Talk:Toshiko Akiyoshi discography

Seeking high quality (preferably on-line) REFERENCES / CITATIONS

for the following:

1. Centaur (~1978 Discomate album?) - The Berkeley Agency (Ms. Akiyoshi's agent) web site link has a discography for Toshiko Akiyoshi solo and small combo recordings that is fairly comprehensive (but not completely) and relatively current (but only as of 2000). This discography includes a reference to a Toshiko Akiyoshi album titled Centaur on the Japanese "Discomate" label presumably released around 1978 (assuming the list is chronological). After exhaustive web searching (of both English and Japanese sites) I have been unable to find any reference to a Discomate album titled Centaur anywhere else. This seems suspicious to me as references to ALL other Toshiko Akiyoshi albums can be found. On the other hand, the Berkeley Agency list does NOT include the Toshiko Akiyoshi album Finesse which was released by the Concord Jazz label in 1978. Perhaps Centaur is the title of a Discomate (Japan only?) release of the Concord Finesse album material? Or perhaps it was the "working title" or unofficial title of an album that was eventually released under a different name? I have written to the Berkeley Agency about this but have received no reply. I now suspect the Berkeley Agency list is in error and there is no "unique" Centaur album that contains any material not released under a different name - but if anyone can find any reliable information on a Toshiko Akiyoshi recording from Discomate titled Centaur please post it here or update the wiki Toshiko Akiyoshi discography article accordingly. Pugetbill 15:58, 2 January 2007 (UTC)

After 3 years since posting the above, I have still yet to see or hear of any other reference to a recording by Ms. Akiyoshi titled "Centaur" so I propose the Berkeley Agency web site list is, in fact, in error and there is no need to continue to try to verify their claim or find supporting citations. Pugetbill (talk) 17:07, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

and the following:

1. Stereo Review magazine reportedly named Long Yellow Road as "Jazz Album of the Year" in 1976(?). This is stated on the NEA Jazz Master's web site (link) and on the Berkeley Agency site (link) but I think another, more direct/authoritative reference is desirable.
2. Toshiko Akiyoshi and The Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band reportedly won several Down Beat READER's poll awards from ~1976 onwards (Best Big Band, Best Arranger, Best Composer? etc.?). Listings of all Down Beat CRITIC'S Poll Winners are available on-line (Critic's Poll link, click on "ARCHIVES"), but Down Beat's web site lists only pre-1976 READER'S Poll Winners (Reader's Poll link, click on "ARCHIVES") and other on-line references to Reader's Poll winners seem difficult to find.

DownBeat.com now lists historical winners of Readers Poll through 2000 (except info for 1977 is linked incorrectly / independently it appears - compare link to link). Added this new info and reference to main Toshiko Akiyoshi article today. Pugetbill (talk) 07:29, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

The "Honors and Awards" section of this article (which included the Down Beat Reader's Poll info) was deleted a while ago as it is redundant with info in the main Toshiko Akiyoshi article. Pugetbill (talk) 13:07, 6 June 2010 (UTC)

3. Kogun is reportedly the (?) / one of the (?) best selling Big Band jazz album ever released in Japan (...in the USA (?), elsewhere (?)). Need quality reference / statistics to confirm this claim. Pugetbill 15:58, 2 January 2007 (UTC)

Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan) album title

Although the Japanese translation "OIRANTAN" is provided directly in the album's English title, the album title is most often transcribed as "Hana Kai Tan." Whether correctly or not, this is the title that is used in all references that do not cite the English title explicitly, "Tales of a Courtesan (Oirantan)". The album is never referred to by the word "Oirantan" alone (as one Wikipedia editor presumed). A comparative Google search of "Hana Kai Tan" vs. "Oirantan" will confirm this. Pugetbill (talk) 20:17, 4 August 2008 (UTC)