akiyoshi was nominated for a 1983 Grammy award in the Best Instrumental Arrangement category for the arrangement ...

'' (Baystate) * 1983 '' Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio'' (

Eastworld Eastworld is a Japanese jazz and pop music record label owned by EMI Music Japan (former Toshiba-EMI), under Universal Music Group. Artists *Minako Honda *Jennifer Connelly *Marvin Peterson *Original Love *RC Succession *Sadistic Mika Band * San ...

) * 1984 ''

'' (Baystate) * 1984 '' Time Stream (Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio album)'' (Eastworld) * 1986 ''

Wishing Peace ''Wishing Peace'' is the second recording released by the New York-based Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin after 13 previous releases with their Los Angeles-based Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. "Lady Libert ...

'' (Ascent) * 1987 ''

Interlude Interlude may refer to: *a short play or, in general, any representation between parts of a larger stage production *''Entr'acte'', a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production *a section in a movement of a musical piece, se ...

'' (Concord Jazz) * 1990 '' Four Seasons'' ( Nippon Crown/Ninety-One) * 1991 '' Chic Lady'' (Ninety-One) * 1991 '' Live at Birdland'' (

Fresh Sound Fresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a jazz record label established in Barcelona, Spain, by Jordi Pujol. The label was initially founded as a reissue label. The catalog includes work by musicians both major and minor that was recorded be ...

) * 1992 '' Carnegie Hall Concert'' (

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

) * 1992 '' Remembering Bud: Cleopatra's Dream'' (Evidence) * 1994 ''

'' (Columbia) * 1993 '' Dig'' (Ninety-One) * 1994 ''

Night and Dream ''Night and Dream'' is a small jazz combo album recorded by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1994 and released by Nippon Crown Records. Track listing #"Night Waltz" (Akiyoshi) – 6:16 #"Darn That Dream" ( DeLange, Van Heusen) – 8:24 #"Elusiv ...

'' (Ninety-One) * 1995 '' Yes, I Have No 4 Beat Today'' (Ninety-One) * 1994 ''

Toshiko Akiyoshi at Maybeck ''Toshiko Akiyoshi at Maybeck'' is a solo jazz piano album recorded by Toshiko Akiyoshi at the Maybeck Recital Hall in Berkeley, California and released on the Concord Jazz record label. It is Volume 36 in Concord's "Maybeck Recital Hall Series". ...

'' (Concord Jazz) * 1996 ''

'' (Novus) * 1996 '' Time Stream: Toshiko Plays Toshiko'' (Ninety-One) * 1997 '' Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio Live at Blue Note Tokyo '97'' (Ninety-One) * 1998 '' Monopoly Game'' (Novus) * 1999 ''

Sketches of Japan ''Sketches of Japan'' is an album by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. It was released in 1999 by Nippon Crown Records. Recording and music The album was recorded over three sessions: at Studio A, Avatar Studios, New York City on January 12–13 a ...

'' (Ninety-One) * 1999 ''

Tribute to Duke Ellington ''Tribute to Duke Ellington'' is a big band jazz album recorded in New York in 1999 and is the seventh recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. The first three tracks make up the "Tribute To Duke Ellingt ...

'' (Novus) * 2000 '' Toshiko Akiyoshi Solo Live at the Kennedy Center'' (Crown) * 2001 '' Hiroshima – Rising from the Abyss'' (Video Arts) * 2004 '' Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo'' (

Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...

) * 2004 '' New York Sketch Book'' (Ninety-One) * 2006 '' Hope'' (Ninety-One) * 2006 '' 50th Anniversary Concert in Japan'' (T-toc Records) * 2008 ''

Let Freedom Swing ''Let Freedom Swing'' is a big band jazz album recorded by the SWR Big Band with Toshiko Akiyoshi as guest pianist/conductor. The album was released as a 2 disk CD in February 2008 by Hänssler Verlag in Germany and includes performances of 12 ...

'' with the SWR Big Band (

Hänssler Hänssler-Verlag is a German music publishing house founded in 1919 as Musikverlag Hänssler by Friedrich Hänssler Senior (died 1972) to publish church music. The company is now based in Holzgerlingen. Since 1972 Hänssler Verlag has also publis ...

) * 2008 '' Vintage (Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin album)'' (T-toc Records) * 2009 '' Solo Live 2004 (Live at "Studio F")'' (Studio Songs) * 2010 ''

Classic Encounters ''Classic Encounters'' is a 2010 recording by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi with Reiko Honshoh. Track listing # "''Toshiko's March''" – "Alla Turca: Allegretto in A minor" / Piano Sonata No. 11 (Mozart), Piano Sonata No. 11 (Wolfgang Amadeus Mo ...

'' (Studio Songs) * 2011 '' Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra in Shanghai'' (

Pony Canyon , also known by the shorthand form , is a Japanese mass media publishing company founded on October 1, 1966. The company publishes mainly physical home media on compact discs, including music, films and TV shows and video games. It is affiliate ...

) * 2015 ''

Jazz Conversations ''Jazz Conversations, The Other Side of Monday Michiru'' is a 2015 recording by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and her daughter singer/flutist Monday Michiru, released in Japan by Victor Entertainment. Track listing #"Long Yellow Road" (Akiyoshi, ...

'' (Victor Entertainment) * 2016 ''

Toshiko Akiyoshi Plays Gershwin's Porgy And Bess ''Toshiko Akiyoshi Plays Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"'' is a 2016 recording by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. Track listing #" Summertime" #"I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" #" I Loves You, Porgy" #"My Man's Gone Now" #"A Woman Is A Sometime Thing" ...

'' (Studio Songs) * 2017 '' My Long Yellow Road'' (Studio Songs) * 2019 ''The Eternal Duo!'' (Sony)

References

Notes

* "100 Jazz Profiles: Toshiko Akiyoshi"
link

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

; accessed 18 May 2007 * "Jazz Import"
link
''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'', 26 August 1957 * "Toshiko's Boston Breakout"
archived link

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

, News@Berklee.edu, c. 1998; accessed 26 May 2007 * Hazell, Ed. "Playing Shape"
archived link
Berklee College of Music, News@Berklee.edu, 2 June 2004; accessed 26 May 2007 * Helland, Dave. "Bio: Toshiko Akiyoshi"
archived link
Down Beat.com; accessed 18 May 2007 * Jung, Fred. "A Fireside Chat With Toshiko Akiyoshi"
link
''

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

'', 20 April 2003; accessed 18 May 2007 * Weiers, Matt. "An Interview with Toshiko Akiyoshi"
link
''Allegro'', 2004 March (Volume CIV, No. 3). * Yanow, Scott. "Biography: Toshiko Akiyoshi" ( link, allmusic.com; accessed 18 May 2007.

External links

2007 NEA Jazz Master Profile
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Akiyoshi, Toshiko 1929 births 20th-century American pianists American autobiographers American writers of Japanese descent American women composers American women jazz musicians American jazz bandleaders American jazz composers American jazz pianists American music arrangers American women musicians of Japanese descent Berklee College of Music alumni Big band bandleaders Columbia Records artists Concord Records artists Women jazz composers Japanese emigrants to the United States Japanese expatriates in China Japanese women composers Japanese jazz composers Japanese jazz pianists Japanese people from Manchukuo Japanese women pianists Living people Progressive big band musicians RCA Records artists Women jazz pianists People from Liaoyang 20th-century American women pianists 21st-century American pianists Verve Records artists Women autobiographers 21st-century American women pianists Fresh Sounds Records artists Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class