And All That Jazz

 

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.  

Toshiko Akiyoshi: Another Fine Japanese Pianist

 Among the many people who have contributed to the musical scene in the United States are the Japanese. Tomoko is a wonderful example: she was the first Asian and only the second woman to be hired as a faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has taught there for over fifty years, which is another great achievement.

Here is another notable Japanese pianist who has achieved greatness.

Toshiko Akiyoshi, born in 1926, is a Japanese jazz pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger. Similarly to Tomoko, she began piano lessons early in life, focusing on Western classical music. After World War II, she played the piano for U.S. service members stationed in Japan, and then performed with visiting American jazz artists. With the Peterson jazz trio she recorded her first album Amazing Toshiko Akiyoshi, which had U.S. success. By 1955, Toshiko was considered Japan’s leading jazz pianist.

Also like Tomoko, Toshiko came to the United States to study music, and has remained in the States ever since, although she toured in Japan. Her jazz compositions incorporated Japanese instruments, themes and harmonies. A Buddhist priest asked her to compose a piece in remembrance of the Hiroshima bombing; her three-part suite Hiroshima: Rising from the Abyss premiered just weeks before the September 11, 2001 attack on the U.S.

Over the years Toshiko has been nominated for 14 Grammy awards, and was the first woman to win DownBeat magazine’s reader poll award as best composer and arranger. The U.S. National Endowment of the Arts also named her as an NEA jazz master. The 1984 documentary Jazz Is My Native Language featured this fine musician.

Both Japanese women demonstrate commitment to music, courage to pursue their dreams, high quality professional performance, and sustained long-term careers. And both have been honored by their peers. The United States is fortunate to benefit from their contributions.

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Black Beginnings at the Conservatory

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 films, and all of Beulah’s siblings worked in music or the theater.

Beulah studied classical music at the Conservatory, and 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.

A friend recalled Beulah saying: “Music is my passion, teaching is my heart, and performing is my thrill.” That sentiment could well be shared by Tomoko.

Riding and Performing with George Duke

George Duke and Tomoko were students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music at the same time. “We performed Prokoviev and Brahms together,” Tomoko remembers. “He was the sweetest man. He lived in Marin City, and he would generously give fellow students, including me, rides home.” From the Conservatory, George earned his bachelor’s degree in trombone and composition, with a minor in contrabass.

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 easy going. 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.

After his stint with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, George became a record producer for several hit musicians, including Anita Baker, Gladys Knight, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, and Smokey Robinson. Nevertheless, he still performed live with other musicians, and made thirty solo albums.

George Duke was also a composer, including scoring work for television and film. His major orchestral piece was Muir Woods Suite, which premiered at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1993.  

For his work, Duke was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, and won two. He was twice named R&B keyboardist of the year by Keyboard magazine, and received the Edison Life Time Achievement Award. He was also inducted into the SoulMusic Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, George Duke died in 2013 at age 67 from leukemia, but he is well remembered by Tomoko.

Scaramouche

At Tomoko’s recent concert at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music she played Darius Milhaud’s Scaramouche as a duet with one of her favorite students Linda Poligono.

Darius Milhaud was a French composer associated with 1920s avante guard. Growing up in the Provence region, he heard country airs and café music, which complemented his musical household experiences. His Italian mother had a lovely contralto voice, and Darius started playing piano duets at age three with his father. He also studied violin, although he knew early on that he preferred composing music. Nevertheless he performed his own music as an adult, and was considered an excellent conductor.

As an attaché in Brazil during World War I, Milhaud was taken with Brazilian popular music and tropical tones. When he returned to Paris, Darius came into contact with the jazz scene and several famous musicians: Honegger, Schoenberg, Webern, among others. As a Jew, Milhaud left Europe and settled in California to teach – and keep composing.

In the 1930s Milhaud created much film music, which led to his concert work Scaramouche, opus 165b for duet, written in 1937. Milhaud wrote four versions of Scaramouche. The first drew upon his incidental music piece for Moliere’s “Le médécin volant”/ “The flying doctor.” His second movement was based on an overture from Spilville’s Bolivar. This composition reflects a commedia dell’arte spirit. But Scaramouche’s true musical roots harken back to Milhaud’s years in Brazil, with its dance rhythms and syncopation. The first movement is quick and syncopated, recalling Brazilian urban popular dance. The second movement has three lyrical melodies that merge at the end. The third movement is a lively samba.

Scaramouche was the last piece played at Tomoko's fall concert, and was a joyful way to end the afternoon musical event.