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Toshiko Akiyoshi
is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Akiyoshi received fourteen Grammy Award nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in ''Down Beat'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. In 1984, she was the subject of the documentary ''Jazz Is My Native Language''. In 1996, she published her autobiography, ''Life with Jazz'', and in 2007 she was named an NEA Jazz Master by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts. Biography Akiyoshi was born in Liaoyang, Manchuria, to a Japanese family, the youngest of four sisters. In 1945, after World War II, Akiyoshi's family lost their home and returned to Japan, settling in Beppu. A local record collector introduced her to jazz by playing a record of Teddy Wilson playing "Sweet Lorraine." She immediately loved the sound and began to study jazz. In 1953, during a tour of Japan, pianist Oscar Peterson discovered her playing in a club on the Ginza. Peterson was impressed and convinced record produ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, hymns, marches, vaudeville song, and dance music. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major form of musical expression in traditional and popular music. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. As jazz spread around the world, it drew on national, regional, and local musical cultures, which gave rise to different styles. New Orleans jazz began in the early 1910s, combining earlier brass band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime and blues with collective polyphonic improvisation. However, jazz did not begin as a single musical tradition in New Orleans or elsewhere. In the 1930s, arranged dance-oriented swing big bands, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liaoyang
Liaoyang ( zh, s=辽阳 , t=遼陽 , p=Liáoyáng) is a prefecture-level city of east-central Liaoning province, China, situated on the Taizi River. It is approximately one hour south of Shenyang, the provincial capital, by car. Liaoyang is home to Liaoning University's College of Foreign Studies and a number of vocational colleges. The city hosts a limited number of professional basketball and volleyball games in a modern sports facility. According to the latest statistics in 2020, the age distribution of the population in Liaoyang is as follows: 0–14 years old account for 9.83% of the population; 15–59 years old account for 62.26% of the population; 60 years old and above account for 27.91% of the population; 65 years old and above account for 19.46% of the population. History Liaoyang is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in northeast China, dating back to before the Warring States period, and the site of the city has not changed ever since. Under the Yan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NEA Jazz Master
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the self-proclaimed highest honors that the United States bestows upon jazz musicians. The award is usually given late in a performer's career after they have long established themselves. NEA Jazz Masters List adapted from the National Endowment for the Arts website. *1982: Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Sun Ra *1983: Count Basie, Kenny Clarke, Sonny Rollins *1984: Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Max Roach *1985: Gil Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Jo Jones *1986: Benny Carter, Dexter Gordon, Teddy Wilson *1987: Cleo Patra Brown, Melba Liston, Jay McShann *1988: Art Blakey, Lionel Hampton, Billy Taylor *1989: Barry Harris, Hank Jones, Sarah Vaughan *1990: George Russell, Cecil Taylor, Gerald Wilson *1991: Danny Barker, Buck Clayton, Andy Kirk, Clark Terry *1992: Betty Carter, Dorothy Donegan, Harry "Sweets" Edis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the third-largest city in the Northeastern United States after New York City and Philadelphia. The larger Greater Boston metropolitan statistical area has a population of 4.9 million as of 2023, making it the largest metropolitan area in New England and the Metropolitan statistical area, eleventh-largest in the United States. Boston was founded on Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by English Puritans, Puritan settlers, who named the city after the market town of Boston, Lincolnshire in England. During the American Revolution and American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War, Boston was home to several seminal events, incl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toshiko's Piano
''Toshiko's Piano'' (released as ''Amazing Toshiko Akiyoshi'' in Japan) 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. Track listing LP side Aoriginal 10 inch LP #"What Is This Thing Called Love?" (Porter) – 2:45 #"Gone with the Wind" ( Wrubel, Magidson) – 2:33 #"I Want to Be Happy" ( Youmans, Caesar) – 2:14 #"Toshiko's Blues" ( Akiyoshi) – 3:44 LP side B #" Shadrach" ( MacGimsey) – 2:41 #"Solidado" (Akiyoshi) – 3:29 #"Squatty Roo" ( Hodge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ray Brown (musician)
