On episode # 5 of My American Meltingpot, we’re going behind the music with legendary jazz composer, Sumi Tonooka. You might recognize Sumi’s name because not only is she the woman who created our Meltingpot theme music, she’s also a world class composer, jazz pianist and educator. I talk to Sumi about her decades-long career in the music industry, how her African-American and Japanese-American heritage influences her creative work, and how she used music to bring attention to the injustice of the Japanese internment camps.
A big fan of Thelonius Monk and a student of the great jazz and blues musician, Mary Lou Williams, Sumi finishes our interview by playing an original composition inspired by Monk and influenced by Williams. It’s a real treat.
Resources from the Show
Sumi Tonoooka’s website.
Sumi Tonooka’s albums.
Read, “The demons and obsessions of jazz genius Thelonious Monk” in The Guardian to get a sense of the man who inspired a young Sumi.
Everything you need to know about the formidable Mary Lou Williams.
The Injustice of the Japanese Internment Camps explained in this Smithsonian Magazine article.
Watch Sumi Tonooka perform live in Seattle.
