Booking
Listen to the PRIVATE Preview of upcoming album not yet released. Release date to be announced (spring 2027). DO NOT PUBLISH!
INFO TEXT FOR BOOKING, THIS IS NOT A PRESSTEXT! (FOR PRESSTEXT SCROLL DOWN TO THE BIO PLEASE)
Yumi Ito – Distant Voices
(Release: Spring 2027)
What remains of the people, places and experiences that came before us? Distant Voices, the seventh album by award-winning Swiss-Polish-Japanese vocalist, pianist and composer Yumi Ito, is a concept album exploring ancestry, human connection, mythology and our relationship with nature. Pulsating grooves meet spacious, atmospheric passages and Ito’s distinctive melodic songwriting, bringing together jazz, art pop, soul and neoclassical influences.
Alongside Ito on voice and piano, the band features Alessio Cazzetta on electric and acoustic guitars, Nadav Erlich on double bass and Iago Fernández on drums. The four musicians recorded Distant Voices at Daniel Dettwiler’s Idee und Klang Studio in Basel, working with a selection from his extensive collection of vintage microphones. London-based Chris Hyson added further touches in post-production before Grammy-winning engineer Dave Darlington mixed and mastered the album at Bass Hit Recording Studio in New York.
All eight songs began with improvisation, but took very different paths from first idea to finished piece. The title track Distant Voices grew from a piano improvisation Ito recorded on her phone and returned to years later. It became a song about ancestry and the invisible links between generations: what previous generations leave behind, how their experiences continue to shape the present, and what we choose to carry forward or transform. These “distant voices” are not only voices from the past, but traces that remain with us in memories, relationships and our sense of where we come from.
Nature provides some of the album’s most striking images. In Akashia, the intertwined roots of the acacia tree become a picture of friendship and community, inspired by Hanakotoba, the Japanese language of flowers. Musically, Fernández drives the song’s R&B-inflected groove, while Cazzetta takes it into one of his high-energy electric-guitar solos. Oh Mother, influenced by Devdutt Pattanaik’s 7 Secrets of the Goddess and its stories of female deities, turns towards Mother Earth and feminine divinity, confronting the destruction caused by humanity while searching for a way back to the source. Cazzetta’s expansive, almost transcendental electric guitar heightens the song’s intensity.
The swinging Windows begins with pink sakura and birdsong outside Ito’s Basel home, with Cazzetta and Fernández joining her on background vocals. The more experimental Berlin combines Cazzetta’s dreamy acoustic fingerpicking with Erlich’s melancholic double-bass solo and Fernández’s distinctive, almost painterly cymbal work, capturing the loneliness of feeling lost in a big city.
The power ballad Talk To Me explores the difficulty of reaching someone close to you, carried by acoustic guitar and a more forceful pop-rock energy. Springtime Melancholia moves from Cazzetta’s extended ambient electric-guitar intro into a bossa nova-inspired groove that pulses like a heartbeat beneath a song of longing.
The album closes with Foggy Town, inspired by Ito playing a harmonium in a church in Eskifjörður, Iceland, while the surrounding mountains disappeared into fog. Only fragments of the landscape were visible, while something much larger remained hidden behind it. It is an image that echoes the album’s central idea: we may only see part of what shaped us, but the past, the people who came before us and the places we carry with us can continue to resonate in the present.
Ito has performed extensively around the globe, appearing at venues and festivals including the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, Montreux Jazz Festival and Jazzmandu Festival in Nepal, and sharing stages with artists such as Al Jarreau, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Becca Stevens. A tour across Europe, Asia and the Americas is planned around the release of Distant Voices.
Distant Voices will be released in spring 2027.
Upcoming Video (Release 30. Oct 2026)
Live-version of the first single “Oh Mother” of the upcoming album (do not publish yet!)
About Yumi Ito
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
Love Is Here To Stay (live at Unterfahrt Munich Germany)
Is It You (Solo Version)
Is It You (Live at Cavatina Hall)
Drama Queen (Live in Cavatina Hall)
Oh Mother (Live at Misty Fest 2025)
Lonely Island (Live at Misty Festival 2025)
Videos for Social Media Content
The Band
-
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.
YouTube Shorts
Press & Reviews
-
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)
-
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)
-
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
-
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)
-
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)
-
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)
-
Music from another planet, spherical and with an extraordinarily aesthetic sound.
— Concerto Magazine
-
Rich arrangements and a voice that spans a vast vocal range.
