The liberty and experimentation of the 1970s still hold a nostalgic place in the memory of jazz pianist and composer Tomoko Ohno. It is a period, she says, that "most people remember fondly."
Finding herself two decades later living in an America that has turned steadily more conservative, she felt it was important to recall the "freedom" of the decade.
So with the new millennium approaching and people looking back as much as forward, Ohno has chosen to focus on the '70s for her new CD, "Affirmation," released Nov. 25. A mix of contemporary standards and four original works, the album pays tribute to one of the decade's musical innovations -- jazz fusion -- as well as its social climate.