The debut single by Japanese guitarist and composer Erika Toda, who is currently based in NYC. The song brings together the melodic language of blues and jazz with elements of rock, folk, and contemporary improvisation.

Available here

“Yakei (夜景)” (Japanese for night view) is the first release under Erika Toda’s own name, a guitarist / composer stepping out as a bandleader. ‘I wrote “Yakei” in about an hour, following where the melody naturally led me. It’s built around a simple, singable blues language, which I colored with richer harmonic movement. While writing it, I imagined a quiet nighttime cityscape, with lights scattered across the distance.’ ERIKA TODA

Toda recorded it with fellow musicians in NY: Kevin Du on piano (also co-producer), Aidan Taylor on upright bass and Alon Benjamini on drums. It was tracked at East Side Sound Studio and mixed and mastered at Oak Tapes Mastering.

Erika Toda is a Japanese guitarist, songwriter and educator based in New York City. Her playing draws on jazz, blues, rock, pop, Latin to Afro-Cuban music. She started guitar at nine and was playing professionally in Japan before coming to the U.S. in 2022, first to San Francisco State University, then to NYU Steinhardt, where she earned a Master of Music studying with Peter Bernstein, Adam Rogers, Drew Gress and Rich Shemaria. In New York she co-leads ChotoLoco, a duo with drummer Alon Benjamini that blends live jazz improvisation with electronic soundscapes; the duo released “Umi” and “Catosphere” in 2025.

CREDITS Erika Toda: Guitar, composition Kevin Du: Piano, co-production Aidan Taylor: Upright bass Alon Benjamini: Drums, recording, mix, mastering, post-production Nicolas Pollak: Recording engineer Dana Golan: Photography Dana Roth: Animation, cover art GUITAR ON: ChotoLoco — “Catosphere”, “Umi” (2025) Somewhere, a Butterfly Sings — Kevin Du Looking To The Sky — Liam Laird “Forage” — Amanda Magaña “Lost Ones” — Connor Sobieri

Erika Toda website click here

Thank you to Erika for sharing with us!