LITTLE POWER IN JAZZ ②　TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI

Toshiko Akiyoshi is really top of the legend of jazz in Japan.

For the very first time as for Japanese, she got the chance to learn at Berklee College of Music and move to USA. (After her, many of top Japanese musicians learned at Berklee. Really the pioneer)

Her main carrier was big band leader, basically only for her original tunes playing.

Many of the tunes are incorporated with Japanese taste and concrete Japanese sounds.

She got a tune titled “ENDLESS JOURNEY” (in the album, “HOPE”)

It is her essence wording. Actually a booklet is published titled “ENDLESS JOURNEY” (2017)

In ENDLESS JOURNEY, she mentioned “IT HAPPENED TO REALIZE FINALLY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, LIKE I AM GOING ENDLESS JOURNEY”.

It is marvelous !!

On the way of her endless journey, however, one remarkable milestone should be “TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON” at Monterey Jazz Festival in 1999.

It was special event cerebrating 100 years birth to Duke Ellington. She was assigned at tributing with 30 minutes suites!

For all musicians, journey is endless ??

Actually so many Japanese musicians are staying in the US, like following Toshiko Akiyoshi !!