Toshiko Akiyoshi

[TheMusicalMarine]

I don't have anything by her, and would like to change that. Anything, solo, with Mariano, with Tabackin, whatever. If you have a suggestion, please let me know.

Thanks

[Tony Pusey]

This could get expensive! I very much like the albums with Lew, I have Long Yellow Road, Kogun,March of the Tadpoles.From Toshiko with Love. Farewell.Tales of a Courtisan. Salted Ginco Nuts.European memories and Insights-and I would not like to have to choose between them! Together they seem to me to be very much a single body of work, and if you like one of them....These albums were all reissued recently in Japan, and Kogun has recently appeared again, try Hiroshi!

[paul secor]

I have very little Toshiko in my collection, but I always enjoy Toshiko Mariano Quartet - with Charlie Mariano on Candid - whenever I listen to it.

[kinuta]

Given the fact that most of her big band cds are either unavailable or very expensive outside Japan ( lucky me ) I would definitely suggest 'Desert Lady' and 'Live At Carnegie Hall '. Both are on Sony and are probably easier to get than all the BMG big band stuff.

For solo get ' Remembering Bud' (Evidence) and 'At Maybeck' ( Concord) , both of which should be obtainable in America.

[Tony Pusey]

The recent Kogun reissue is 1500 yen, dont think that is too expensive, at least not from a Swedish perspective!

[jazzbo]

I really like all those that I have heard. . . . I guess if I had to keep just a few they would be the "Salted Ginko Nuts," "Farewell to Mingus," and "Toshiko's Piano" for no other reason than sentimental. . . .

[birdanddizzy]

UP !

I would like recommandations too.

I've read that when she started to record in the 50s, she payed like Bud Powell...

[johnagrandy]

Given the fact that most of her big band cds are either unavailable or very expensive outside Japan ( lucky me ) I would definitely suggest 'Desert Lady' and 'Live At Carnegie Hall '. Both are on Sony and are probably easier to get than all the BMG big band stuff.

For solo get ' Remembering Bud' (Evidence) and 'At Maybeck' ( Concord) , both of which should be obtainable in America.

I have all the big band vinyls somewhere. "Road Time" I remember was my favorite. Looks like BMG is re-issuing it on CD , available Mar 2 from Amazon ........ unfortunately it's $47 for the pair of CDs ... ouch.

Edited February 26, 2006 by johnagrandy

[RDK]

Her solo/combo work is fine, but her big band it where it's at. If you have a turntable, her LPs are fairly cheap, otherwise you can hunt down a few of her CDs that were released here. But you've got to hear her big band.

[Chas]

These are the ones I have and can recommend to any piano jazz fan :

One that I haven't heard but would buy on sight , is her first date , a ten-incher for Norgran with David Stone Martin cover art :

I second Paul Secor's recommendation for this record :

One that I have long been curious about is this live 1968 date :

I know the sound is supposed to be dodgy , but with Kenny Dorham on it I have to hear this . Does anybody here have this ??

Edit to replace broken image links

Edited November 16, 2007 by Chas

[Ken Dryden]

I have quite a few of Toshiko Akiyoshi's LPs and CDs, including a Japanese CD reissue of Top of the Gate.

It's been awhile since I heard it, but I checked out my AMG review, where I mentioned the problems with the sound--here's the link:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&s...degcqt&writer=1

One of the rarest items by Toshiko that I own is United Notions: Toshiko and Her International Sextet. Sadly, most of her CDs seem to be out of print in the U.S., including a pair she did for Concord.

[Spontooneous]

Let me echo Ken: Hunt down that Concord pair of trios. Tasty stuff.

Some are a little better than others, but there are no bad Toshiko records to be had.

[birdanddizzy]

One of the rarest items by Toshiko that I own is United Notions: Toshiko and Her International Sextet.

Thanks, I will be looking for that one.

What a line-up !!!

