[6] Akinmusire studied at the Manhattan School of Music before returning to the West Coast to take a master's degree at the University of Southern California and attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles.

[7][8] The same year he released his debut recording Prelude... to Cora on the Fresh Sound New Talent label.

[6] He moved back to New York City and began performing with Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Esperanza Spalding, and Jason Moran, taking part in Moran's innovative multimedia concert event In My Mind: Monk At Town Hall, 1957.

[9] Akinmusire made his debut on the Blue Note label in 2011 with the album When the Heart Emerges Glistening, featuring his quintet of tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown.

[12][13] His sixth studio album On the Tender Spot of every Calloused Moment, again with his quartet of longtime bandmates[3] – Sam Harris (piano), Harish Raghavan (bass), and Justin Brown (drums), was released in spring 2020[14] and received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.