Lewis Barry Tabackin (born March 26, 1940) is an 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 m ...

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 12, followed by tenor saxophone at age 15. He has cited Al Cohn and Coleman Hawkins as influences on saxophone, while his flute role models include classical players such as William Kincaid, Julius Baker, and Jean-Pierre Rampal. Tabackin studied flute at the

Philadelphia Conservatory of Music Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

and also studied music with composer Vincent Persichetti. In 1962 he graduated from the Conservatory and after serving with the U.S. Army worked with

Tal Farlow Talmage Holt Farlow (June 7, 1921 – July 25, 1998) was an American jazz guitarist. He was nicknamed "Octopus" because of how his large, quick hands spread over the fretboard. As Steve Rochinski notes, "Of all the guitarists to emerge in th ...

. He also worked with Chuck Israels in New York City and a band that included Elvin Jones,

Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop ...

, and Roland Hanna. Later he was a member of '' The Dick Cavett Show'' band and The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen. He moved from New York to California with '' The Tonight Show'' in 1972. During this time he played with Shelly Manne and

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, ...

. Tabackin met Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1967 while he was playing in Clark Terry's band and she was invited to sit in for Don Friedman. They formed a quartet in the late 1960s, married in 1969, and in 1973 co-founded the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band in Los Angeles, which later became the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin, playing bebop in Duke Ellington-influenced arrangements and compositions by Akiyoshi. Tabackin was principal soloist for the band from 1973 through 2003. Critic

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles a ...

describes Tabackin as "one of the few jazz musicians who has been able to develop completely different musical personalities on two instruments", with his forceful hard bop style on sax contrasting with his delicate flute playing.

Jazz Foundation of America

Tabackin supports the Jazz Foundation of America in its mission to help elderly jazz and blues musicians, including those affected by Hurricane Katrina. He has sat on the Advisory Committee of the Foundation since 2002.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

* ''Tabackin'' (Inner City, 1974) – also released as ''Let the Tape Roll'' (RCA) * ''Day Dream'' (RCA, 1976) * '' Tenor Gladness'' with

Warne Marsh Warne Marion Marsh (October 26, 1927 – December 18, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Los Angeles, his playing first came to prominence in the 1950s as a protégé of pianist Lennie Tristano and earned attention in the 1970s as ...

(Discomate , Inner City, 1976) * ''Dual Nature'' (Inner City, 1976) * ''Trackin' '' (RCA, 1976) * ''Rites of Pan'' (Discomate/Inner City, 1977) * ''Vintage Tenor'' (RCA, 1978) – with Toshiyuki Miyama And His New Herd * ''Lew Tabackin Meets the Tadpoles'' (Insights, 1979) * ''Black and Tan Fantasy'' (Discomate , Ascent , Jazz America Marketing (JAM), 1979) * '' Phil Woods/Lew Tabackin'' (Omnisound , Evidence, 1980) * ''Threedom'' (Discomate, 1980) * ''Duo: John Lewis & Lew Tabackin'' ( Toshiba EMI, 1981) * ''My Old Flame'' (

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geogra ...

, 1982) * ''Lew Tabackin Quartet with Randy Brecker,...'' (Toshiba EMI, 1983) * ''Angelica'' (Toshiba EMI, 1985) * ''Desert Lady'' (

Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony) * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...

, 1989) * ''I'll Be Seeing You'' (Concord, 1992) * ''What a Little Moonlight Can Do'' (Concord, 1994) * ''Live at Vartan's'' (Vartan Jazz, 1994) * ''L' Archiduc - Round About Five'' ( Igloo Jazz, 1996) * ''Tenority'' (Concord, 1996) * ''In a Sentimental Mood'' (Camerata , Insights, 1998) * ''Pyramid'' (Koch Jazz, 1999) * ''Tanuki's Night Out - Lew Tabackin Trio'' (2002) * '' Vintage: Duke Ellington Songbook'' (T-toc Records, 2008) – with Toshiko Akiyoshi * ''Live in Paris - Lew Tabackin Trio'' (2008) * ''Jazz na Hradě, Lew Tabackin Quartet'' (Multisonic, 2010) * ''Soundscapes'' (2016) * ''The Eternal Duo!'' (

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

, 2019) – with Toshiko Akiyoshi

Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band

* '' Kogun'' (1974) * '' Long Yellow Road'' (1975) * '' Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan)'' (1975) also known as ''HANA KAI TAN'' (花魁譚) * '' Road Time'' (1976) * '' Insights'' (1976) * '' March of the Tadpoles'' (1977) * ''

Live at Newport '77 ''Live at Newport '77'' was the second live recording of the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band and was followed by another release, '' Live at Newport II'' recorded on the same day. Both albums were recorded at the 1977 Newport Jazz Fest ...

