Researched musician profile
About Yoshimasa Otsuka
Yoshimasa Otsuka, also credited as 大塚義将, grew up in Gunma and took up bass at fifteen. He moved to Tokyo to attend Senshu University, where its MJA Blue Coral jazz ensemble helped shape his playing. He began performing in Tokyo clubs during that period and later contributed his own trio to the 2016 compilation For Cool Cats Only Vol. 2.[1]
Otsuka plays bass on guitarist Yudo Matsuo’s 2018 album Songs in Motion, alongside pianist Jun-ichiro Okuchi and drummer Sota Kira. His recording work also includes n’sawa-saraca’s Forest Dance and Another Town; the group’s published credits place his bass alongside Yasushi Karasawa’s keyboards and Osamu Inoue’s tenor saxophone.[2][3]
Tokyo club roots
JZ Brat’s artist profile traces his Tokyo performing career to his university jazz-ensemble years.[1]
Songs in Motion
Matsuo’s artist-published album credits Otsuka as the bassist in its guitar-and-piano quartet.[2]
n’sawa-saraca recordings
The band credits Otsuka on both its 2014 debut Forest Dance and 2020 follow-up Another Town.[3]