TELLURIDE – Telluride’s majestic perch high in the spectacular San Juan Mountains has been the site of an annual cultural event produced by the Telluride Society for Jazz since 1977. From performances on outdoor stages during the day and evening to theater and club shows at night, the celebration offers amazing venues to hear great music that celebrates jazz roots in Latin, African, blues and mainstream traditions.

This year’s Telluride Jazz Celebration takes place August 6-8, with pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi its guest of honor. Akiyoshi creates music noted for its complex, distinctive textures and Japanese influence. When the Manchuria-born musician learned of how Ellington's music reflected his African heritage, she embarked upon the journey to investigate her own Japanese musical heritage. Although her music continued to remain firmly planted in her lifelong study of jazz, she began composing with Japanese themes, harmonies and instruments. Her music has been lauded for its masterful blending of hypnotic, Eastern atmosphere and swirling textures with traditional jazz figures. The Toshoko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band was renowned as one of the most important and influential big bands in jazz. While in Telluride, Toshiko will direct the Crescent Super Band featuring tenor great Lew Tabackin.

Among Akiyoshi’s accomplishments: 14 Grammy nominations; National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Master designation; Best Arranger and Composer awards from DownBeat Magazine; popular international recognition as a major figure in jazz composition and an impressive lifelong discography of more than three dozen recordings.

“We are thrilled that Toshiko Akiyoshi will be joining us as our Guest Honoree at the 2010 Telluride Jazz Celebration,” says Paul Machado, executive director. “Toshiko's contributions to jazz are respected around the world. I met her almost 20 years ago at the 1990 Telluride Jazz Festival and I have never forgotten the inspirational impression she had on me. Her dedication to jazz was a critical factor in my becoming the director for Telluride Jazz Celebration starting in 1991.”

There is a super-sale on ticket prices, for a limited time, at www.telluridejazz.org (or by calling 970/728-7009). Patron Passes cost $525 (from $625), and are limited to 200.

Weekend all-access passes are $120 (from $165) and advanced sales are limited to 500. Three-day park passes are $90 (from $120) and advanced sales limited to 1,500 tickets. Single day passes for Friday, Saturday and Sunday cost $39 (from $50)