Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese-American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader.
Lewis Barry Tabackin 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.
Kogun is the first album recorded by the Los Angeles-based Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. It was released in Japan by Victor in 1974 and received the Swing Journal Silver Disk prize for that year. It was later released on RCA Victor in the USA and elsewhere and received a 1979 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance by a Big Band.
Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan) is the third recording of the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. It is also sometimes referred to by the title HANA KAI TAN in rōmaji listings of the Japanese album title.
Insights is the fourth studio recording of the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band and was voted "Jazz Album of the Year" in the 1978 Down Beat magazine critic's poll. It received the Swing Journal magazine 1976 Gold Disk prize in Japan and was nominated for a 1978 Grammy award in the USA for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance by a Big Band.
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 Festival.
Salted Gingko Nuts [sic] is the sixth studio album released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. It is also known by the Japanese title, SHIO GIN NAN. The album received the 1979 Silver Disk award from Japan's Swing Journal magazine.
European Memoirs 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 of "Remembering Bud" on this album. This would be the final recording of the Los Angeles-based Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band before the principals moved to New York City in 1982 and formed a new big band, the "Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin" that released nine more albums and two live performance videos before disbanding in 2003.
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 Liberty", "Wishing Peace" and "Uptown Stroll" form the three part "Liberty Suite" written on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.
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 Grammy award nominations in the "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance" and "Best Arrangement on an Instrumental" categories.
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 Ellington Suite" which was composed by Akiyoshi and commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival.
The jazz big band album Hiroshima - Rising From The Abyss is the eighth audio recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. It was released in 2001 by Video Arts Music in Japan and True Life in the USA. Tracks 2-7 form the "Hiroshima - Rising From The Abyss" Suite.
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.
Since her debut recording for Norgran Records in 1954, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader Toshiko Akiyoshi has recorded continuously – almost exclusively as a leader of small jazz combos and of her big bands – averaging one studio album release per year for well over 50 years. She has also recorded several live albums in solo, small combo and big band settings, including three big band concert videos. Akiyoshi has released multiple albums for Victor / BMG, Nippon Columbia, Toshiba, Discomate, Nippon Crown and other labels in Japan and for Norgran / Verve, RCA, Columbia / Sony, Concord and her own Ascent label in the US. All of her big band recordings and nearly all of her other early works have been re-issued on CDs over the years.
The Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band was a 16 piece jazz big band created by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and tenor saxophone/flutist Lew Tabackin in Los Angeles in 1973. In 1982 the principals moved from Los Angeles to New York City and re-formed the group with new members under the name, The Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. Akiyoshi arranged all of the music for the band and composed nearly all of the music recorded by the two groups over a 30-year period. Tabackin served as the bands' featured soloist on tenor saxophone and flute. The two groups recorded 23 albums, toured in North America, Asia and Europe and, after the move to New York, had regular performances at the jazz club Birdland before disbanding in 2003. The bands' recordings received several Grammy nominations and regularly scored high in Down Beat magazine's critics' and readers' polls.
50th Anniversary Concert in Japan is a live concert album recorded by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and released in Japan on the T-toc Record label. The concert commemorated 50 years since Akiyoshi left Japan to study and play jazz in the USA and the album received several Japanese music awards including a "special award" for Japanese Jazz from Swing Journal magazine.
Vintage: Duke Ellington Song Book is a jazz duo album by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and tenor saxophonist / flutist Lew Tabackin. It was released on June 18, 2008 by T-toc Records.
Mosaic Select: Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band is a 3 CD compilation album released by Mosaic Records in October 2008 and is composed of the first five studio albums recorded by the LA-based Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. It is volume 33 of the "Mosaic Select" series and includes the complete contents of the previously released RCA / Victor recordings, Kogun (1974), Long Yellow Road (1975), Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan) (1976), Insights (1976), and March of the Tadpoles (1977).
Tenor Gladness, is an album by saxophonists Lew Tabackin and Warne Marsh recorded in 1976 and originally released on the Japanese Disco Mate label before being released in the U. S. on Inner City Records.