Raymond Matthews Brown (October 13, 1926 – July 2, 2002) was an American jazz double bassist, known for his extensive work with Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald. He was also a founding member of the group that would later develop into the Modern Jazz Quartet. Early life Ray Brown was born on October 13, 1926, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and took piano lessons as a child. After noticing how many pianists attended his high school, he thought of taking up the trombone, but his father was unable to afford one. With a vacancy in the high school jazz orchestra, he took up the upright bass instead. A major early influence on Brown's bass playing was Jimmy Blanton, the bassist in the Duke Ellington band. Brown's high school music teacher believed that he was a diligent student, as he took the bass home with him on weekends. Brown, however, was already using the school bass in gigs; when this was discovered, the bass had to be returned and Brown's father bought him one. B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herb Ellis
Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010) was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson. Biography Born in Farmersville, Texas, Ellis grew up on a farm. He was first exposed to guitar music when he heard the Light Crust Doughboys on the radio. At the age of three, Ellis was playing harmonica, and banjo by six. Although his brother owned a guitar, he tuned it wrong. Ellis wanted to play better than his brother, so he bought a book to learn how to tune guitar properly, and his interest in guitar grew from there. He was ultimately inspired to pick up jazz guitar after hearing George Barnes on a radio program. Ellis was proficient on the instrument by the time he entered North Texas State University. He majored in music, but because the university did not have a guitar program, he studied the bass. He dropped out of college and toured for six months with a band from the University of Kansas. From 1943–45 he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Granz
Norman Granz (August 6, 1918 – November 22, 2001) was an American jazz record producer and concert promoter. He founded the record labels Clef, Norgran, Down Home, Verve, and Pablo and the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series. Granz was acknowledged as "the most successful impresario in the history of jazz"."Norman Granz" (obituary) '' The Telegraph'', November 26, 2001 He was also a champion of racial equality, insisting, for example, on integrating audiences at concerts he promoted. Biography Born in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, Granz was the son of |
Ginza
Ginza ( ; ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, Tokyo, Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous internationally renowned department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses located in its vicinity. It is considered to be one of the most expensive, elegant, and luxurious city districts in the world. Ginza was a part of the old Kyobashi ward of Tokyo City, which, together with Nihonbashi and Kanda, Tokyo, Kanda, formed the core of Shitamachi, the original downtown center of Edo (Tokyo). History Ginza was built upon a former swamp that was filled in during the 16th century. The name Ginza comes after the establishment of a silver-coin mint (coin), mint established there in 1612, during the Edo period. After a devastating fire in 1872 burned down most of the area, the Meiji government designated the Ginza are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. As a virtuoso who is considered to be one of the greatest Jazz piano, jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the The Recording Academy, Recording Academy, and received numerous other awards and honours. He played thousands of concerts worldwide in a career lasting more than 60 years. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, simply "O.P." by his friends, and informally in the jazz community, "the King of inside swing". Peterson worked in duos with Samuel Jones (musician), Sam Jones, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, Irving Ashby, Count Basie, and Herbie Hancock. He considered the trio with Ray Brown (musician), Ray Brown and Herb Ellis "the most stimulating" and productive setting for public performances and studio recordings. In the early 1950 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweet Lorraine
"Sweet Lorraine" is a popular song with music by Cliff Burwell and words by Mitchell Parish that was published in 1928 and has become a jazz standard. It is written in F major and has an AABA structure. A version by Teddy Wilson charted in October 1935, peaking at #17. Nat King Cole recorded "Sweet Lorraine" in 1940 as the King Cole Trio and it became his first hit. Frank Sinatra recorded the song on December 17, 1946 as part of the Metronome All Stars, with a number of other all stars, including Johnny Hodges, Charlie Shavers, and Coleman Hawkins. Nat King Cole was on piano. His version was released as a single on Columbia Records (#37293) but did not chart. The Nat "King" Cole Trio rerecorded the song in 1956 and released it on the Capitol album '' After Midnight''. Sinatra recorded it again on March 14, 1977 for a proposed album of songs about women on Reprise. The album was not completed and the recording was not released until The Reprise Collection in 1990. It was also rec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
