Miki Yamanaka, born in 1990, is a Japanese jazz musician. She began playing the piano at age five and developed an interest in jazz while in school. In 2012, Yamanaka moved to New York to study music, receiving instruction from notable figures such as Jason Lindner and Fred Hersch. Her breakthrough came in 2015 when she participated in Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, leading to performances at the Kennedy Center. In 2018, Yamanaka released the album Miki, which featured compositions by Steve Nelson, Orlando le Fleming, and Bill Stewart. She followed this with Human Dust Suite in 2020 and Shades of Rainbow in 2023. Throughout her career, Yamanaka has performed at renowned venues such as Smalls and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.
