Takuya Kuroda

Takuya Kuroda arrives with his seventh studio album, Midnight Crisp, which he produced entirely himself and which follows the highly acclaimed 2020 album Fly Moon Die Soon. The album features six new tracks and sees Takuya once again showcasing his unique hybrid style, blending soul jazz, funk, post-bop, fusion and hip hop.

Kuroda is one of those players who, like Miles Davis, constantly challenges genre boundaries, pushing his style into new territories with each album. He draws on funk, soul, and the rhythm of hip-hop. He began his jazz studies in his native Japan, and after moving to the U.S., he went on to study at Berklee School of Music, where he met singer José James, with whom he recorded two albums. "Nobody plays like Takuya," says James. "His tone, warmth and the way he tells stories through music have inspired me for many years." His fourth album, Rising Son, was released on the prestigious Blue Note label, which also commissioned him for a compilation of Blue Note Voyage cover versions. Kurodas' style has been influenced by his collaborations with New York Afrobeat bands Antibalas and the Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble, and his album Fly Moon Die Soon features a guest appearance by Herbie Hancock.