Toshiko Akiyoshi (穐吉 敏子, born December 12, 1929) is a jazz pianist and a composer/arranger. She was among the first successful female instrumentalists in jazz. She is recognized as a major figure in jazz composition, and her music is studied at several universities. She has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in the Down Beat Readers Poll. In 1984, she was the subject of a documentary film titled Toshiko Akiyoshi: Jazz Is My Native Language. In 1996, she published her autobiography, Life With Jazz, which is currently in its third Japanese printing. December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 19 days remaining. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... In popular music an arrangement is a setting of a piece of music, which may have been composed by the arranger or by someone else. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards), presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... An autobiography (from the Greek auton, self, bios, life and graphein, write) is a biography written by the subject or composed conjointly with a collaborative writer (styled as told to or with). The term dates from the late eighteenth century, but the form is much older. ...

Toshiko was born in Liaoyang, Manchuria to Japanese emigrants. She was the youngest of four sisters. In 1945, after World War II, the territory was overrun by Communist soldiers. Toshiko's family lost their home and returned to Japan, settling in Beppu. Liaoyang (Simplified Chinese: 辽阳; Traditional Chinese: 遼陽; pinyin: ) is a city in Liaoning province in northeast China. ... Extent of Manchuria according to Definition 1 (dark red), Definition 3 (dark red + medium red) and Definition 4 (dark red + medium red + light red) Manchuria (Manchu: Manju, Simplified Chinese: 满洲; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is a name given to a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... Emigration is the action and the phenomenon of leaving ones native country to settle abroad. ... Combatants Allies: • Poland, • UK & Commonwealth, • France/Free France, • Soviet Union, • USA, • China, ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Italy, • Japan, ...and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total: 50 million Full list Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total: 12 million Full list World War II... Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... Beppu (別府市; -shi) is a city located in Oita, Japan. ...

Toshiko began to study piano at age seven. When she was 16, she took a job playing with a band in a local club. Beppu was crowded with US soldiers, and musicians were in high demand to provide entertainment. Toshiko had planned to attend medical school, but she loved playing piano; and since she was earning good money, her family didn't object to her pursuing music. A grand piano A piano is a keyboard instrument, which is widely used in western music for solo performance, chamber music, and accompaniment, and also as a convenient aid to composing and rehearsal. ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to present) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York, New York Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President  â€¢ Vice President Federal republic... An image of a 1901 examination in the faculty of medicine. ...

A local record collector introduced Toshiko to jazz by playing a record of Teddy Wilson playing "Sweet Lorraine." Toshiko immediately loved the sound, and began to study jazz. In 1952, during a tour of Japan, pianist Oscar Peterson discovered Toshiko playing in a club on the Ginza. Peterson was impressed, and convinced producer Norman Granz to record Toshiko. In 1953, under Granz's direction, Toshiko recorded her first album with Peterson's rhythm section: Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and J.C. Heard on drums. The album was titled Toshiko's Piano, and has since been reissued on CD. A record can refer to: a type of sound recording, i. ... Theodore Shaw Teddy Wilson (born November 24, 1912 in Austin, Texas-died July 31, 1986 in New Britain, Connecticut) was a United States jazz pianist. ... Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC , CQ , O.Ont. ... The Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan The Wako department store occupies a busy corner in Ginza Ginza (銀座) is a place in Chūō Ward, Tokyo named after the silver coin foundry or Ginza established here in 1612 (Edo period). ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Norman Granz (Los Angeles, USA, August 6, 1918 - Geneva, Switzerland, November 22, 2001), was an American jazz music impresario and producer. ... Mitchell Herbert (Herb) Ellis (born in 1921) is an American jazz guitarist. ... A guitar is a stringed musical instrument. ... Raymond Matthews (Ray) Brown (October 13, 1926 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania– July 2, 2002) was an American jazz bassist. ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... The Compact Disc logo was inspired by that of the previous Compact Cassette. ...

In 1955, Toshiko wrote a letter to Lawrence Berk asking him to give her a chance to study at his school, Berklee College of Music. After a year of wrangling with the State Department and Japanese officials, Berk secured permission for Toshiko to study in Boston. He offered her a full scholarship, and he mailed her a plane ticket to Boston. In January 1956, Toshiko enrolled to become the first Japanese student at Berklee. (As of 2000, roughly 10% of Berklee's student body was comprised of Japanese students.) While in Boston, Toshiko studied with legendary jazz masters Herb Pomeroy, Madame Chaloff, and Richard Bobbitt. The latter taught her about Joseph Schillinger's System of Musical Composition, which influenced her approach to composition. Berklee College of Music, founded in 1945, is an independent music college in Boston, Massachusetts with many prominent faculty, staff, alumni, and visiting artists. ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... Herb Pomeroy is an influential jazz trumpeter and educator. ... Joseph Schillinger (1895-1943) was born in Kharkov, Ukraine (at that time, part of Russia). ...

