Program Books/Yasushi Nakamura
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Yasushi Nakamura

bass

Bassist Yasushi Nakamura is one of today’s most commanding bass players. Born in Tokyo, Nakamura moved to Seattle, Washington and received his bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from Berklee College of Music, and an artist diploma from the Juilliard School. He has recorded or performed with Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Hank Jones, Dave Douglas, Emmet Cohen, and many others, and is a member of the American Patchwork Quartet. As an educator, Nakamura has led master classes and summer intensive courses at Juilliard, The New School, Koyo Conservatory, Osaka Geidai, and Savannah Swing Central. In 2016, Nakamura released his debut album A Lifetime Treasure, and in 2017, his second record, Hometown received the 2017 Album of the Year award from JazzLife magazine. Nakamura has performed at MJF many times since 2004 and was the bassist for MJF on Tour in 2018–19.