Yumi Ito’s upcoming concept album, Distant Voices (2026), reflects on themes of identity, matriarchy, and transformation, with symbols of nature and flowers woven throughout. Blending jazz, art-pop, and classical influences, the Swiss-Polish-Japanese artist moves beyond genre boundaries to capture a sense of connection and introspection.
Featuring layered, dynamic rhythms, Distant Voices showcases Ito’s vocals and piano alongside double bassist Nadav Erlich, drummer Iago Fernández, and guitarist Alessio Cazzetta, replacing the synth textures of her highly acclaimed last album, Ysla (enja, 2023). Inspired by icons like Ella Fitzgerald, Radiohead and Joni Mitchell, Ito’s songwriting style invites listeners into a boundless musical journey.
Recorded and mixed by Daniel Dettwiler at Studio Idee und Klang with vintage microphones, the album captures the energy of live performance, intertwining wordless improvisation and Ito’s compositions into a cohesive sound that reaffirms her distinct voice in contemporary music.
A new solo album, Lonely Island, is set for release in September 2025, followed by her next band album, Distant Voices, in 2026. The release of the album will be accompanied by an international tour in Europe, Asia, the North and South America.
About Yumi Ito
The Swiss-Polish-Japanese vocalist, pianist, and composer creates complex soundscapes with piano and vocal improvisation that stretch from pop to avant-garde. — Tim Dickeson, Jazzwise Magazine
Yumi Ito is recognized by critics as one of the most original and exciting voices in contemporary jazz. Based in Basel, Switzerland, the award-winning artist performs regularly around the world and has shared the stage with Al Jarreau, Becca Stevens, and Mark Turner.
Her fifth album, Ysla (enja, 2023), weaves personal stories, impressive improvisations, and a unique voice — like an island: proud, stoic, and strong amid the ocean of Art-Pop, Jazz, and Neoclassicism. Yumi Ito performs solo or with her international band, which includes guitarist Alessio Cazzetta, double bassist Nadav Erlich, and drummer Iago Fernández.
Always in focus: the creation of musical worlds in the spirit of boundlessness. Yumi Ito tours internationally, with milestones including the Blue Note Jazz Festival (US), Montreux Jazz Festival (CH), European Showcase jazzahead! 2024, Jazzmandu Festival (NP), Vejer Jazz Festival (ES), Schaffhauser Jazz Festival (CH), Jazzfest Trondheim (NO), Cairo Jazz Festival (EG), and Jazz Festival Basel «offbeat» (CH), among many others.
Recent appearances have included sold-out shows at the JazzArt Festival at NOSPR in Katowice (Poland), Veneto Jazz Festival at the legendary La Fenice in Venice (Italy), Akbank Jazz Festival in Istanbul (Turkey), Euro-Venezuelan Jazzfestival (Venezuela), and ZOA Festival in Ardagger Stift (Austria).
A prize winner of the Montreux Jazz Competition, Yumi Ito was selected for the Focus Year Program under Wolfgang Muthspiel at the Jazzcampus Basel (2017–2018), received the High Priority Jazz Grant from Pro Helvetia (2022–2024), and was unanimously chosen by the jury for the European Showcase at Jazzahead! in Bremen (2024).
Videos & Photos
Oh Mother Live at EMA Geneva CH
Is It You (Solo Version)
Drama Queen (Live at Cavatina Hall)
Talk To Me (Live in Venice)
Foggy Town (Live at Tashkent Jazz Festival 2024)
Love Is Here To Stay (Live at Unterfahrt)
Blue Note Jazz Festival New York "What Seems To Be" (Live)
The Band
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Alessio Cazzetta
— guitar
Alessio Cazzetta is a Swiss guitarist with Italian and South African roots. His music combines influences from Coltrane, Hendrix, Indian classical, and neo-romantic music. Cazzetta’s musical journey has taken him around the world, sharing stages with David Binney, Yumi Ito, Vijay Iyer, Nat Su, and others. He has performed at festivals such as the Kathmandu Jazz Festival, Cairo Jazz Festival, and Montreux Jazz Festival, and in renowned clubs across Europe. His new album Love, Death & The Eternal Blues (VÖ 2024 via Unit Records) addresses the existential struggles of life. Alessio Cazzetta is both a guitarist and composer and currently lives in Basel. -
Nadav Erlich
— double bass
Nadav Erlich is an Israeli double bass player and composer based in Basel, Switzerland. He began his studies at the Conservatory of Rosh Pina. Later he studied at the Tel Aviv Conservatory and has graduated his Master in Double Bass and Composition in Basel, Switzerland. As an in-demand bassist among the rising talents of the newer Jazz generation Nadav is collaborating with a large scope of diverse musicians such as Malcom Braff, Silvan Joray’s Clusters, Miriam Hässig’s Aye, the quintet Ayna Veer, Phelan Burgoyne Trio, Francesca Gaza, Jordi Pallares Project, the Basel based Quintet Katom, Yumi Ito and more. -
Iago Fernández
— drums
Iago Fernández is a Galician drummer and composer living in Baselland. Since
the age of 18, he has performed regularly at festivals and clubs in America, Asia and throughout Europe, especially in Switzerland, Spain and Portugal. He has performed with artists such as Lionel Loueke, Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Steve Nelson, Jesse van Ruller, Jorge Rossy, Marta Sanchez and many others. Fernández can also be heard on more than 50 albums, four of them as bandleader and composer: Agromando (2011), Acougo (2015), Brisa (2016) and Luzada (2022). Other projects currently include Yumi Ito, wiz, Iannis Obiols and Fernando Brox.