Toshiko married saxophonist Charlie Mariano in 1959. In 1963, the two had a daughter Monday Michiru. The pair formed several bands together, until their divorce in 1967. That same year, she met saxophonist Lew Tabackin, whom she married in 1969. Toshiko and Tabackin moved to Los Angeles in 1972. In March 1973, they formed a 16-piece big band comprised of studio musicians. Toshiko 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. Kogun was commercially successful in Japan, and the band began to receive critical acclaim. By 1980, the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band was considered one of the most important big bands in jazz. Marriage is a relationship that plays a key role in the definition of many families. ... A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. ... Charlie Mariano was an American jazz alto saxophonist. ... Monday Michiru Monday Michiru Mariano (more commonly known as Monday Michiru) is an Japanese-American actress, singer, and songwriter whose music encompasses and fuses a wide variety of genres including jazz, dance, pop, and soul. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is YOUR MUM the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse, which can be contrasted with an annulment which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support... Lew Tabackin (born March 26, 1940) is a jazz flutist and a tenor saxophonist. ... Nickname: City of Angels Official website: http://www. ... A big band is a large musical ensemble that plays jazz music. ... This article is about the musical term solo; for other uses, see solo. ... In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high voice (although not as high as a countertenor). ... Saxophones of different sizes play in different registers. ... The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. ... This article is about Jungle, the terrain. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ...

The couple moved to New York City in 1982, where they promptly assembled a new big band (now called the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin). Toshiko toured with smaller bands to raise money for her big band. BMG continued to release her band's CDs in Japan, but remained skeptical about releasing the music in the United States. Big band music rarely achieves commercial success in the US; so while Toshiko was able to record several domestic albums featuring her piano prowess, her big band's output was largely relegated to export status. On Monday, December 29, 2003, her band played its final concert at Birdland, where it had enjoyed a regular Monday night gig for more than seven years. Toshiko explained that she disbanded the ensemble because she was frustrated by her inability to obtain domestic 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. Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... The BMG logo. ... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In jazz, Birdland may refer to: A famous jazz club in New York City, originally located on 52nd Street, now at at 315 W. 44th St. ... Look up Gig in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Gig may be: A slang term for a musical engagement A contraction for gigabyte An archaic term for a type of light carriage A type of spear A similarly designed type of fishing tackle A contraction for Captains Gig, a type...

Toshiko's music is distinctive for its textures and for its Japanese influence. When Duke Ellington died in 1974, Nat Hentoff wrote in the Village Voice about how Ellington's music reflected his African heritage. Upon reading this, Toshiko was inspired to investigate her own Japanese musical heritage. From that point on, she began composing with Japanese themes, Japanese harmonies, and even Japanese instruments (e.g. kotsuzumi, kakko, utai, tsugaru shamisen, etc.). Her music remained planted firmly in jazz, however, reflecting influences including those of Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Bud Powell. Toshiko has spoken of approaching her arrangements vertically, voicing each chord individually, which contrasts with the philosophy advocated by Herb Pomeroy, Bob Florence, and others, of writing phrases in a linear fashion. Toshiko often uses five-part harmony in her voicings, which yields a bigger sound from her horn section. This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... Nat Hentoff (born June 10, 1925) is a civil libertarian, free speech absolutist, pro-life advocate, anti-death penalty advocate, jazz critic, historian, biographer and anecdotist, and columnist for the Village Voice, Legal Times, Washington Times, The Progressive, Editor & Publisher, Free Inquiry and Jewish World Review. ... The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Charles Mingus (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979), also known as Charlie Mingus, was an American jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, and occasional pianist. ... Earl Rudolph Bud Powell (September 27, 1924 - July 31, 1966) is widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted and influential pianists in the history of jazz. ... Bob Florence is a jazz arranger and pianist born in Los Angeles on May 20, 1932. ... Harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity and chords, actual or implied, in music. ...

In 1999, Toshiko was approached by a Buddhist priest named Nakagawa. He asked her if she would consider writing a piece for his hometown, Hiroshima. He sent her some photos depicting the aftermath of the nuclear bombing. Her initial reaction was horror. She didn't 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. Toshiko said that upon 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 August 6, 2001. This date was the 56th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, and just a few weeks before the September 11, 2001 attacks. A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... Main keep of Hiroshima Castle The city of Hiroshima ) is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chugoku region of western Honshu, the largest of Japans islands. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... Bunkers in Albania A bunker is a defensive military fortification. ... It has been suggested that Suite_de_Danses be merged into this article or section. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... An anniversary (from the Latin anniversarius, from the words for year and to turn, meaning (re)turning yearly; known in English since c1230) is a day that commemorates and/or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The Hiroshima suite was featured on a 2002 CD release bearing the same title, Hiroshima: Rising From the Abyss. On March 24, 2004, BMG Japan released the final recording of Toshiko's big band. Titled Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo, the CD was recorded on November 28 and 29, 2003. March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Toshiko lives on the Upper West Side with her husband. Besides being musicians, they are both avid wine and cigar collectors. The Upper West Side is a neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River. ... Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of grapes and grape juice. ...