EVERGREEN available now!

“Iida has a mellow tone and a relaxed style [...] his wide interests in music and versatility are on display." 

– DownBeat 

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ABOUT EVERGREEN

“Trumpeter Jun Iida grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and had his first experiences on stage turning music pages for his mother, a semi-professional koto player who encouraged a connection to music and the family’s Japanese heritage.
Iida’s love of music gradually overtook his education and early career as an engineer. He moved around the country, studying in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and then moving to Los Angeles, where he worked his way into the jazz scene.
The pandemic hit while Iida was in Southern California working on the music destined for his debut album, Evergreen. The album title (and song title) refers to his move to Seattle during that time, though it was actually an engineering job that led to his relocation.
Inspired by musicians, including those in his studio session band – guitarist Martin Budde, pianist Dylan Hayes, bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Xavier Lecouturier – Iida made his commitment to life as a professional musician.
Evergreen’s original songs include Iida’s trumpet matched by guitar on the album and in the studio, creating an upper range for the songs that lends them a lightness equaled by clear melodic and harmonic ideas.
Iida also blends the Japanese folk, classical and blues music he heard as a kid in St. Louis with the hip-hop of his teen years to bring a modern perspective to mainstream jazz reminiscent of his trumpet hero, Roy Hargrove.
The strength of his first album has earned Iida plenty of positive attention from critics, musicians and music lovers. Most importantly, his mom likes it. “That’s been the most fun,” Iida said, “being able to share the music with everybody who’s closest to me.”
With musical connections in Seattle that seem built to last, we’re sure to keep this now New York-based trumpeter coming back to share music with his close friends and fans in the Northwest.”
(Abe Beeson, KNKX/NPR)
JUN IIDA TRUMPET 
 AUBREY JOHNSON VOCALS
 MASAMI KUROKI GUITAR 
 JOSH NELSON PIANO, RHODES
 JONATHAN RICHARDS BASS
 XAVIER LECOUTURIER DRUMS 
Produced by Jun Iida
Co-produced by Josh Nelson
Recorded by Talley Sherwood at Tritone Recording, Los Angeles, CA
November 22-23, 2022
Mixed & Mastered by Rich Breen, Burbank, CA
Liner notes by Gary Fukushima
Front cover photo by Steve Korn
Band photo by Elaine Tantra
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

REVIEWS

“Iida has a mellow tone and a relaxed style… his wide interests in music and versatility are on display." 
- Scott Yanow, Downbeat Magazine

“All compositions are reflective of both his Japanese heritage and his command and fluency in jazz  composition and stylings, the two worlds being complementary and mutually enriching on this showing.  The diversity of mood and style, not to mention thoughtful programming of tracks, is a real strength of  this album. All in all, there is a great deal to enjoy here.” 
- John Arnett, London Jazz News

“For a debut album, Jun Iida reaches the summit! “Evergreen” is all about balance—everything is  perfectly calibrated, beautiful, intelligent, and one simply allows oneself to be carried away… with this  artist we are certainly only at the beginning of delightful surprises. We are moved by the overall quality  of this album because one can sense how much the composer has poured his soul into this project.” 
- Thierry de Clemensat, Paris Move

“Iida's trumpet delivers a lush, mellow tone. His improvisations are thoughtfully presented, surprisingly  inventive, and highly inflected with ornamentations both classic jazz and Japanese-inflected elements.  He swings in a style which is totally unique. Evergreen is a texturally-varied debut album from Iida and  his exceptional musicians. It is colorful and, at times, enchanting, stimulating both ear and mind.” 
- Nick Mondello, All About Jazz

“Iida is able to bring in elements of his upbringing, along with touches of classical, and even hip-hop  rhythms. As a result, songs such as the title track “Evergreen” and “Shiki No Uta” are 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. Evergreen by Jun Iida smokes from beginning to  end. It’s a fine way to start 2024.” 
- Preston Frazier, Slang of Ages

“A new name to us. Trumpeter Jun Iida - a US player of Japanese descent whose style recalls the much missed Roy Hargrove a bit - here on a very pleasant set of originals and standards. The vocals of Audrey  Johnson are tucked under melody lines and ingeniously add to the arranging style. Let's hope  that Evergreen gets heard because Iida clearly has something to say.” 
- Stephen Graham, Marlbank

“Trumpeter Jun Iida has a sweet Kenny Dorham-style to his horn … The genius here is the melding of Iida’s horn with the ethereal voice of Johnson. Givenchy with a Bodhi tree.”
- George Harris, JazzWeekly

“I love the way Jun Iida blends pop and jazz music in a contemporary style, without ever losing the  essence of ‘Straight-ahead’ jazz or the important roots of jazz music. He also incorporates his Japanese  culture into this artistic work. Jun’s muted trumpet takes center stage and instantly reminds me of a  young Miles Davis. I admire Jun’s melodic sense. It streams through his music like Santa Ana winds, full  of warmth and power, with memorable lines of melody. I am intrigued by this new artist and look  forward to many more recordings of progressive and imaginative music.” 
- Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs

“The greatness of Iida's trumpet playing lies in the musical diversity and 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.” 
- Robert Maloschik, JazzMa

“The debut album from trumpet/flugelhorn player Jun Iida, “Evergreen,” is among the most imaginative  and original jazz albums we’ve listened to (yet) in 2023. As you listen to the opener, “Gooey Butter  Cake,” an original by Jun, you’ll quickly realize why we consider him an “up and comer” – a true winner!” 
- Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews

“Evergreen […is] a dynamic affair, smoothly shifting between styles while maintaining a cohesive tone.”
- Robert Ham, Earshot Jazz