Takuya Kuroda w/ Isaiah Mostafa & DJ Wonway Posibul
The New Parish
1743 San Pablo Ave.
Oakland
April 25, 2024
Hip hop heads will grant Takuya Kuroda street cred from his time in NYC playing with one half of legendary duo Gang Starr and one of the greatest producers of all time, DJ Premiere, in Premiere’s BADDER band. Jazz aficionados will appreciate that in 2014 he was signed to Blue Note Records for his album Rising Son, the same record label to which John Coltrane and Miles Davis contributed. And so, prior to showtime at The New Parish on Thursday night, the anticipation amongst the crowd was tangible.
Around quarter past 8, Egyptian-American singer and producer Isaiah Mostafa, singer Sunday, Mostafa’s sister Marika Sage, and keys player LaFemmeBear took to the stage to open the show.
Mostafa and Sunday went together like butter on toast, featuring harmonic layering and falsettos over the R&B and hip hop beats, with Marika Sage rapping on “If U Down.” Mostafa was approachable and friendly, sharing the messages that “music is a privilege” and to “Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan.”
He graciously stepped aside for Sunday to sing lead, then said, “What do I even do after that?” She’d had the crowd roaring after her soulful-yet-technical vocal runs.
Once their smooth and sultry set finished, two men in black ball caps came to make many minute microphone adjustments while “Electric Relaxation” by A Tribe Called Quest spun on DJ Wonway’s decks. It was in this pause that I reflected on the acoustics, great lighting, ADA seating, solid drink selection at bars on both the main and upper level, and a tasteful outdoor patio. The New Parish provided all of the elements necessary for a fantastic live music experience.
People began filming before Takuya Kuroda even came out on stage. Once he did, it was to a roar of applause. He wore a green and purple patterned button down shirt, modest khakis and brown shoes. Kuroda gave the band a count and launched a rocket ship of funky trumpet runs. Saxophonist Craig Hill was a powerhouse collaborator; Kuroda showed reverence for his fellow musician as he bobbed his bouncing ponytail along to riffs when it was Hill’s time to shine.
The second song the band played had fluttery glittering piano riffs and a classic hip hop drum beat I couldn’t help nod my head to.
“Wassup Oakland, how you guys doin? So good to be back, this is amazing. Thank you so much …” Not much exposition, but I could tell how happy he was to be playing for the packed house. After the band finished playing a song, he explained it was a brand new one and that it would be on the upcoming album he’s has been working on. He told us it’s been ten years since his last album, and in reference to its release date he said sheepishly, “I don’t know when … the business part … shiiiit,” which brought big laughs from the audience.
At some point I recognized the horns run from Outkast’s “Spottieottiedopaliscious,” and the band’s groove and sense of rhythm drifted everywhere from classic hip hop to funk to post-bop. Kuroda stepped to the back, wiped sweat from his drenched face while vibing to his band, took it all in. Such a deferential star.
The set felt fast, perhaps because the music was so varied stylistically. People stayed until the end, some admiring and head-nodding, others all out full body dancing. It was a humble yet potent and special performance. I would see Kuroda again in a heartbeat, wherever that may be.
