— PRESS
Press & EPK
Complete press kit for international bookers and media. Includes EPK PDF, biography (short / long), full member list, and direct booking contact.
EPK
ROUTE14band 2026 EPK
Artist overview, full discography, performance history, and high-resolution photos.
DOWNLOAD PDF (2.5MB) →BOOKING & PRESS CONTACT
Satoshi Yamashita
Manager / TYCompany LLC
Short Bio
ROUTE14band is a jazz-influenced trumpet band from Kawasaki, Japan, formed in 2010 by trumpet player Chihiro Yamazaki. Known for "Singing Instruments" — an instrumental sound that draws from jazz, fusion, classical, and rock — the band has performed at SXSW for 10 consecutive editions (2013–2025), Bay of Islands Jazz & Blues Festival in New Zealand 8 times (2017–2025, with a 9th appearance scheduled for August 2026), and venues across Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.
Long Bio
ROUTE14band is a jazz-influenced trumpet band from Kawasaki, Japan. Formed in 2010 by trumpet player Chihiro Yamazaki, the band takes its name from Kawasaki Prefectural Route 14 (Shitte-Kurokawa Road), where the founding members were living when the group was first put together. Originally known as "Chihiro Yamazaki + ROUTE14band" — a name reflecting the geographic distance between Yamazaki, who lived in Tokyo, and the rest of the members along Route 14 — the band shortened its name to ROUTE14band in 2024.
The band performs as a core five-piece (Chihiro Yamazaki on trumpet, Satoshi Yamashita on drums, Koji Yamamoto on bass, Hana Takami on keyboards, and Miz on guitar and rap), occasionally extended to seven members for select performances with longtime collaborators Ryota Hosaka (guitar) and Hiroaki Idaka (keyboards, synth bass).
Following their Grand Prix win at the 2012 Sapporo Park Jazz Live Contest, ROUTE14band has built a track record of international festival appearances unique among Japanese jazz exports. The band has played SXSW for 10 consecutive editions (2013–2025), the Bay of Islands Jazz & Blues Festival in New Zealand 8 times (2017–2025), with a 9th appearance scheduled for August 2026 alongside three Auckland headline shows. Other international engagements include Chilpo Jazz Festival (Korea, 2 appearances), Korean hall concerts (3 performances), Dallas New New Festival (2021–2024, 3 appearances), and a TV appearance on Up Late Austin in March 2026.
The band's sound, marketed as "Singing Instruments," draws from jazz, fusion, classical, and rock. Recent international collaborations reflect the band's expanding network: "My Hero (Higher)" (2023) and "Feeling Good (feat. Sage)" (2024) with Nashville-based songwriting unit Golden West (credits include Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett); "Our Summer" (2024) with Korean jazz fusion unit A-FUZZ; and "Ghibli Reimagined" (2025) with vocalist Ryu Miho, released worldwide in August 2025.
Distribution agreements are in place with JinuRockEntertainment in South Korea (since 2017) and HiFive Technology Co., Ltd. in China (since 2019). Through strategic partnerships across Asia, ROUTE14band has positioned itself as a pioneer in Japanese jazz exports, creating music that crosses cultural boundaries.