'' (1977) * '' Live at Newport II'' (1977) * '' Salted Gingko Nuts'' (1978) also known as ''SHIO GIN NAN'' (塩銀杏) * '' Sumi-e'' (1979) * '' Farewell'' (1980) * '' From Toshiko with Love'' (1981) also released as ''Tanuki's Night Out'' * '' European Memoirs'' (1982)

Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin

* '' Ten Gallon Shuffle'' (1984) * '' Wishing Peace'' (1986) * '' Carnegie Hall Concert'' (1992) * '' Desert Lady / Fantasy'' (1993) * '' Four Seasons of Morita Village'' (1996) * '' Monopoly Game'' (1998) * '' Tribute to Duke Ellington'' (1999) * ''

Hiroshima - Rising from the Abyss 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 ...

'' (2001) * ''

Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo ''Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo'' is the ninth recording released by the New York-based Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. Not to be confused with the 1997 Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio release, '' Live at Blue Note Tokyo '97''. Tra ...

'' (2003) * '' Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra in Shanghai'' (2011)

Akiyoshi - Tabackin Big Band compilations

* '' Mosaic Select: Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band'' (

Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

, 2008) * '' NOVUS Series '70: The Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band'' (BMG/Novus) * '' Eternal Best / Best 8'' (BMG) * '' The Best of Toshiko Akiyoshi'' (BMG)

As sideman

With Toshiko Akiyoshi * ''

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 record, ...

'' ( Nippon Columbia, 1969) * ''

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 ...

'' aka ''Long Yellow Road'' (

Toshiba , commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, ...

, 1970) * ''

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 calm ...

'' (Dan, 1971) * '' Sumie'' (Victor, 1971) * ''

Yes, I Have No 4 Beat Today ''Yes, I Have No 4 Beat Today - Toshiko Akiyoshi with Brazilian Friends'' is a jazz album recorded by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1995 and released by Nippon Crown Records. Track listing #"Once I Loved" ( Jobim) – 8:42 #"Pollination" (Aki ...

'' ( Nippon Crown, 1995) * '' Time Stream: Toshiko Plays Toshiko'' (Nippon Crown, 1996) * ''

50th Anniversary Concert in Japan ''50th Anniversary Concert in Japan'' (Japanese title, = ''American visit 50th anniversary commemorative Japanese performance'') is a live concert album recorded by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and released in Japan on the T-toc Record label. ...

'' (T-toc, 2006) With

* '' Fancy Free'' (Blue Note, 1969) * ''

Electric Byrd ''Electric Byrd'' is a jazz fusion album by Donald Byrd released by the Blue Note label in 1970.Huey, S. Allmusic Review: ''Electric Byrd''accessed 07 June 2010 Reception The Allmusic review by Steve Huey awarded the album 4 stars and stated, ...

'' (Blue Note, 1970) * '' Kofi'' (Blue Note, 1995) With Benny Carter *'' Central City Sketches'' (MusicMasters, 1987) With Harmonie Ensemble New York * ''Tchaikovsky, Ellington, Strayhorn: Nutcracker Suites'' ( Harmonia Mundi, 2013) * ''Henry Mancini: Music for Peter Gunn'' (Harmonia Mundi, 2014) With Shelly Manne * ''Plays Richard Rodgers' Musical "Rex"'' (

Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discove ...

, 1976) * '' Essence'' (

Galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System ...

, 1977) With

Duke Pearson Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer. ''Allmusic'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record pro ...

* ''

Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band ''Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band'' is the eleventh album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson, featuring big band performances recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (Blue Note, 1968) * '' Now Hear This'' (Blue Note, 1969) * ''

I Don't Care Who Knows It ''I Don't Care Who Knows It'' is an album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances recorded between 1968 and 1970.

