Japan: New Orleans Collection Series by Haruka Kikuchi

Haruka Kikuchi, energetically driving a band along or playing gently and lyrically, is currently one of the world’s best traditional jazz trombonists. She grew up in Japan and graduated in Music Science at Tokyo University of Fine Arts in 2010. Inspired by Kid Ory, she fell in love with traditional jazz.In 2014, Haruka made the bold move of emigrating to New Orleans. She was soon in demand and playing with such bands as Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers and The Swamp Donkeys. Today, through her playing with The Shotgun Jazz Band and The Shake ’Em Up Jazz Band, she has become an international favorite. Her diary, up to the moment of the Coronavirus lockdown, was full.Haruka married fellow Japanese musician the superb pianist Yoshitaka Tsuji; and they have a cute little son, Shouta, who has appeared with Haruka in videos—even on last year’s European tour.Haruka wanted to link Japan with New Orleans in a project to inspire the next generation. So, whenever fellow Japanese players visited New Orleans, she invited them into a recording studio to play music with her new friends. Over four years, she arranged 10 such sessions. Thirty-eight different musicians took part. They included Naho Ishimura, Shingo Kano, Makiko Tamura, and Tomomitsu Maruyama from Japan and locals such as Molly Reeves, Gerald French, Twerk Thomson, and David Boeddinghaus.This year, Haruka has put together a C