Paul Yonemura is a San Francisco Bay Area native and a longtime performer/educator.  He has played with Michael Wolff, John Handy, Art Van Damme, Sunny Wilkinson, Cathy Segal-Garcia, Julie Kelly, Ed Kelly, Don Piestrup Big Band, Full Faith and Credit Big Band, Jimmy Heath, Chris Vadala, Dr. Ron Odrich, Mary Fettig, Helen O'Connell, Wayne Wallace, The Modernaires, Laura Dreyer, and many others.  As a teacher, he has taught privately and in the public schools for more than 40 years.  Many of his groups were critically acclaimed, including his wind bands and jazz bands.  His El Cerrito High School Jazz Ensemble was a consistent winner at jazz festivals, including winning the 1991 Monterey Jazz Festival.  He has also been a guest conductor at summer music camps, including Pacific Music Camp, Summer Music at Stanislaus, Meadow Wood Music Camp,the National High School Summer Institute at Northwestern University, and Cazadero Music Camp. 

Yonemura continues to be active, leading his own trio, quartet, and quintet at local clubs, house concerts, and as part of music festivals in the SF Bay Area.  He has also been active as a jazz festival judge. Recent adjudication assignments have included SF Bay Area CMEA jazz festivals, the 2026 Bill Evans Jazz Festival/Southeastern Louisiana University, and the 2026 California Jazz Championships in Folsom, CA.

Photo: Lonnol Bay