Bellflower

In 2025 Japanese trumpeter Jun Iida assembled a band for a weeklong tour of the West Coast; this record is a result of that tour and a document of that band. At the center of this band is pianist Chris McCarthy and young South Korean phenom drummer Jongkuk Kim. Kim has been a presence on the NYC jazz scene for a while, and shows a nice blend of traditional swing, contemporary jazz, and boundary-stretching electronic styles. The band comes out in fifth gear on "Rivers and Bridges" with a killer solo from Kim. Iida and Kim propel "Next Time" with taste and patience and "Will They Remember?" floats nicely. Kim and bassist Giulio Xavier Cetto agree on a nice place to put the time throughout, while guitarist Masami Kuroki and trumpeter-leader Iida form a nice front line. Kim burns over a vamp on the outro of "No Scuffs" and keep it relaxed, settled, yet percolating on "Chasing Peace" and "Bellflower."