“To weave a melody, emotion must be threaded with skill.”– Jiro Yoshida The fresh air that this non-American brings into the genre is reminiscent of a modern day Django Reinhardt. When Jiro plays his guitar, the magnetic pulse beckons. Abstract structures build on traditional roots. Melodies fuse with earthy, almost tactile rhythms; the ensuing tensions make musical revelations. It’s a carnal, rich, and textured sound- painting - a sultry invitation into the vibrations that make up his world. But the emotion evoked is tied to consummate skill. “Expression is the energy that turns the lock, but technique is the key. Many artists have emotion, but can’t build on it; they can only make a castle in the sand that sinks under its own weight.” – Jiro Yoshida For the purist, there are solid concepts behind the sound. Among Jiro’s many notable talents are considerable polyphonic skills, a mastery of complex strumming patterns, and a remarkable ability to function in a highly chromatic environment. Like musical predecessor West Montgomery , Jiro revels in a deep respect for tradition. Influencers like Miles Davis and John Coltrane spice his playing, but there are classical nods as well. Some phrases channel the passion of Tchaikovsky. Others echo the eclecticism of Stravinsky or the powerful energy of Bartok, whose harmonic language influenced generations of Jazz musicians. Born in Fukuoka, Jiro’s earliest memories are of a city tied to nature, surrounded by meadows, ocean views, and majestic seasonal changes. But, Japan in the 1960s was also a place of flux. Western influences like Jasper Jones and Jim Dine spliced into the strict traditions of Japanese culture. Jiro learned English at an early age, which allowed him to devour novels and philosophy texts that had not been translated. Serious concentration on the craft of music also started in childhood. Jiro began playing piano at age five and started classical guitar lessons by age six. Fortified by Jazz and Pop recordings from the United States, Jiro fell in love with the improvisational nature and complex structures of Jazz and the powerful emotion expressed by seminal rock bands like Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. Jiro became a professional musician before he left his teens, but as an artist, a major turning point was just on the horizon. A ticket to the Miles Davis comeback concert in Shinjuku inspired Jiro to study music in the United States. After graduation from Berkley College of Music, Jiro’s NY career began. Aided by Slide Hampton and Grady Tate, Jiro became a requested sideman on the NY studio circuit. After playing alongside lauded musicians like the Breaker Brothers, Ron Carter,New York Voices, Manhattan Transfer,Joe Henderson and Astrud Gilberto, Jiro started to produce other artists and record his own compositions. Jiro’s commercial work includes TV commercials for products like Diet Coke, Singapore Airlines, JC Pennys and others. He has recorded and/or played with Leon Russell,Peter Gabriel, Janis Ian, Cindy Lauper, Dizzy Gillespie,Brecker Brothers,Art Farmer,Lee Konitz,Phil Woods,Herbie Hancock,Ron Carter,Astrud Gilberto,New YorkVoices,ManhattanTransfer, Sergio Mendes, Rickie Lee Jones, Phoebe Show,Billy Joel,Dave Grusin, The Temptations, Barbra Streisand ,Sting,Paul Mccartney,Jennifer Lopez,MET,Chicago Symphony,London Symphony and many others. In addition to a full slate of recording, proAducing and touring, Jiro serves as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. He has a signature model guitar, the “Jiro Yoshido JY-130,” available through Takamine. Jiro is also the signature artist and spokesman for Sanyo’s Eneloop line of earth friendly technologies.