A Japanese woman conquered American jazz — and this doc proves she never needed permission.
Jazz is my Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi is a 1983 documentary film by Renee Cho about the jazz pianist, composer, arranger and big band leader Toshiko Akiyoshi.
Score
Akiyoshi's compositions hit harder than most fictional dramas.
Direction
Cho lets the music breathe — no flashy cuts needed.
Production
Intimate access to a private artist at her peak.
Director
Renee Cho
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Akiyoshi was among the first Japanese musicians to lead an American big band, paving the way for artists like Hiromi Uehara decades later.
Director Renee Cho was Akiyoshi's piano student before making this — the access came from trust, not a press pass.
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