Contemporary Eye ::: Yumi Ito

"On our eighth contemporary outing, we spotlight Swiss singer Yumi Ito. Based in Basel with Japanese-Polish roots, Yumi Ito offers us this coming April her latest album, ‘Ysla’ for Enja Records imprint Enja Yellowbird following an incredible string of partnerships with the likes of Iago Fernández Camaño, Szymon Mika, Baptiste Stanek, Vaclav Palka and Marton Juhasz whilst having been part of the teachings at the University of Arts Zürich, University of Arts Luzern and Masterclass with JugendJazzOrchester. Yumi Ito’s education at Stipend, Jazzcampus Basel and Zürcher Hochschule der Künste has provided various practices that have allowed for one of the most creative and diverse voices on the contemporary scene today. Prize winner of the 2015 Montreux Jazz Vocal Competition, Yumi Ito has a long list of coaches that includes Jorge Rossy, Mark Turner, Gretchen Parlato and Dave Holland that have aided her individual sound and success.

This year's Ysla, offers its listeners seven original compositions that "deals with the themes of loneliness and separation, the world ending, and rebirth, linked with metaphors from nature, psychology, and sociology, as well as current contemporary history". Ysla brings together Kuba Dworak (double bass), Iago Fernández (drums), Chris Hyson (synths) and Szymon Mika (guitar) for what is going to be something of a 2023 highlight." - Steve Williams of UK Vibe

The show's tracklist reads as follows:

Yumi Ito - Rebirth (enja Yellowbird 2023)

Iago Fernández - Flor Esvelta feat. Yumi Ito ( #freshsoundnewtalent 2022)

Yumi Ito & Szymon Mika - My Restless Mind (Hevhetia 2021)

Baptiste Stanek - Through the eyes of a woman feat. Yumi Ito (Self-released 2021)

Yumi Ito - Unwritten Stories (u n i t 2020)

Yumi Ito - Is It You (enja Yellowbird 2023)

Václav Pálka - The Neverending Staircase feat. Yumi Ito (Hout 2020)

Marton Juhasz - Spellbound feat. Yumi Ito (Self-released 2019)

Alex & The Wavemakers - Cloudburst feat. Yumi Ito (Self-released 2018)

Yumi Ito - My Romance (u n i t 2016)

Yumi Ito - Drama Queen (enja Yellowbird 2023)