“Yu Nishiyama’s A Lotus in the Mud is a welcome reminder that no matter the size of the ensemble nor how densely layered its compositions, a big band recording is able to convey the exhilarating sense of taking flights”
— Bandcamp Daily, Best Jazz on Bandcamp
On her stunning debut album, A Lotus in the Mud, composer and bandleader Yu Nishiyama crafts vibrant, multi-hued music from the roiling and often messy emotions of human existence. Out now via Next Level, the album marks the emergence of a dazzling new voice in the big band tradition with five bold and densely layered original compositions and a lush reimagining of a classic standard.