Lew Tabackin

Germany, 2000

Lew Tabackin performs a tenor saxophone solo in Burghausen, Germany in 2000.

Born March 26, 1940 in Philadelphia Lew Tabackin studied with composer Vincent Persichetti and pursued flute at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music.

In 1962 he graduated from the Conservatory and, after a stint in the U.S. Army, worked with Tal Farlow.

He would perform in a combo which included Elvin Jones, Donald Byrd, and Roland Hanna and was later a member of the house band on the “Dick Cavett Show.”

Lew formed a quartet with pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi during the late ’60s, and in 1973 co-founded the “Toshiko Akiyoshi Lew Tabackin Big Band.”

Later known as the simply the “Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra” featuring Lew Tabackin the assembly would play bebop in Duke Ellington influenced compositions and arrangements by Akiyoshi.

Tabackin, who is now married to Toshiko Akiyoshi, was principal soloist for the big band orchestra from 1973 through 2003.

Lew Tabackin has been a great supporter of the Jazz Foundation of America in recent years beginning in 2002. The foundation’s mission is to save the homes and the lives of America’s elderly jazz and blues musicians including those who survived Hurricane Katrina.