Evergreen Jun Iida

• 1 Gooey Butter Cake 04:46
• 2 Akatombo 06:36
• 3 Evergreen 06:08
• 4 Shiki no Uta 03:15
• 5 Bellarosa 04:10
• 6 Forgotten Memories 06:30
• 7 Love Theme from Spartacus 03:59
• 8 My Anguish In Solidarity 08:31
• 9 Song for Luke 07:42
• 10 Holding On to Autumn 07:09
• Total Runtime 58:46

Info for Evergreen

Trumpeter Jun Iida's warm, inviting tone, astute composition choices and his sublime sense of melody lead the way on his debut recording. After five years in Los Angeles and three in Seattle, Evergreen memorializes the musical focus and development that transpired over those years, as he moves on to new adventures in New York. Recorded in Los Angeles, Jun brought together L.A. friends Josh Nelson on piano, guitarist Masami Kuroki and bassist Jonathan Richards, along with the dynamic Seattle drummer Xavier Lecouturier. New York vocalist Aubrey Johnson brilliantly adds to Jun's soaring melodies with her often wordless vocals, and sings in Japanese on a song from Jun's childhood, "Akatombo," and the J-pop anime song "Shiki no Uta," both in a nod to Jun's family heritage. Between the swinging "Gooey Butter Cake" and "Bellarosa," to the haunting "Theme from Spartacus," or the spacious title track, Jun shares a sparkling and compelling message that's sure to resonate.

"...uniquely contemporary yet forward leaning. Iida's solos are elegant and engrossing while the band is given moments to shine to make the entire album a treat." (Slang of Ages)

"Evergreen from trumpeter/flugelhornist Jun Iida is a textural panorama of multi-cultural jazz flavors, offering original and known fare. Each of the ten tracks is a portrait, and they display fine solo and ensemble playing. To describe Evergreen in one word is to call it "intriguing." "Gooey Butter Cake," one of six originals from Iida, ..." (All About Jazz, Nicholas F Mondello)

"For a debut album, Jun Iida reaches the summit! Indeed, Evergreen is all about balance—nothing excessive, whether in compositions or arrangements; everything is perfectly calibrated, beautiful, intelligent, and one simply allows oneself to be carried away, thinking that with this musician, we are certainly only at the beginning of delightful surp ..." (Paris Move, Thierry De Clemensat)

"Evergreen" is the debut album of US trumpeter and flugelhorn player Jun Iida. The album was recorded in Los Angeles where he lived for five years, before recently moving to New York. Six of the ten compositions are his own originals, but all are reflective of both his Japanese heritage and his command and fluency in jazz composition and stylings, ..." (London Jazz, John Arnett)

Jun Iida, trumpet
Aubrey Johnson, vocals
Masami Kuroki, guitar
Josh Nelson, piano, Fender Rhodes
Jonathan Richards, bass
Xavier Lecouturier, drums

Recorded November 22-23, 2022 by Talley Sherwood at Tritone Recording, Los Angeles, CA
Mixed & Mastered by Rich Breen, Burbank, CA
Co-produced by Josh Nelson
Produced by Jun Iida

Jun Iida
Award-nominated trumpeter, composer, educator, and recording artist Jun Iida has quickly established himself as a highly sought after musician in the Los Angeles and Pacific Northwest music scenes. In addition to being active in the studio recording scene, he is a dynamic performing artist both as a bandleader as well as a sideman. Iida has performed extensively throughout the US as well as in Japan.

Originally from St. Louis, MO as the son of Japanese immigrants, Iida was exposed to a variety of musical genres from a young age during his upbringing in Pittsburgh, PA. In particular, he developed a deep interest and passion for jazz and improvisatory music. He began performing actively in Los Angeles with his group Jun Iida Sextet from 2015 to 2020, before relocating to Seattle, WA where he has quickly established himself in the greater PNW music scene.

Iida has had the opportunity to perform at notable institutions including: SFJazz, Black Cat (San Francisco, CA), Blue Whale, Sam First, Baked Potato, (Los Angeles, CA), The 1905, Winningstad Theatre (Portland, OR), The Royal Room, Benaroya Hall, Triple Door (Seattle, WA).

He has previously toured with Todo Mundo, Within Seekers, Salt Petal, and Zelda and the LoLo's. He has performed at various music festivals including: Earshot Jazz Festival, Portland Jazz Festival, Angel City Jazz Festival, South by Southwest (SXSW), Joshua Tree Music Festival, California Worldfest, Yosemite Music Festival, and Lake Tahoe Music Festival.

"Hard bop stylings and modern forms [with] a beautiful, unforced sound." (Seattle Jazz Scene)

This album contains no booklet.