"Holding On to Autumn" is an original composition by Jun Iida from his 2023 album Evergreen, performed in C minor with a straight-eighth feel at approximately 101 BPM over an unusual AABAA form spanning 40 bars. The evocative title captures a sense of seasonal transition and the desire to preserve fleeting beauty, themes reflected in the composition's bittersweet harmonic language. The recording features two full-chorus solos: Iida opens on trumpet, his improvisation unfolding across the 40-bar form with lyrical phrasing and a warm, centered tone that conveys the composition's autumnal mood. Pianist Josh Nelson follows with his own chorus at a nearly identical tempo, his playing responding to and extending the emotional narrative established by Iida's trumpet, with harmonic explorations that illuminate the composition's rich chord changes. The AABAA form is distinctive in that it extends the standard AABA structure with an additional A section, giving each solo a broader canvas and creating a sense of spaciousness within the improvisation. The straight-eighth feel provides a gentle, flowing rhythmic foundation that supports the contemplative character of both solos. As one of the album's longer performances, "Holding On to Autumn" demonstrates Iida's skill as both composer and improviser, crafting original forms that serve the emotional content of his music while providing engaging frameworks for group improvisation.