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Fans of Portishead, Tori Amos, Björk, Sade, and the vocal acrobatics of Bobby McFerrin will feel right at home here. The vocal surfing between styles is extraordinary, and it’s hard to believe that all these tracks feature the voice of a single artist. I can’t stop listening. A fantastic album!
— Wprost Kultura Magazine, Maciej Drzażdżewski (about Ysla 2023)
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What made me fall in love with Yumi is the combination of the vocal tones of Björk, Fiona Apple, and Regina Spektor. The most wonderful thing is that despite this, she remains distinct and uniquely herself. I greatly admire her for her vocal courage and the uncompromising approach she takes. ‘Ysla’ is exceptional. Authentic. Beautiful in its essence.
— Jazz Soul, Przemo Urbaniak (about Ysla 2023)
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Very powerful when she elevates her scat singing like in “Drama Queen” and is accompanied only by bass and drums: so much fire, so much expression.”
— Jazzreportagen, Rainer Ortag (European showcases Jazzahead! 2024)
“Bird-like vocal sensation!”
— Süddeutsche Zeitung (Album Release Konzert Review Unterfahrt 2023), Oliver Hochkeppel
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Yumi Ito is a multifaceted and visionary musician who has forged a uniquely personal path as a jazz singer-songwriter.
— Radio Bremen Zwei, Till Lorenzen (about Ysla 2023)
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One talent that cannot be taught is Yumi Ito’s gift for writing songs that are grand, layered, significant, enticingly diffuse, sometimes unfathomable, and often quite magical.
— REVIEW Abendzeitung München (about Ysla 2023)
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The Swiss Yumi Ito is one of the European vocal discoveries of recent years. With an irresistible timbre all her own, she sings self-composed songs that combine the simplicity of pop with the complexity of jazz.
— SWR 2, Ssirus W. Pakzad
“This is a stunning piece of music, full of sublime musicality and exploding with talent, which in fact is hardly surprising in view of Ito’s earlier work and potential.”
— The Soundtrack of My Life, Adam Baruch. (about Ysla 2023)
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Music from another planet, spherical and with an extraordinarily aesthetic sound.
— Concerto Magazine
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Rich arrangements and a voice that spans a vast vocal range.
— SKJazz Magazine, Patrick Spanko (about Ysla 2023)
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Ysla is going to be something of a 2023 highlight.
— UK Vibe, Steve Williams (about Ysla 2023)
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Selected Past Performances
Blue Note Jazz Festival New York (US)
Montreux Jazzfestival (CH)
Jazzahead Showcases Bremen (DE)
Veneto Jazz Festival Venice (IT)
Schaffhauser Jazzfestival (CH)
Copenhagen Jazz Festival (DK)
Palermo Jazz Festival (IT)
Musica Morfosi Festival (IT)
Empoli Jazz Festival (IT)
Peperoncino Jazzfestival (IT)
Vejer Jazzfestival (ES) Cotton Jazz Club Ascoli Piceno (IT)
Kaufleuten Zürich (CH)
April Jazz Festival Espoo (FN)
Castroreale Jazzfestival (IT)
Burgjazz Festival (DE)
Jazz Au Peuple Festival (CH)
Jazz Juniors Krakow (PL)
Summer Jazz Festival Krakow (PL)
Katowice JazzArt Festival (PL)
Bluenote Sao Paulo (BR)
Moods Zürich (CH)
Cully Jazz Festival (CH)
Offbeat Jazzfestival Basel (CH)
Akademia Letnia Jazzu Festival Lodz (PL)
Theaterstübchen Kassel (DE)
Live In Vevey (CH)
NOSPR Katowice (PL)
Autumn Of Music Festival Montreux (CH)
Women in (e)-motion Festival (DE)
Blue Note Poznan (PL)
Jazzmandu Festival (NP)
Ball Arte Festival (ES)
Nigran Jazz Festival (ES)