Gen Yoshimura is a drummer/composer/educator from Japan. He moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music (BM) and Longy School of Music at Bard College (MM), and has lived there ever since. Gen is a versatile musician proficient in many genres including a wide array of Latin styles, jazz, fusion, and pop.

 

Throughout his musical career, he has been given opportunities to share the stage with several internationally acclaimed artists including Fernando Huergo, Walter Smith, Kris Davis, John Lockwood, Oscar Stagnaro, Rick Dimuzio, Daniel Ian Smith, Nate Radley, Ernesto Diaz, Manolo Mairena, Gonzalo Grau, Rebecca Cline, Gilson Schachnik, Yulia Musayelyan, Jim Kelly, Fernando Brandao, Maxim Lubarsky, Fabiola Mendez, Eduardo Betancourt, Andy Voelker, Matt Jenson, Doug Olsen, Alexei Tsiganov, Angel Subero, Zahili Zamora, Fryderyk HD, SONMASS, Bruno Raberg Tentet, Allan Chase Quartet, Leo Blanco Trio, La Pura Vida, Santiago Bosch Trio, Pritesh Walia Trio, and many others. 

 

A major highlight of his career includes being featured alongside Pat Metheny, Fred Hersch, and Bobby Watson in Jazz Artistry Now (JAN)’s Best of Jazz 2020 for his drumming in Fernando Huergo’s Big Band album "The Possibility of Change".

 

In addition to his extensive work as a sideman, Gen also performs and records original compositions with his own band, many of which you can find on Spotify, Youtube, and the Discography tab above. 

Unity  Until I Arrive  A Little Snowman

 

Gen has built an illustrious career as an educator throughout the Boston area. Most notably, he is a faculty at New England Conservatory's Preparatory Program and Continuing Education Program, where he teaches ensembles and private instruction. He has also led clinics and masterclasses for prestigious institutions such as Berklee College of Music in the institution’s 2023 Summer Drum/Percussion Workshop and its 2018 Workshop & Audition Tour in Quito, Ecuador. In addition to his work with his alma mater, Gen has led masterclasses in Groton School, and Lethbridge University. He also has been teaching private lessons regularly for years.

 

Gen’s mentors include many world-renowned artists such as Mark Walker, Kenwood Dennard, Ralph Peterson Jr, Neal Smith, Francisco Mela, Yoron Israel, Marko Djordjevic, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Phil Grenadier, Tiger Okoshi, and Eric Hofbauer.