Takuya Kuroda Releases 'EVERYDAY,' His Eighth Studio Album

By fusing elements of hip-hop, neo-soul and jazz, Takuya Kuroda has established a reputation as a skillful musical chameleon, one known for his infectious rhythms, sublime grooves and knack for earworms. And now, the Kobe-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter has put that Rolodex of skills on full display with the release of EVERYDAY, his eighth studio album.

A project that explores the middle ground between the art of studio production and the sublime experience of live middle performance — as well as a true jazzman’s constant desire to refine and improve their craft — EVERYDAY is centered around Kuroda’s lyrical trumpet playing and melodies that he describes as “singable.” These facets are particularly noticeable on tracks like “Bad Bye” and “Iron Giraffe” as well as closer “Curiosity,” on which he sets his trumpet aside to play the flugelhorn (Kuroda also plays synthesizers and the Fender Rhodes on the project).

Another standout track that served as the album’s first single is “Car 16 15 A,” a tune inspired by catching the last car on the bullet train while running between gigs in Japan. The song starts out at a frantic tempo, encapsulating the feeling of rushing down the platform to make it to your seat, and then suddenly dials the intensity all the way back, coming full-circle by saluting the vibe of making it to your seat, cracking open a cold can of Premium Malts and settling in for the ride to the next gig.

“I feel like I’m ready for anything,” Kuroda told Hypebeast in a January 2024 interview. I’ve always been confident in my abilities, even in the rough times, but my manager and friends are like “Yo Tak, you’ve got a new confidence on this next album.”

Now, that album is here — and Kuroda’s confidence is on full display.

Stream EVERYDAY below, and head to Diggers Factory to purchase it on vinyl.