Shigefumi Tomita (Fumi) was born in New York City in 1971. His passion for music began with piano and drum lessons at the age of twelve. Around the same time, he taught himself guitar and later, the electric bass. He picked up the acoustic bass while attending McGill University in Montreal where he earned his Bachelors of Music in 1996.
After living in Portland, Oregon for a year, where he was able to successfully integrate himself into the jazz scene, Fumi moved back to New York to attend the Manhattan School of Music. At this time, he began to lead his own groups featuring his compositions and earned his Master's of Music in 2000.
In New York City, hes played at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, Gracie Mansion, The Up Over Jazz Café, The 55 Bar, Cleopatras Needle and the Garage as well as Cecils and Trumpets in New Jersey. He was the bassist on the national tour of the Nat King Cole tribute, Unforgettable. Festival appearances include the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz, the Henry Mancini Institute, and the Banff International Workshop in Jazz. He has studied the bass with Michel Donato, Larry Ridley, and Jay Anderson. Currently, he maintains a busy schedule of teaching and performing, and is currently working on his first CD.