Taka Nawashiro

Taka Nawashiro, a guitarist from Japan who now lives in New York City, produces detailed, present-day post-bop jazz. His first recording arrived as What We Do Now in 2020, with the follow-up Lifescape issued in 2024.

Born in Saitama, Japan, Nawashiro secured a scholarship to attend the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School in New York City. He finished his studies in 2020 and received the John Coltrane Award that year. Also in 2020 he issued his debut album What We Do Now, which included bassist Ben Allison and drummer E.J. Strickland along with appearances by singer Judette Elliston and flugelhornist Milena Casado Fauquet. His second album, Lifescape, followed in 2024 and again featured Allison and Strickland, this time joined by pianist Victor Gould and further musicians.