Evergreen

Born to Japanese parents in St. Louis, trumpeter Jun Iida (1991) received his musical education from his mother, who was an amateur koto (Japanese zither) player. Through his family, Iida acquired a wide knowledge of music in all styles at an early age. He studied classical and jazz music at the same time, but he is still open to all kinds of styles. This background also has a great influence on his current music.

He later supplemented his university studies with an aeronautical engineering course. Later, moving to Los Angeles, he started his music career in 2015 in addition to pursuing his civilian occupation.

His first album, "Evergreen", due out on January 19, 2024, features acclaimed pianist Josh Nelson. The album features other excellent musicians: Masami Kuroki (guitar), Jonathan Richards (bass), Xavier Lecouturier (drums) and singer Aubrey Johnson.

Iida's unique vision for the singer on the record is to play music as a "second wind player" (like, for example, a saxophone does this next to a trumpet in classic jazz combo lineups). Aubrey Johnson's versatile vocals bring life to this concept: she sings second parts alongside the trumpet theme, "fills" and, of course, sometimes performs the role of soloist.

The album mainly contains Iida's own compositions, but an interesting feature on the record is the arrangement of the Japanese children's song "Akatombo" (red dragonfly), which Iida's mother taught him. Iida's emotional trumpet solo and Johnson's delicate voice are outstanding in this song.

The greatness of Iida's trumpet playing lies in the musical diversity and at the same time in a balanced, classic jazz trumpet sound. The latter is perhaps best demonstrated in the first track "Gooey Butter Cake", where it almost evokes Chet Baker: we can hear a soft trumpet "sound" and a story-telling improvisation.

Overall, 'Evergreen' is a unique modern jazz album and an outstanding debut for the talented trumpeter.