Thursday, October 23, 1997
Akiyoshi carves niche in jazz world
MUSIC: Combination of Eastern, Western styles makes for unique
sound
By Sam Toussi
Daily Bruin Contributor
"I can only do one little thing," says award-winning jazz
musician Toshiko Akiyoshi. "And I’m stuck with it."
Akiyoshi’s modesty is far less than the talent she is known for
in the jazz world today. On Friday at 8 p.m., Akiyoshi will take
her jazz orchestra and special guest Miya Masaoka to the Veterans
Wadsworth Theater and will deliver a CenterStage Lecture one hour
prior to the show with husband and band-mate Lew Tabackin.
Akiyoshi’s unique blend of Eastern and Western musical styles
has won over many listeners throughout the years. But at one time,
Akiyoshi was unsure of her place as an Asian in jazz. She was even
uncertain if there was a place for her.
"Being Oriental, I thought I really had no part in jazz music,"
Akiyoshi says. "I come from a different musical culture, and it’s
always considered a handicap."
Instead, Akiyoshi is credited with infusing Japanese culture
into jazz music, a credit that she is very honored to have. Yet,
she does not concentrate on what her role in jazz history may
be.
"Perhaps I can make a little bit of difference," Akiyoshi says.
"I can return something to jazz instead of just getting the
benefits. Then I might just be able to consider myself an extension
of jazz history."
Akiyoshi’s work has been described as unconventional. But then
so was her journey to finding jazz.
Born in Manchuria, China, the Akiyoshi family returned to their
native Japan where Akiyoshi had thoughts of becoming a doctor. She
had some training as a classical pianist and got a job playing in a
dance hall.
"This was just after World War II, so Japan was still heavily
occupied, and our resort city of Beppu was flooded with soldiers.
One day I happened to pass one of the many dance halls that were
set up for the occupation soldiers and I noticed a sign: ‘Pianist
wanted.’ "
Akiyoshi was hired immediately. Yet she still had not begun her
jazz career until a friend played her Teddy Wilson’s "Sweet
Lorraine." It opened Akiyoshi up to a new form of art that she
found exciting.
"Wow!" she recalls thinking, "Jazz can be so beautiful, and so
musical!"
Akiyoshi’s music became a major part of the growing Tokyo jazz
scene where she played with her ensemble until 1952. Soon, she was
Japan’s premier jazz musician, performing on radio and
television.
Throughout that time, Akiyoshi would play with American jazz
musicians who were passing through the area. She caught the
attention of Oscar Pederson, and he went to on to say that she was
the best female jazz pianist he had ever heard. It was with
Pederson’s encouragement that Akiyoshi decided to go to Boston and
study at the Berklee School of Music.
Akiyoshi has since then received more than nine Grammy
nominations with her jazz orchestra and three as an arranger. The
band has also earned rave reviews and high marks from Down Beat
magazine and other major jazz polls. In 1978, the orchestra was
voted the best big jazz band in Down Beat’s Readers’ Poll. Akiyoshi
was the first woman in jazz history to receive that honor.
Still, Akiyoshi cannot forget the hardships along the way.
"Maybe this is my own paranoia, but I think that people and
record companies can’t accept a performer who is not American with
a name they can’t pronounce," Akiyoshi told Newsweek.
For that reason, Akiyoshi does not see herself as an Asian jazz
musician or a female jazz musician, preferring not to be
pigeon-holed that way.
"I never set out to play a role like that," Akiyoshi says. "I
just hope somehow I make an impact by playing jazz."
MUSIC: Tickets for Toshiko Akiyoshi’s performance are $25, $22
and $9 with UCLA ID. For more information, call 825-2101.
UCLA Center for the Perfroming Arts
Award-winning jazz musician Toshiko Akiyoshi with her husband
and band-mate Lew Tabackin.