Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese–American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader.
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.
From Toshiko With Love is the twelfth recording released by the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band. It was released in Japan by Victor Records and in the U.S. by Jazz America Marketing – not to be confused with the 2002 Lew Tabackin Trio recording of the same name (Tanuki's Night Out). The album received two Grammy award nominations in 1981 for "Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band" and "Best Arrangement of an Instrumental Recording".
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.
Ten Gallon Shuffle is the first recording released by the New York-based Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin. The composition Ten Gallon Shuffle was originally commissioned by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity for the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra.
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.
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.
Toshiko's Piano is the debut recording of jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. It was recorded in Japan in 1953 with guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer J.C. Heard, who were known at the time for their work as pianist Oscar Peterson's rhythm section for Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. The album was released as a 10 inch LP album on Norman Granz's Norgran Record label. Later 12 inch LP and (Japanese) CD re-issues also include all 4 Akiyoshi tracks from 1957's Verve Records recording, Toshiko and Leon Sash at Newport. The cover artwork is by David Stone Martin.
The Toshiko Trio is a jazz record album recorded in 1956 in New York City and released on the Storyville record label. It is the second studio recording of pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi - not to be confused with her 1983 Toshiba East World album, Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio.
Toshiko at Mocambo was recorded by jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi at the Mocambo club in Yokohama, Japan, in the summer of 1954. All four tracks from this recording as well as additional tracks from the same all-night live session with and without Akiyoshi were released on the 3 CD Rockwell – Polydor / Universal album, The Complete Historic Mocambo Session '54 – including, reportedly, a performance of "It's Only a Paper Moon" with Akiyoshi attempting to fill in on bass.
Toshiko – Her Trio, Her Quartet is a jazz album recorded by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi in New York, in 1956, and released on the Storyville record label. The album cover artwork is taken from Joan Miró's "Black and Red" series.
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 Toshiko's Piano / Amazing Toshiko Akiyoshi.
Toshiko Mariano and Her Big Band is a jazz album recorded in Tokyo by Toshiko Akiyoshi in July 1964 and released in the US on the Vee-Jay Records label. It was also released on the Nippon Columbia label in Japan under the title, Toshiko and Modern Jazz. In addition to the 4 big band arrangements featuring a full 16 piece jazz orchestra, there are also three smaller combo tracks on this album.
The jazz trio album Dedications was recorded by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi in Los Angeles in July 1976 and was released by Discomate Records in Japan. This recording is not to be confused with the 1977 Inner City Records (USA) release of the same name, Dedications, which was also released by Discomate in Japan, but under the title Dedications II.
The jazz album Dedications II was recorded by two configurations of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio in Los Angeles in April 1977. It was released by Discomate Records in Japan and by Inner City Records in the USA.
Just Be Bop is a jazz album recorded by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1980 and released in Japan on the Discomate record label.
The jazz album Notorious Tourist from the East was recorded by Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1978 and released in the USA on the Inner City Record label and in Japan on the Discomate record label.
Tuttie Flutie is a jazz album recorded by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio with a flute quartet. It was released in 1980 on the Discomate (Japan) record label.
Since her debut recording for Norgran Records in 1954, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader Toshiko Akiyoshi has recorded continually – 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.
