Happy Birthday, Toshiko Akiyoshi

Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger, and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi was born on December 12, 1929, in Liaoyang, Manchuria.

Akiyoshi and her husband Lew Tabackin are best known for their Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, which Len Lyons has described as "perhaps the last great hope for [the] continuance" of the big band. Akiyoshi has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine's Readers Poll.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band's album Insights (RCA), which is available from Amazon.com.

Akiyoshi performs a piano solo, "The Village," from her 60th Anniversary concert here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 8 March 2014

Toshiko Akiyoshi: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video clip of Toshiko Akiyoshi appearing on the television show, "What's My Line?," in 1956.

Count Basie: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video clip of Count Basie live in Chicago in 1963 playing the "Swingin' Shepherd Blues."

Anthony Braxton, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Charlie Parker, Wayne Shorter: According to the Jazz Journalists Association, the finalist nominees for the 2014 JJA Jazz Awards have been announced. The nominees include:

• Herbie Hancock for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz
• Wayne Shorter for Musician of the Year, Composer of the Year, Tenor Saxophonist of the Year, Soprano Saxophonist of the Year
• Wayne Shorter Quartet for Midsize Ensemble of the Year
• Without a Net by the Wayne Shorter Quartet for Record of the Year
• Miles Live in Europe 1969 by the Miles Davis Quintet for Historical Record of the Year
• Anthony Braxton for Multi-Reeds Player of the Year
• Keith Jarrett for Pianist of the Year
• Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington (Gotham) by Terry Teachout for Best Book About Jazz of the Year
• Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker by Stanley Crouch for Best Book About Jazz of the Year

Robert
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Recent Links :: 3 March 2014

Toshiko Akiyoshi: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses the early career of pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi.

Louis Armstrong: In The New Yorker, Ben Schwartz discusses Louis Armstrong's political views.

Louis Armstrong: At About Last Night, Terry Teachout shares a 1958 television interview with Louis Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman discusses two children's books, Travels with Louis and Riding on Duke's Train. (Purchase Travels with Louis from Amazon.com. Purchase Riding on Duke's Train from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Chick Corea will perform a solo piano concert at the Town Hall in New York in April.

Duke Ellington: New Jazz United shares a clip of Ethel Waters singing "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Toshiko Akiyoshi

Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger, and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi was born on December 12, 1929, in Liaoyang, Manchuria.

Akiyoshi and her husband Lew Tabackin are best known for their Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, which Len Lyons has described as "perhaps the last great hope for [the] continuance" of the big band. Akiyoshi has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine's Readers Poll.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band's album Insights (RCA), which is available from Amazon.com.

Akiyoshi performs a piano solo, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," here:

Robert
Facebook page

Happy Birthday, Toshiko Akiyoshi

Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger, and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi was born on December 12, 1929, in Liaoyang, Manchuria. She turns 83 today.

Akiyoshi and her husband Lew Tabackin are best known for their Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, which Len Lyons has described as "perhaps the last great hope for [the] continuance" of the big band. Akiyoshi has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine's Readers Poll.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band's album Insights (RCA), which is available from Amazon.com.

Akiyoshi performs a piano solo, "The Village," here:

Robert
Facebook page

Happy Birthday, Toshiko Akiyoshi

Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger, and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi was born on December 12, 1929, in Liaoyang, Manchuria. She turns 82 today.

Akiyoshi and her husband Lew Tabackin are best known for their Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, which Len Lyons has described as "perhaps the last great hope for [the] continuance" of the big band. Akiyoshi has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine's Readers Poll.

Lyons recommends the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band's album Insights (RCA), which is available from Amazon.com.

Akiyoshi performs a piano solo, "The Village," here:

Robert
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