Takuya Kuroda: Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2024

Takuya Kuroda is a distinguished trumpeter from Kobe, Japan, known for his innovative blend of soulful jazz, funk, post-bop, fusion, and hip hop. He initially played in big bands alongside his trombonist brother before moving to New York to study jazz and contemporary music at The New School in Union Square, graduating in the mid-2000s.

In New York, he collaborated with vocalist José James on the ‘Blackmagic’ and ‘No Beginning No End’ projects. After graduation, Takuya became a prominent figure in the NYC jazz scene, performing with Akoya Afrobeat and DJ Premier’s BADDER band, which also featured bass player Brady Watt. DJ Premier highlighted Takuya’s unique hip-hop perspective and jazz respect.

Takuya has released five albums over the past decade, starting with his independent debut Edge in 2011, followed by Bitter and High in 2012 and Six Aces in 2013. He signed with Blue Note Records in 2014 for Rising Son and participated in their 2019 Blue Note Voyage cover project. His fifth album, Zigzagger, came out in 2016 on Concord and included a reimagining of Donald Byrd’s ‘Think Twice’ featuring Antibalas.

In late summer 2020, Takuya released his sixth album, Fly Moon Die Soon, which he describes as exploring the contrast between the magnificence of nature and the beautiful obscenity of humanity, with melodies and grooves shifting from spiritual to vulgar.