Seminal work from one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – the legendary ensemble led by pianist Toshiko Akioshi and reedman Lew Tabackin! The group marks a huge shift for Akiyoshi – a move away from the more bop-inflected small combo work of earlier years, into a rich new role as a composer and arranger – one who comes up with fantastic charts for the ensemble, filled with color, tone, and a great sense of swing! Tabackin's reeds are great too – always handled with bold lines, and a strongly visionary sound – and other players on the dates include Bill Perkins and Gary Foster on saxes, Bobby Shew and Ron Raider on trumpets, Britt Woodman and Charlie Loper on trombones, Don Baldwin on bass, and Peter Donald on drums. The 3CD set features 5 albums in all – Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales Of A Courtesan, Insights, and March Of The Tadpoles – and titles include "Elegy", "American Ballad", "Henpecked Old Man", "Opus Number Zero", "Since Perry/Yet Another Tear", "Strive For Jive", "Village", "Studio J", "Mobile", "Deracinated Flower", and "Notorious Tourist From The East". CD

A fantastic live performance from this legendary ensemble – and a record that brings a nice sort of edge to the group's already great sound! It's a bit hard to describe – but somehow the live recording quality seems to create more intensity, maybe more urgency to the way the group emotionally communicates – maybe partly just the echo and open space of the recording, but also maybe the way the group seems to open up with a fresh on-the-spot energy. In addition to Toshiko Akiyoshi on piano and Lew Tabackin on reeds, the lineup features saxes from Beverly Darke, Dick Spencer, Gary Foster, and Gary Herbig; trombones from Bill Reichenbach, Charlie Loper, Phil Teele, and Rick Culver; and trumpets from Bobby Shew, Mike Price, Richard Cooper, and Steven Huffstetter. Titles include the always-great "Warning Success May Be Hazardous To Your Health" – plus "Road Time Shuffle", "March Of The Tadpoles", and "Strive For Jive". CD

A second great performance from the Akioshi/Tabackin Big Band's performance at Newport in 1977 – and one we like even more than the first! The sound here is totally great – hard, focused, and flowing with a magical energy that made this group one of the few large jazz bands to flourish strongly in the 70s. There's almost a Clarke Boland legacy going on here – tightness that's really hard to carry off, but lots of long track that let the key soloist stretch out with boldly-voiced individual tones. Titles include the always-great "Warning Success May Be Hazardous To Your Health" – plus "Road Time Shuffle", "March Of The Tadpoles", and the extended "Minamata" suite. CD

A great introduction to one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – a duo who did for the jazz ensemble mode in their decade what Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland did in the 60s! Tracks include "Studio J", "Quadrille, Anyone", "Kogun", "First Night", and "Road Time Shuffle". CD

A hokey title and cover, but a great little record – a lesser-known gem from the Toshiko Akioshi big band, recorded in the mid 80s for Japanese release! Toshiko's still working strongly with reedman Lew Tabackin here – and as always, the sound of the reeds really make the record – not only on the bold ensemble passages, but also on the snakey, well-crafted solos that slide out of the fuller arrangements – letting Lew, Frank Wess, and Jim Snidero contribute some really great work on the longer tracks. Titles include "Ten Gallon Shuffle", "Fading Beauty", "Blue Dream", and "Happy Hoofer" – and in case you're wondering, that's a young Monday Michiru on the cover! CD

A long form suite performed by the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra with Lew Tabackin! Other tracks include "Long Yellow Road" and "Wishing Peace". CD

Features Lew Tabackin and Frank Wess, with orchestra that includes Joe Mosello, John Eckert, Brian Lynch, and Chris Pasin on trumpets; Hart Smith, Conrad Herwig, Kenny Rupp, and Matt Finders on trombone; Jim Snidero, Walt Weiskopf, and Mark Lopeman on reeds; with Jay Anderson on bass, Jeff Hirschfield on drums, and Daniel Ponce on conga drums. CD

Toshiko Akiyoshi in piano, Frank Wess on alto saxophone and flute, Jim Snidero on alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute and piccolo flute, Lew Tabackin on tenor saxophone and flute, Walt Weiskopf on tenor and soprano saxophone, flute and clarinet, Conrad Herwig, Herb Besson, Joe Magnarelli, and Larry Farrell on trombone, Greg Gisbert, John Eckert, and Mike Ponella on trumpet, Scott Robinson on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, Matt Finders on bass trombone, Rich Flores on congas, Peter Washington on double bass, and Terry Clarke on drums. CD