Critically acclaimed composer and jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi gave a rousing performance at the United Nations recently to mark the 50th anniversary of Japan's entry into the international body, choosing songs with political and social implications.
Akiyoshi, recently awarded the National Endowment for the Arts' 2007 Jazz Masters Fellowship by the U.S. government for her contributions to American music culture, told Kyodo News she composed, selected and arranged all of the music for the performance to embody the ideals of the institution, which Japan joined on Dec. 18, 1956.
"The United Nations represents (what) all countries are supposed to be here to work on -- world peace," Akiyoshi said. "Because of the concept of the United Nations, I selected something to do with social issues, something to do with political issues."