Record Reviews

YUMI ITO ~ INTERTWINED UNIT 4685 (Barcode: 7640114796852) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish / Japanese (resident in Switzerland) singer / songwriter Yumi ItoFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a trio comprising of Swiss saxophonist Gabriel DalvitFind albums by this artist and pianist Yves TheilerFind albums by this artist and Russian bassist Yuri GoloubevFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are classic Jazz standards sung in English. Ito was just twenty-four years old and still a student, when she recorded this album in London, already blessed with an extraordinary vocal ability and unique attitude, as anybody listening to this album can clearly determine. Her approach to the standards is anything but standard, and she takes many risks and liberties, often bordering on Free, amicably supported by the trio. Goloubev supplies an admirably solid bass footing, which holds the music brilliantly together, and sax and piano support Ito following her lead, taking the music away from the source as far as she decides to do. The result, especially in retrospect, is nothing less than sensational. Overall, this is wonderful vocal Jazz album, which presets familiar Jazz standards at times quite close to the original version and also quite far away. Whatever the case may be, it is always superbly performed, both by the singer and the instrumentalists, and in retrospect it presents the early days of one of the most interesting Jazz vocalist to emerge in the last decade. Side Note: I have been looking for a copy of this album helplessly for a decade, until my meeting a few weeks ago in Switzerland with Harald HaerterFind albums by this artist, the founder and original owner of UnitFind albums on this label Records, where he gave me a copy of the album, which closed a big gap in my collection. It appears that I am a stubborn bastard…

Updated: 09/11/2025Posted: 09/11/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

YUMI ITO / YVES THEILER ~ YPSILON FOR WHAT ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the 2nd album by the Polish / Japanese (resident in Switzerland) Jazz vocalist Yumi ItoFind albums by this artist and the debut by duo comprising of her and Swiss Jazz pianist Yves TheilerFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, three each by Ito and Theiler. The intimate duo setting is ideal to emphasize the phenomenal vocal abilities of Ito, who performs mostly using vocalese and overdubs her vocals most effectively. Only two of the compositions feature short lyrics, so most of the vocal performances are purely wordless. She offers an incredible range and sensitivity, which will come to full bloom in her later albums, but this early recording is charming in its naiveté and directness, but already clearly shows her unconventional approach and courage to exit beyond traditional vocal Jazz norms. Theiler is an excellent partner as accompanist but also plays excellent solo piano parts, which are very lyrical and melodious. Together the duo is an embodiment of the Jazz “Art of the Duo” idiom. All the compositions are interesting and also well beyond straightforward mainstream, but not totally Free Form, which enables the music to be accessible to all well trained Jazz listeners. Overall, this is a wonderful and sadly quite obscure album, which deserves to be heard, especially by unconventional vocal Jazz lovers. Therefore, I highly recommend to make an effort and get hold of a copy of this little gem, which is definitely worth the attention of true Jazz lovers!

Updated: 08/11/2025Posted: 23/04/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend