The Vibe

[Haruta and Dease's] interplay, reminiscent of the legendary J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding duets, brings a sense of dialogue to the music.
Carmel de Soto, Jazz Music Archives

Trombonist Nanami Haruta made the move from her native Sapporo to Tokyo as a teenager, and quickly established herself as a dynamic and inspired player. Master trombonist Michael Dease heard her at a festival when she was 17, and later convinced her to make another move, to pursue her degree with him and Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University. With professional affiliations now including Whitaker's Sextet and drummer Ulysses Owens Jr.'s Big Band, The Vibe documents the respect she's garnered from her mentors and showcases her significant musical voice. With her quartet—including Whitaker, Owens, and Xavier Davis on piano—along with guest appearances by producer Dease and guitarist Chris Minami, Haruta unveils an assertive posture and a compelling, robust tone on this set of five originals, two pieces by co-producer/executive producer Gregg Hill, and four covers, including Curtis Fuller's "Algonquin."

Production Info:

Produced by Gregg Hill & Michael Dease
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Corey DeRushia
at Troubadour Recording, Lansing, MI
Recorded on April 30th, 2024
Liner notes by Willard Jenkins
Album cover concept & photography, Lynne Brown
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of The Vibe

Paris Move (Thierry De Clemensat)
Indispensable - A Sumptuous Production Showcasing the Talent of a Promising Trombonist A debut album of remarkable opulence, conceived to highlight the artistry of a young Japanese-born trombonist now based in Michigan. The recording assembles a dream ensemble of musicians, beginning with her mentor, the esteemed trombonist Michael Dease (who also ...

All About Jazz (Dan McClenaghan)
The news of a trombonist fronting a small jazz ensemble brings the name J.J. Johnson (1924-2001) to mind. He pioneered that form of jazz expression. Before he stepped onto the scene the big brass horn stayed mainly in the background, eclipsed by trumpets and saxophones. Many have followed in Johnson's footsteps: Curtis Fuller, Steve Turre, Micha ...

Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Here's a debut album from a trombonist with a lot of warmth and promise. Nanami Haruta hits the ground running on this al bum with Michael Dease/tb-bars, Xavier Davis/p, Rodney Whitaker/b, Ulysses Owens Jr/dr and guest Chris Minami/g on a mix of originals and coves. Haruta shows off her glowing tone on a gloriously Spartan take of "Unchained Melody ...

New York City Jazz Record (Thomas Conrad)
Hot new trombonists don't hit town nearly as often as bad-asses on trumpet or saxophone. That's why Nanami Haruta is news. The Vibe, her debut as a leader, reveals that she has it all: crisp articulation, pure intonation, fresh ideas and quick-on-quick reflexes. She also sounds enthusiastic and supremely confident (her level of chops instills poise ...

The Jazz Word (Ferell Aubre)
With her debut album, The Vibe, trombonist Nanami Haruta confidently steps onto the jazz scene, marking herself as an exhilarating player on the jazz scene. Released February 28, 2025, on Origin Records, the album circles Haruta's exceptional talent. Mentor and producer Michael Dease presence on trombone and baritone saxophone imbues the project wi ...

Making a Scene (Dee Dee McNeil)
Nanami Haruta is a new trombone voice on the jazz scene. She's been a professional jazz musician since the age of fifteen. "I started playing trombone at school when I was eight years old in a band of elementary school students playing jazz, which is rare in Japan," the young lady explains. In 2019, Nanami Haruta won the most Outstanding Stu ...

Album Liner Notes (Willard Jenkins)
Unlike other members of the family of western instruments, the ranks of the trombone are a bit exclusive—perhaps even more exclusive in the art of the improvisers, the jazz landscape. Which is yet more reason to celebrate the arrival of a new trombone voice in jazz music. Her name is Nanami Haruta and she arrives at this debut recording moment fr ...

DownBeat (Interview) (Cree McCree)
BORN IN SAPPORO, JAPAN, Nanami Haruta started playing piano at age 5 and gravitated towards to the trombone when she was only 8 years old. The instrument was taller than she was. "They do have smaller trombones for kids but I just used a normal one," she recalled from Michigan State University, where she's currently enrolled in the jazz studies pro ...

WDCB, Chicago (Paul Abella)
In a word, wow. Trombonist Nanami Haruta wastes no time in knocking one right out of the park with her debut album, The Vibe. Mentored by Michael Dease out of Michigan State University, he joins her on the album, on trombone and bari sax. The rhythm section on The Vibe is enviable, featuring Xavier Davis on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass and Ulysse ...

Glide Magazine (Doug Collette)
The sleek tones of Nanami Haruta's trombone appropriately suffuse The Vibe as she and five other musicians wend their way patiently but authoritatively through eleven tracks recorded, mixed, and mastered by Corey DeRushia. That sensitive engineering emphasizes all the individual instruments, including Michael Dease's horns, Xavier Davis' piano, and ...