Here's an inspiring story from a woman who rocked Jazz at Lincoln Center last night. Toshiko Akiyoshi, born in Manchuria in 1929, she discovered jazz while playing in a Japanese dance hall, and this discovery began a love affair that earned her fourteen Grammy nominations. Jazz, she explained for program notes," was something that just agreed with me." Together with husband Lew Tabackin, she tours with Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra. The concert climaxed with the final movement from one of her signature compositions,"Hope," from the suite, "Hiroshima." Akiyoshi explained that since 9-11, she has closed every concert with this piece. There's something beyond words that is magical about the arts in a young person's life. This cannot be measured by Access or counted as widgets. Keep the arts alive in your community and your schools. Listen. Connect. We need the arts to help us make sense of the best and the worst of us. To find a way to improvise and move on.
