PRINTER'S NO. 1616
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
322
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, IOVINO, FONTANA, KEARNEY, DINNIMAN,
KILLION, SANTARSIERO, J. WARD, BROWNE, BREWSTER, MENSCH,
TARTAGLIONE, BLAKE, PHILLIPS-HILL AND COSTA, APRIL 3, 2020
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, APRIL 3, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of April 2020 as "Jazz Appreciation Month"
in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, "Jazz Appreciation Month" (JAM) was created in 2002
at the Smithsonian Museum to herald and celebrate the
extraordinary heritage and history of jazz; and
WHEREAS, JAM is intended to stimulate and encourage
individuals of all ages to participate in jazz, including
studying the music, attending concerts, listening to recordings
and reading books about jazz; and
WHEREAS, This year JAM celebrates "Women in Jazz" to pay
homage to the dynamic impact and often overlooked contributions
women have made to the field of jazz as performers, conductors,
educators, producers and directors; and
WHEREAS, This year's featured artist is Toshiko Akiyoshi for
her work as an innovative artist who has made a unique and vital
contribution to the art of big band jazz as a pianist, band
leader and composer; and
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WHEREAS, Akiyoshi, born December 12, 1929, in Manchuria,
returned to Japan following the end of World War II; and
WHEREAS, Akiyoshi began playing the piano at age six and
eventually started her first job as a musician in a dance-hall
band to satisfy her love of music; and
WHEREAS, Inspired by recordings of Teddy Wilson, Akiyoshi
immersed herself in the world of jazz music; and
WHEREAS, In 1952, Oscar Peterson discovered Akiyoshi while on
a Jazz at the Philharmonic tour in Japan and immediately
convinced his producer and manager Norman Granz to record her;
and
WHEREAS, Thanks to her discovery and album recording,
Akiyoshi was able to study jazz at the Berklee College of Music
in Boston and later move to New York in 1959 where she played in
notable venues such as Birdland, the Village Gate, the Five Spot
and the Half Note; and
WHEREAS, Despite attempts to showcase her talents as a
composer and arranger for large ensembles, it was not until
1972, when she moved to Los Angeles, that she was able to form
the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, an impressive 16-piece big
band featuring her husband, saxophonist and flutist Lew
Tabackin; and
WHEREAS, Akiyoshi, a critically-acclaimed artist, arranger
and composer, has become known for her unique incorporation of
traditional Japanese music with textural big band compositions;
and
WHEREAS, Akiyoshi has recorded 23 albums, received 14 Grammy
Award nominations and numerous international awards; and
WHEREAS, In 2007, Akiyoshi was awarded the title of National
Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, joining other honorees such
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as Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Teddy Wilson, Miles Davis,
Herbie Hancock and Cecil Taylor; and
WHEREAS, Jazz is a vital part of American culture, has been a
gift to the world and is a part of the rich and diverse musical
background of this Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of April 2020
as "Jazz Appreciation Month" in Pennsylvania and recognize
Toshiko Akiyoshi for her unique Japanese-infused contributions
to the world of jazz.
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