First Word

First Word

Rising Son Takuya Kuroda

£32.99 Sold out
Genre: Jazz.
Format: Vinyl LP

Pickup currently unavailable at Shop location - Cheltenham

Condition: Brand New
Release date: Feb 09, 2024
Catalogue number: FW288
Barcode: 5050580815933

'Rising Son' was first released on the seminal Blue Note Records imprint 10 years ago in 2014, with Takuya being the first Japanese artist to sign to the label. The record received widespread critical acclaim, hitting No.1 on Japan's jazz charts at the time, with original copies now fetching hundreds of pounds on Discogs and the like. There has long been high demand for a re-press of this album, and we're very pleased to say it's finally here, a decade on.

The re-issue is to be released via London-based Worldwide Award-winning label First Word Records, who coincidentally celebrate their 20th year running in 2024. First Word released Takuya's highly-revered previous two albums, 'Fly Moon Die Soon' (2020) and 'Midnight Crisp' (2022).

For those that don't know, Takuya Kuroda is a Kobe-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter and musician, who was also a longtime player for Akoya Afrobeat as well as DJ Premier's BADDER band. Initially playing on the Japanese circuit with his trombonist brother, Takuya went on to relocate to New York City, where he has largely remained to this day, becoming a prominent player in the jazz scene there.

The original album featured several Roy Ayers covers, including the all-time classic 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine', and this 2024 pressing also includes a brand new remix of the track from keys player & producer, Joe Armon-Jones. Joe is hugely-acclaimed in his own right as a solo artist, as well as his recent collaborations with Mala (who has a track named after him on this very project, as Takuya was influenced heavily by his 2012 Brownswood album 'Mala in Cuba'), and as an integral member of the legendary Ezra Collective, winners of the 2023 Mercury Music Prize in the UK.

Flitting between the genres of jazz fusion, soul, r&b, hip hop and afrobeat, the album was predominantly produced by a previous Takuya collaborator, vocalist José James, while also featuring phenomenal accompaniment from Nate Smith (drums), Solomon Dorsey (bass), Corey King (trombone) and Kris Bowers (keys).

In the words of José James, "no one sounds like Takuya. His tone, warmth and most of all his storytelling have inspired me for years. His writing is soulful, modern, and effortlessly bridges the gap between jazz and soul, and between history and tomorrow."

Track List:
  1. Rising Son
  2. Afro Blues
  3. Piri Piri
  4. Mala
  5. Everybody Loves The Sunshine
  6. Green & Gold
  7. Sometime...
  8. Call
  9. Everybody Loves The Sunshine (Joe Armon-Jones Remix)
Format: Vinyl LP

Product information

When will my order be shipped?

We always attempt to dispatch items no later than five working days after payment is received (excluding pre-orders). If you have ordered a pre-order item, it will be dispatched on or around the release.

Do you ship pre-orders separately?

No. We will ship your entire order together. If you want items sent separately, please place individual orders.

View our FAQs page for more help.

What are the shipping costs?

This varies by product and service. All shipping is calculated at checkout.

Do you offer free shipping?

We offer free UK shipping over £75.

Do you ship internationally?

We ship to a large number of countries throughout Europe and also Australia, Canada, Japan & USA. To find out if your country is included please visit the checkout page.

Visit our Shipping & Returns page for more information.

For customer enquiries please contact our customer service team on who will be happy to assist on 01242 246 242 between 11:30am and 5:00pm (GMT) Monday to Saturday. Email: customerservice@badlands.co.uk

Alternatively please fill in our contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. This is usually within 48 hours.