Midnight Crisp (First Word Records)
Takuya Kuroda
Released October 21, 2022
JAZZ FM 25 Best Jazz Albums of 2022
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nCUbKUnzRiz89FpXMRrLM5iTsBNo8vGwQ
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/album/58TrLsdIgPp57favQCVRmj?si=-Rqv4sL0Sb2WFoxwUquoBw
About:
Takuya Kuroda is
a highly respected trumpeter and arranger born in Kobe, Japan and based in New
York City. ‘Midnight Crisp’ is Takuya’s seventh studio album,
entirely self-produced and following 2020’s highly acclaimed ‘Fly Moon Die
Soon’, also released on UK label First Word (winner of the Worldwide Award’s
Label of the Year in 2019). Consisting of six new tracks, this once again sees
Takuya displaying his unique hybrid sound, blending soulful jazz, funk,
post-bop, fusion and hip hop.
After following the footsteps of his trombonist brother playing in big bands,
he relocated to New York to study jazz & contemporary music at The New
School in Union Square; a course he graduated from in the mid-noughties. It was
here that Takuya met vocalist José James, with whom he worked on the
‘Blackmagic’ and ‘No Beginning No End’ projects.
Following graduation, Takuya established himself further in the NYC jazz scene,
performing with the likes of Akoya Afrobeat and in recent years with DJ
Premier’s BADDER band (also including acclaimed bass player, Brady Watt).
Premier said “The BADDER Band project was put together by my manager,
and an agent I’ve known since the beginning of my Gang Starr career. He said,
‘What if you put a band together that revolved around a trumpet player from
Japan named Takuya Kuroda? He’s got a hip-hop perspective and respect in the
jazz field…”
Takuya Kuroda is already incredibly prolific, releasing six albums in the past
decade and fortifying a solid reputation in the global jazz scene. 2011 saw the
release of Takuya’s independently-produced debut album, ‘Edge’, followed by
‘Bitter and High’ the following year and ‘Six Aces’ on P-Vine in 2013. Takuya
was signed to the legendary Blue Note Records in 2014 for his album ‘Rising
Son’, as well as appearing on their 2019 cover versions project, ‘Blue Note
Voyage’. He released his 5th album ‘Zigzagger’ on Concord in 2016, which also
featured Antibalas on a reimagining of the Donald Byrd classic ‘Think Twice’.
His last album was the afore-mentioned ‘Fly Moon Die Soon’ on First Word, which
received plays and support from the likes of Pitchfork, Earmilk, Bandcamp
Weekly, Worldwide FM, All About Jazz, Apple Music, Tidal, Stereogum, Treble,
Brooklyn Vegan, FIP (France), Tony Minvielle, Jazz FM, Huey Morgan (BBC 6
Music), BBC Radio 3, Novena Carmel, KCRW and tons more DJs, tastemakers,
selectors, radio stations, bloggers & magazines.
Track Listing:
1. Midnight Crisp (Takuya Kuroda) 05:26
2. Time Coil (Takuya Kuroda) 06:35
3. It’s Okay (Takuya Kuroda) 06:05
4. Dead End Dance (Takuya Kuroda) 04:21
5. Old Picture (Takuya Kuroda) 05:19
6. Choy Soda (Takuya Kuroda) 04:47
Personnel:
Takuya Kuroda: trumpet, synthesizer (2, 6), voice (6)
Corey King: trombone, vocal (6)
Craig Hill: tenor saxophone
Takahiro Izumikawa: keyboards
Rashaan Carter: bass
Adam Jackson: drums
Keita Ogawa: percussion
Ryo Ogihara: guitar (4, 6)
Recorded at Bunker Stadium, Brroklyn, NY, by Todd Carder, except track 3, recorded at Electric Garden, Brooklyn, NY, by Jaclyn Sanchez
Mixed by Todd Carder
Mastered by Alex DeTurk
Photography by Chikara Umihara
Design by Matt Bailey
Produced by Takuya Kuroda
Review:
Following up his acclaimed Fly Moon Die Soon, Takuya Kuroda’s latest grabs you from the very first note. Midnight Crisp is everything we love about Kuroda turned up to 11. He effortlessly blends jazz, hip-hop, R&B and funk in a way that delights and engages the listener throughout the album. A musical investigation of life after dark, Midnight Crisp shows Kuroda’s skill at building an atmosphere. Spend some time with this album and you’ll likely end up enjoying it late into the night.
Raina Hersh (JAZZ.FM91)