— SKJazz Magazine, Patrick Spanko (about Ysla 2023)
-
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)
Copenhagen Jazz Festival (DK)
Akbank Jazzfestival Istanbul (TR)
Cairo International Jazzfestival (EG)
Jazzfest Trondheim (NO)
April Jazz Festival Espoo (FN)
Euro-Venezuelan Jazz Festival Caracas (VE)
Jazzmandu Festival Kathmandu (NP)
Bluenote Sao Paulo (BR)
Jazz B Sao Paulo (BR)
Veneto Jazz Festival Venice (IT)
Cotton Club Ascoli (IT)
Lecco Jazz Festival (IT)
Palermo Summer Jazz Festival (IT)
Trentino Jazzfestival Cles (IT)
Jazz Area Metropolitana Festival Venice (IT)
Pesare et Urbino Festival (IT)
Peperoncino Jazzfestival Calabria (IT)
Empoli Jazz Festival (IT)
Stornarella Jazzfestival Foggia (IT)
Nissa Jazzfestival Caltanissetta (IT)
Castroreale Jazz Festival (IT)
Musica Morfosi Festival (IT)
Suoni Mobili Festival Tremezzina Como (IT)
Pedras Et Sonus Festival Cagliari (IT)
Gezmataz Jazzfestival Genova (IT)
Fuori Festivali Monza (IT)
Castroreale Jazzfestival (IT)
Jazzcafe Posk London (UK)
Jazz At The Blue Lamp Aberdeen (UK)
Katowice JazzArt Festival (PL)
NOSPR Katowice (PL)
Cavatina Hall Bielsko-Biala (PL)
Jassmine Warsaw (PL)
Love Polish Jazz Festival (PL)
Blue Note Poznan (PL)
Sopot Jazzfestival (PL)
Ladies First Festival Wroclaw (PL)
Festiwal Pianistów Jazzowych Kalisz (PL)
Jazztrzebie Festival (PL)
Akademia Letnia Jazzu Festival Lodz (PL)
Wadowickie Centrum Kultury (PL)
Centrum Kultury Piaseczno (PL)
Tarnowskie Centrum Kultury (PL)
Silesian Jazz Meeting Rybnik (PL)
Slaski Jazz Club Gliwice (PL)
Miod Lawenda Biardy (PL)
Jazzclub Nowy Sacz (PL)
12 on14 Jazz Club Warsaw (PL)
Teatr Muzyczny Torun (PL)
Fina Na Ucho Filmoteka Narodowa Warsaw (PL)
Jazz Juniors Krakow (PL)
Summer Jazz Festival Krakow (PL)
Centrum Kultury Dworek Bialopradnicki Krakow (PL)
Palac w Chrzesnem (PL)
NieBoJazz Fest Krasnostawski Dom Kultury (PL)
Vejer Jazzfestival (ES)
Jimmy Glass Valencia (ES)
Canjazz Festival (ES)
Bilbaina Bilbao (ES)
Ball Arte Festival (ES)
Nigran Jazz Festival (ES)
Meidinerz Gijon (ES)
Rvbicon Santander (ES)
Jazz à la Cité Festival Paris (FR)
Pavillon Le Corbusier Paris (FR)
Jazzycolors Festival Centre Culturel Suisse Paris (FR)
FORUM, Ville de Saint-Louis (FR)
Bernardo Sassetti Festival, Porto (PT)
Teatro Mayor Bogota (CO)
Medejazz Festival Medellin (CO)
Jazzfestival Pasto Teatro Javeriano (CO)
Casa Moraima Cartagena (CO)
JazzDock Jazz On Five Festival Prague (CZ)
International Jazzfestival Uzbekistan (UZ)
Porgy and Bess Vienna (AT)
Theater Akzent Vienna (AT)
ZOA Festival Ardagger Stift (AT)
Jazz and the City Salzburg (AT)
Unterfahrt München (DE)
Nikolaisaal Potsdam (DE)
Jazzahead Showcases Bremen (DE)
Bergson München (DE)
New Colours Festival Gelsenkirchen (DE)
Burg Vischering Lüdinghausen (DE)
Burgjazz Festival (DE)
Kemptener Jazzfestival (DE)
Domicil Dortmund (DE)
JazzHall Hamburg (DE)
Welthaus Bielefeld (DE)
Theaterstübchen Kassel (DE)
Jazztage Dresden (DE)
Glattbacher Jazztage (DE)
Women in (e)-motion Festival (DE)
Jazzclub Regensburg (DE)
Leise Am Markt Coburg (DE)
Gustav Lübcke Museum Hamm (DE)
Bayerischer Hof München (DE)
Jazzclub Heidelberg (DE)
Oma Doris Dortmund (DE)
b-flat Berlin (DE)
A-Trane Berlin (DE)
World Town Festival Waldshut-Tiengen (DE)
Theaterforum Gauting (DE)
Montreux Jazzfestival (CH)
Schaffhauser Jazzfestival (CH)
Kaufleuten Zürich (CH)
Offbeat Festival Basel (CH)
Autumn Of Music Festival Montreux (CH)
Jazz Onze Festival Lausanne (CH)
Jazz Au Peuple Festival Nyon (CH)
Moods Zürich (CH)
Am Rank Zürich (CH)
Cully Jazz Festival (CH)
Bejazz Festival Bern (CH)
Live In Vevey (CH)
Eisenwerk Frauenfeld (CH)
Gambrinus Jazz Plus St. Gallen (CH)
Floating Notes Festival San Bernardino (CH)
Chorus Lausanne (CH)
EMA Geneva (CH)
La Fabricca Losone (CH)
LAC Lugano (CH)
Volkshaus Biel (CH)
Wasserkirche Zürich (CH)
Jazz In Sarnen (CH)
Pontisella Kulturgasthaus Stampa (CH)
Die letzten Tage Festival Bern (CH)
Birdseye Basel (CH)
Thelonica Jazzfestival Lausanne (CH)
Centre de Culture & de Loisirs St-Imier (CH)
Isebähnli Baden (CH)
Jazz Im Seefeld Zürich (CH)
JazzChur Postremise Chur (CH)
Kulturmarkt Zürich (CH)
Jazz Club Gallon Osaka (JP)
Musoukan Eniwa Hokkaido (JP)
Aundo Hall, Hakodate (JP)
Ongakudo MAMI Iizuna (JP)
Live Spot RAG Kyoto (JP)
Smalls Bar Bangkok (TH)
Sala Siri Suda Sobha Bangkok (TH)
Centro de Bellas Artes, Maracaibo (VE)
El Sistema, Caracas (VE)
Fundacion Bigott, Caracas (VE)
Asociacion Cultural Humboldt, Caracas (VE)
Beamer graphic for the venue/stage if desired.
We’re happy to spread the news via our social network accounts. If you’d consider to put us as collaborators of your Insta post, here are the accounts you could use:
instagram.com/yumiitomusic facebook.com/yumiitomusic
When posting on Instagram & Facebook please remember to tag
@yumiitomusic.