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Akiyoshi Shimizu

Member Since: 2026 | Location: Tokyo | Page Views: 120

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Akiyoshi Shimizu is a jazz bassist and composer whose exceptional songwriting talent has earned high acclaim in prestigious international competitions, including the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the International Songwriting Competition (ISC).

Born in 1985 in Fukui, Japan. Akiyoshi Shimizu’s musical journey began in childhood with a fascination for composition. At 14, he picked up the electric bass, and a transformative encounter with the music of Jaco Pastorius led him toward the world of jazz. Upon entering university, he transitioned to the double bass, mastering the instrument through self-study. Since beginning his professional career in Tokyo in 2006, he has earned profound trust and acclaim from a wide range of musicians across generations. In tandem with his performance career, Shimizu has independently pursued the art of composition and arrangement. In 2020, he released his debut leader album, Satya. In 2022, his original composition “Room106” from the album was named a Finalist in the Jazz category of the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the U.S., earning him international recognition as a composer. In 2025, he released his second album, Hoshi ga Utsurou. This collection of original works focuses on the unique textures of woodwinds—featuring two flutes, clarinet, and bass clarinet. The album has garnered global attention for its inventive ensemble writing, with the Italian jazz media Jazz In Family praising it for “reinventing jazz.” Furthermore, in 2026, “One Sheep, Two Sheep...” from the album won Third Place in the Jazz category at the International Songwriting Competition (ISC), one of the world's largest songwriting competitions. Following his previous work, his exceptional compositional talent continues to earn firm recognition on the international stageone

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This page was last updated on 2026-09-08.

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