Toshiko Akyioshi (piano)

René Thomas (guitar)

Bobby Jaspar (flute, tenor and baritone sax)

Nat Adderley (cornet)

Rolf Kuhn (clarinet)

Doc Severinsen (trumpet)

John Drew (bass)

Bert Dahlender (drums)

[brownie]

That MetroJazz United Notions is a very enjoyable session.

A shame that Verve just sits on the MetroJazz catalogue. There are some excellent albums there!

Only the Sonny Rollins and the Big Brass (also with René Thomas!) seems to have been resurrected!

[Joe]

I'm rather fond of this recording, readily available on the Evidence label...

As a bonus, I think these are among drummer Al Harewood's final (?) recordings.

[Peter Friedman]

I agree with most of what has been said. All of her Big Band recordings are worth having.

I very much like her trio session on Evidence - REMEMBERING BUD:CLEOPATRA'S DREAM on Evidence.

Another small group recording was issued fairly recently in Japan as follows:

TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI - DIG - NIPPON CROWN CRCJ-91105

with: Walt Weiskopf(ts), Conte Candoli(tp), Toshiko(p), Peter Washington(b), Kenny Washington(dr)

[Peter A]

One that I have long been curious about is this live 1968 date :

I know the sound is supposed to be dodgy , but with Kenny Dorham on it I have to hear this . Does anybody here have this ??

I bought a second hand vinyl copy of that record a couple of months ago, because of the presence of KD.

Actually I found it a bit dissapointing, mainly because of the poor recording quality and the spare soloing of KD. Perhaps I will give it another spin tonight.

Peter

[Durium]

I listened to Toshiko Akiyoshi's Time Stream CD last night and remembered a solo concert I heard in 2001. She's a great pianist and arranger.

Keep swinging

Durium

[Niko]

I listened to Toshiko Akiyoshi's Time Stream CD last night and remembered a solo concert I heard in 2001. She's a great pianist and arranger.

Keep swinging

Durium

it's good that you bring her up - she must already feel like Dewey Redman with her daughter being discussed here all the time... (Monday Michiru is her (and Mariano's) daughter, or am I making this up (?))

[B. Goren.]

This is one of my favorite:

and also this:

[jazzbo]

I listened to Toshiko Akiyoshi's Time Stream CD last night and remembered a solo concert I heard in 2001. She's a great pianist and arranger.

Keep swinging

Durium

it's good that you bring her up - she must already feel like Dewey Redman with her daughter being discussed here all the time... (Monday Michiru is her (and Mariano's) daughter, or am I making this up (?))

You got that right. .. but I kindof doubt she's reading our discussions here!

[jazzbo]

I've got quite a bit of her output, and these releasess are consistently good. I don't really have a favorite!

[Durium]

I was impressed to hear the music of Bud Powell played "live" by this great pianist.

And it was very special to speak to her after the concert.

More about that in my Keepswinging webblog

Durium

Edited June 28, 2006 by Durium

[Morganized]

I have very little Toshiko in my collection, but I always enjoy Toshiko Mariano Quartet - with Charlie Mariano on Candid - whenever I listen to it.

Sadly, most of her CDs seem to be out of print in the U.S., including a pair she did for Concord.

I recently picked up the one Paul mentions and found it to be very good. I am not at all familiar with her work. Is Ken's comment above still the case? Have any been released lately? Are they all pretty much OOP.

Thanks

[Allan Songer]

That MetroJazz United Notions is a very enjoyable session.

A shame that Verve just sits on the MetroJazz catalogue. There are some excellent albums there!

Only the Sonny Rollins and the Big Brass (also with René Thomas!) seems to have been resurrected!

Don't mean to hijack this Toshiko thread (I have nothing to add that hasn't been said), but I have always wondered if there were MORE cuts not issued for that Sonny Rollins Music Inn/Teddy Edwards Falcon's Lair LP--would love to hear more of that Teddy quartet with Joe Castro, Billy Higgins and Leroy Vinnegar--can NEVER get enough of those four!!!

Plus that Helen Merrill record where she sings in French with Kenny Dorham on trumpet is a killer too--that would be a nice one to bring out on CD.