April is Jazz Appreciation Month. While Tomoko focused on classical compositions when she performed and taught, she appreciated a wide variety of music and musicians, including those associated with jazz. Two individuals stand out in terms of Tomoko’s Conservatory association with jazz: a colleague and a student.
Beulah Forbes-Woodard
When Tomoko started teaching at the San Francisco
Conservatory of Music, there was only one other non-Caucasian faculty member: a
Black woman Beulah Forbes-Woodard, whose specialty was jazz music. Born in
Ellensburg (in central Washington state), Beulah Forbes grew up in a musical
family. Her father played ragtime music for silent forms, and all of Beulah’s
siblings worked in music or the theater.
Beulah studied classical music at the Conservatory, and she was
their first African American graduate. Upon her graduation, Beulah was asked to
join the Conservatory as a teacher, thus becoming the Conservatory’s first
Black faculty member. When she retired from the Conservatory after teaching
there for almost fifty years, the Conservatory awarded her a doctorate of
music. She also taught at the University of San Francisco and Lone Mountain
College.
An accomplished pianist, she played professionally with well-known
musicians, headlining performances in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Beulah also performed the first jazz concert at the Conservatory, which led to
jazz being incorporated into the curriculum.
George Duke
One of Tomoko’s students, George Duke, became a jazz
musician. If you have heard of The Mothers of Invention, then you know of
George Duke – and that he became a famous jazz musician. George joined the
rebirth of this rock band in 1970 as their keyboardist and vocalist.
Thinking back to this musician, Tomoko remarks, “Maybe
because his jazz influence or upbringing, he was very down to earth, not like
many classical musician divas.” She concludes, “There is a big difference
between the classical world and non-classical musicians. The latter are more
easygoing. I also found that out when I was recording at Skywalker.” Her
comments reflect George’s own feelings in that he switched from classical music
to jazz because it was more freeing for him, and it allowed him to
improvise.
