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As an arranger, Toshiko Akiyoshi (influenced originally by <a href="spotify:artist:7g9DeYASD3RzlT4kDchsQZ">Gil Evans</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6DbqS0X8cSFOPGsvyze2yh">Thad Jones</a>) has been particularly notable for incorporating elements of traditional Japanese music into her otherwise bop-ish charts. A strong (and underrated) pianist in the <a href="spotify:artist:570vCzcespB48HIQyTbDO6">Bud Powell</a> tradition, Akiyoshi was born in China but moved to Japan in 1946. She played locally (<a href="spotify:artist:2hGDAhezELu9olOncSWZYI">Sadao Watanabe</a> was among her sidemen) and, after being noticed and encouraged by <a href="spotify:artist:6zkX5fhrSD4tdVOmimR9wB">Oscar Peterson</a>, studied at Berklee during 1956-1959. Married for a time to altoist <a href="spotify:artist:6cKTYu4WjPM4YjYdgZhfEr">Charlie Mariano</a>, she co-led the <a href="spotify:artist:1Hh0bwh2Yxls1jl2LhBatn">Toshiko Mariano Quartet</a> in the early '60s. After working with <a href="spotify:artist:1W8TbFzNS15VwsempfY12H">Charles Mingus</a> in 1962 (including participating in his ill-fated Town Hall Concert), Toshiko returned to Japan for three years. Back in New York by 1965, she did a radio series and formed a quartet with her second husband, <a href="spotify:artist:5RLIxfpEdvcT9xqfOhclYL">Lew Tabackin</a>, in 1970. After moving to Los Angeles in 1972, Toshiko Akiyoshi put together her very impressive big band which featured such fine soloists as <a href="spotify:artist:0bARK3i69D9aD9UVwOQpke">Bobby Shew</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:096X5QqIN1J3ZPlY09hx1p">Gary Foster</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5RLIxfpEdvcT9xqfOhclYL">Tabackin</a>. They recorded several notable albums before Akiyoshi decided, in 1981, to move to New York. Since their relocation, Akiyoshi and <a href="spotify:artist:5RLIxfpEdvcT9xqfOhclYL">Tabackin</a> have both been quite active although her re-formed big band has actually received less publicity than it did in L.A. She ranks as one of the top jazz arrangers of the past several decades. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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