Lew Tabackin

Lew Tabackin (born March 26, 1940 in Philadelphia) is a jazz flautist and a tenor saxophonist. He is married to Toshiko Akiyoshi, who is a jazz pianist and a composer/arranger.

Biography
Tabackin studied flute at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and also studied music with composer Vincent Persichetti. In 1962 he graduated from the Conservatory and, after a stint with the U.S. Army, worked with Tal Farlow. He also worked in a combo that included Elvin Jones, Donald Byrd, and Roland Hanna. Later he would have a chair in The Dick Cavett Show's band.

He formed a quartet with Toshiko Akiyoshi in the late 1960s, and in 1973 co-founded the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band which later became the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin, playing bebop in Duke Ellington-influenced arrangements and compositions by Akiyoshi. Tabackin was principal soloist for the big band/orchestra from 1973 through 2003.

Jazz Foundation of America
Tabackin has become a great supporter of The Jazz Foundation of America in their mission to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians including musicians that survived Hurricane Katrina. He sits on the Advisory Committee of the Foundation since 2002.

As leader or co-leader

 * Tabackin (1974) also released as Let the Tape Roll
 * Daydream (1976)
 * Dual Nature (1976)
 * Trackin' (1976)
 * Tenor Gladness, with Warne Marsh (1976)
 * Rites of Pan (1977)
 * Vintage Tenor (1978)
 * Lew Tabackin Meets the Tadpoles (1979)
 * Black and Tan Fantasy (1979)
 * Phil Woods & Lew Tabackin (1980)
 * Threedom (1980)
 * Duo: John Lewis & Lew Tabackin (1981)
 * My Old Flame (1982)
 * Lew Tabackin Quartet with Randy Brecker,... (1983)
 * Angelica (1985)
 * Desert Lady (1989)
 * I'll Be Seeing You (1992)
 * What a Little Moonlight Can Do (1994)
 * Live at Vartan's (1994)
 * L' Archiduc - Round About Five (1996)
 * Tenority (1996)
 * In a Sentimental Mood (1998)
 * Pyramid (1999)
 * Tanuki's Night Out - Lew Tabackin Trio (2002)
 * Vintage: Duke Ellington Songbook (2008)
 * Live in Paris - Lew Tabackin Trio (2008)
 * Lew Tabackin Quartet (2010)

Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band

 * Kogun (1974)
 * Long Yellow Road (1975)
 * Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan) (1975) also known as HANA KAI TAN (花魁譚)
 * Road Time (1976)
 * Insights (1976)
 * March of the Tadpoles (1977)
 * Live at Newport '77 (1977)
 * Live at Newport II (1977)
 * Salted Gingko Nuts (1978) also known as SHIO GIN NAN (塩銀杏)
 * Sumi-e (1979)
 * Farewell (1980)
 * From Toshiko with Love (1981) also released as Tanuki's Night Out
 * European Memoirs (1982)

Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin

 * Ten Gallon Shuffle (1984)
 * Wishing Peace (1986)
 * Carnegie Hall Concert (1992)
 * Desert Lady / Fantasy (1993)
 * Four Seasons of Morita Village (1996)
 * Monopoly Game (1998)
 * Tribute to Duke Ellington (1999)
 * Hiroshima - Rising from the Abyss (2001)
 * Last Live in Blue Note Tokyo (2003)
 * Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra in Shanghai (2011)

Video

 * My Elegy (1984)
 * Strive For Jive (1992)
 * In Shanghai (2011)

Akiyoshi - Tabackin Big Band compilations

 * Mosaic Select: Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band (Mosaic Records, 2008)
 * NOVUS Series ‘70: The Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band (BMG / Novus)
 * Eternal Best / Best 8 (BMG)
 * The Best of Toshiko Akiyoshi (BMG)

Awards and honors
Down Beat magazine Critic's Poll winner:
 * Jazz Album of the Year: 1978 (Insights)
 * Big Band: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983
 * Flute: 1980, 1981, 2010

Down Beat Magazine Reader's Poll winner:
 * Big Band: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982
 * Flute: 1981, 1982

Grammy award nominations: Stereo Review magazine (US): Swing Journal (Japanese jazz magazine) awards:
 * Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band: 1976 (Long Yellow Road), 1977 (Road Time), 1978 (Insights), 1979 (Kogun), 1980 (Farewell), 1981 (Tanuki's Night Out), 1984 (Ten Gallon Shuffle), 1985 (March of the Tadpoles), 1992 (Carnegie Hall Concert), 1994 (Desert Lady / Fantasy).
 * Jazz Album of the Year: 1976 (Long Yellow Road)
 * Gold Disk: 1976 (Insights), Silver Disk: 1974 (Kogun), 1979 (Salted Gingko Nuts), 1996 (Four Seasons of Morita Village)