'' (Blue Note, 1996) With

Carla White Carla Ruth White (September 15, 1951 – May 9, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist. Biography White was born in Oakland, California, and raised in New York City, where she studied jazz dance. She began singing and acting in high school. She mov ...

* ''Listen Here'' ( Evidence, 1991) * ''Mood Swings'' (

Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway line, canal or boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks; or they can give their position on the route relative to so ...

, 1992) * ''The Sweetest Sounds'' ( DIW, 2000) With others * '' Ridin' High'', Maynard Ferguson (Enterprise, 1967) * '' The Jazz Composer's Orchestra'',

Jazz Composer's Orchestra The Jazz Composer's Orchestra was an American jazz group, founded by Carla Bley and Michael Mantler in 1965, to perform orchestral avant-garde jazz. Its origins lay in the Jazz Composers Guild, an organization founded by Bill Dixon which grew ou ...

( ECM, 1968) * '' Jimmy Knepper in L.A.'', Jimmy Knepper (Discomate/ Inner City, 1977) * '' Jukin''', The Manhattan Transfer (Capitol, 1971) * ''White Heat'', Barry Miles (Mainstream, 1971) * ''Night Blooming'', Leonard Feather (Mainstream, 1972) * '' Small Change'', Tom Waits ( Asylum, 1976) * ''Ecue Ritmos Cubanos'', Louie Bellson ( Pablo, 1977) * ''Shortcake'',

Bill Berry William Thomas Berry (born July 31, 1958) is an American musician who was the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Although best known for his economical drumming style, Berry also played other instruments, including guitar, bass guitar ...

(

, 1978) * '' Sweet Return'', Freddie Hubbard (Atlantic, 1983) * ''Central City Sketches'', Benny Carter ( Nimbus, 1987) * ''Blues-O-Matic'',

John Colianni John Colianni (born 1966) is an American jazz pianist. Early life The son of Patricia Colaianni and journalist James F. Colaianni, John Colianni was born in Paterson, New Jersey on January 7, 1966 and grew up in Maryland. Duke Ellington perf ...

(Concord, 1988) * ''Take Your Pick'', Howard Alden (Concord, 1996) * ''Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell'', David Lahm (

Arkadia Jazz Arkadia Records is an independent record label that was founded in 1996. The label was founded in New York City by Bob Karcy, who had been a manager for musicians and an independent record producer. The first release was Billy Taylor's ''Music Kee ...

, 1999) * ''The Philadelphia Story'', Jimmy Amadie (TPR, 2007)

Video

* '' My Elegy'' (Pioneer LaserDisc, 1984) * '' Strive For Jive'' (V.I.E.W. Video, 1992) * '' In Shanghai'' (Pony Canyon, 2011) * ''The Eternal Duo!'' (Sony, 2019) – with Toshiko Akiyoshi

Awards and honors

DownBeat ' (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 Ch ...

'' magazine Critic's Poll winner: * Jazz Album of the Year: 1978 ('' Insights'') * Big Band: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 * Flute: 1980, 1981, 2010 ''DownBeat'' magazine Readers' Poll winner: * Big Band: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 * Flute: 1981, 1982 Grammy Award nominations: * Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band: 1976 ('' Long Yellow Road''), 1977 ('' Road Time''), 1978 ('' Insights''), 1979 ('' Kogun''), 1980 ('' Farewell''), 1981 ('' Tanuki's Night Out''), 1984 ('' Ten Gallon Shuffle''), 1985 ('' March of the Tadpoles''), 1992 ('' Carnegie Hall Concert''), 1994 ('' Desert Lady / Fantasy'') ''Swing Journal'' awards: * Gold Disk: 1976 ('' Insights''), Silver Disk: 1974 ('' Kogun''), 1979 ('' Salted Gingko Nuts''), 1996 ('' Four Seasons of Morita Village'')

References

External links

Official site

"Fireside Chat" at All About Jazz

Interview by breakthruradio.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabackin, Lew 1940 births Living people Musicians from Philadelphia American jazz bandleaders American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz flautists Big band bandleaders University of the Arts (Philadelphia) alumni 21st-century American saxophonists Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians The Tonight Show Band members American Jazz Orchestra members Igloo Records artists 21st-century flautists