An early Verve album by Japanese pianist
Toshiko Akioshi – recorded during her 50s years in the US, with a heavy boppish sound that's quite different than her later work! At the time,
Toshiko was a strong disciple of Bud Powell – and there's a lot of Powell's fluid frenetic playing in her work – recorded on the first eight tracks with a quartet that includes Herb Ellis on guitar, in sessions from 1953, and recorded on the last four tracks live at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 with her
trio that includes Gene Cherico on bass and a young Jake Hanna on drums. Twelve tracks in all, with titles that include "Shadrack", "Gone With The Wind", "
Toshiko's Blues", "Squatty Roo", "Laura", "Between Me & Myself", "Lover", and "Blues For
Toshiko".
(Out of print 2009 SHMCD pressing, includes obi. Still sealed.)