Emiko Kawakubo Translates Taste and Sound into Visual Design for Jazz Concert

Japanese graphic designer Emiko Kawakubo, based in Los Angeles, created the promotional design for "Licks!," the second concert of the season by The Unprecedented Music Association, where she also performs. The project explored taste as interpreted through jazz music, combining sound with flavor. Collaborators contributed snacks inspired by musical compositions, and guest bands added depth. Using Adobe Illustrator, Kawakubo developed a visual identity for the multi-sensory event, used on Instagram and Facebook. This was her first professional assignment after graduating from UCLA Extension's Design Communication Arts program. Born in Fukuoka and moving between Japan and the US, she previously worked in aviation for nearly five years and studied architecture before shifting to graphic design.