Music Monday: Toshiko Akiyoshi at 95

I know it’s the holidays, but I’d be supremely remiss if I allowed Toshiko Akiyoshi’s 95th birthday pass without mention on the ole blog. She’s long been one of my favorite jazz pianist and some of her best albums are a bit tricky to find on streaming services.

My favorite Toshiko album is United Notions (1958). I recognize that it’s a bit of a gimmick with the sextet being deliberately international in character. It features such international luminaries as Doc Severinsen and Nat Adderley on trumpet, Bobby Jaspar on sax and René Thomas on guitar, Rolf Kühn on clarinet, and Nils-Bertil Dahlander (Bert Dale) on drums. This global ensemble makes genuinely delightful music. Check it out: 

Toshiko Akiyoshi Quintet, Toshiko At Top Of The Gate (1968) featuring Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Lew Tabakin on flute and sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Micky Roker on drum. It’s final small ensemble live recording from Toshiko with an absolutely brilliant group.  

While she and her partner Len Tabakin become known for their big band (check this out), I’ve found her trio work in the 1990s to be highly recommended listening. Check out Four Seasons (1990) with George Mraz on bass and Lewis Nash on drums.

The same ensemble got together for Remembering Bud: Cleopatra’s Dream (1991)

The same trio played together well into the 21st century. I’ve been enjoying Hope (2006).

Bonus listening:

When Jessica Pratt’s latest album, Here in the Pitch, came out, I read the strong reviews and listened to it a few times. It didn’t really do much for me. This weekend, though, I had a bit of a book typesetting marathon and had seen Pratt’s album on various year’s end lists. Anyway, I put it back on and I was smitten. What a lovely album. Check it out: