Trombonist Nanami Haruta made the move from her native Sapporo to Tokyo as a teenager and quickly established herself as a dynamic & inspired player. Master trombonist Michael Dease heard her at a festival when she was 17, and later convinced her to make another move, to pursue her degree with him and Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University.

With professional affiliations now including Whitaker's Sextet & drummer Ulysses Owens Jr's Big Band, "The Vibe" documents the respect she's garnered from her mentors and showcases her significant musical voice. With her quartet - including Whitaker, Owens, and Xavier Davis on piano - along with guest appearances by producer Dease and guitarist Chris Minami, Haruta unveils an assertive posture and a compelling, robust tone on this set of five originals, two pieces by co-producer/executive producer Gregg Hill, and four covers, including Curtis Fuller's "Algonquin."