Press
Interview in Polish with Kind of Jazz
— Kind of Jazz, Szymon Stępnik (Poland)
“As a Swiss singer, pianist, and composer with roots in Japan and Poland, Yumi Ito was raised in a family of musicians, she draws from all these cultural influences in her work. Listen to SWR’s ‘Me and My Music’ as Yumi reveals a great deal of her inner world.”
— Radio Interview - SWR (Germany)
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Český rozhlas Jazz
Czech Republic
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NRW Jazz
Germany
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Virgin Jazz Face
Germany
“The album is a self-portrait of an extraordinary artist who, with emotion, honesty, passion, and technique, stands out among Europe’s leading vocalists, artists, and pianists. Stunning! It’s no exaggeration to compare her to Tori Amos, Björk, and Fiona Apple — but if I had to choose, I’d sincerely choose Yumi Ito.”
— Review - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Przemo Urbaniak, JazzSoul (Poland)
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Jazz Views
UK
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Schweiz Am Wochenende
Switzerland
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SWR Kultur
Germany
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Europe Jazz Network
France
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Concerto
Austria
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InMusic - Review
Germany
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Proper Music
UK
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Ivan Rod - Review
Denmark
“When Yumi Ito, whilst introducing her new album, described Lonely Island that wanted to sound as a sort of House Concert, she was absolutely right. Lonely Island is an intimate dialogue between Ito and the listeners and, at the same time, a great opportunity to listen not only Ito's enormous vocal and musical talents all around, but also to her wonderful soul.
A record to cherish every day, to help making ourselves feel more alive and to be in touch with our emotions at every stage of our existences, through the mesmerizing, mystical and soulful atmospheres created by an outstanding artist like Yumi Ito”
— Bluebird Reviews, Giovanni "Gio" Pilato (UK/USA)
“What records would you take to a deserted island?” Japanese singer, pianist and composer Yumi Ito asked herself that same question: “Which music would I take with me?” The answer lies in the ten pieces captured on this intensely intimate album. Intimate, because they are reduced to the absolute minimum: only her voice and the piano. Thanks to the expert mastering by Magdalena Piotrkowska (Hear Candy), you feel as though you’re in the room with her, by the grand piano, while Ito pours out her harmonious heart.”
— Review - Maxazine (Netherlands)
“A real discovery: Swiss with Japanese and Polish roots, pianist and singer Yumi Ito has created a world at the crossroads of jazz, classical, and pop. She first gained recognition at the Montreux competition and now presents Lonely Island, a radiant new solo album.”
— Review - TSF Jazz, Cindy Morisset (France)
“Lonely Island is an intimate portrait of the artist. A necessary therapy to move forward. This is not an album to consume quickly. Transport yourself to an imaginary island and listen attentively. An emotional sonic journey.
One of the most beautiful albums of 2025.”
— Review - La Habitación del Jazz (Spain)
“Once again, Yumi Ito captivates with her unique voice. The power and purity of her singing are simply overwhelming, and on her new solo album she demonstrates this impressively. Just voice and piano – and yet she creates a sound world marked by great intensity and emotional depth.
Not only as a singer, but also as a pianist, Yumi Ito convinces completely. Her playing is full of finesse, subtle nuances, and sensitive solos. In combination with her improvised vocalises, music emerges that feels timeless and unfolds enormous expressive power. One senses that here is an artist at work who masters both forms of expression entirely and merges them seamlessly.
The impressive compositions, memorable melodies, and expressive lyrics complete this work. Particularly noteworthy is also the high-quality design of the album: an extensive booklet, a lavishly produced large gatefold cover, photographs, and all the song lyrics. Lonely Island is an extraordinary album that delights in every respect – we are simply enthralled."
— Jazz-Fun (Germany)
“Yumi Ito's fantastic voice is even capable of carrying the songs a cappella, meaning the charismatic singer's brilliant vocal artistry requires little piano accompaniment to unfold its full effect. Thus, this album offers threefold enjoyment: first, you can immerse yourself entirely in the sound of her expressive voice, reaching the highest pitches, with her trademark vibrato and brilliant scat, then admire her accentuated playing in the pure piano passages, and enjoy the overall experience of the interplay of voice and music”.
— Review - Musenbläetter (Germany)
“Lonely Island is probably Yumi Ito's bravest album yet: she challenges herself to let go of every protection, every safe arrangement, to stick with the essential. And this doesn't mean facile simplicity, but rather the revelation of what's truly needed: a melody that holds, a voice that exposes, a piano that accompanies without covering.”
— Review - Off Topic (Italy)
“A very personal album, reduced to her voice and the piano – the instruments that have accompanied Yumi Ito since childhood. It is an album that impresses with masterful piano playing and skillful improvisations, enthuses our jazz critic Melanie Küster.”
★★★★★ 5/5
— Album Recommendation (Jazz), SWR
“Think of an incredible jazz singer. Then, imagine what they would sound like with all of the clichés removed. On her new album, Yumi Ito's voice, captured with vintage microphones and embedded into a space of warm resonance and reverb, is right in front of your ear, every emotion magnified.”
— 15 Questions (Germany)
“The music is strikingly original, completely beyond genre classification, but carrying a certain Jazzy coloring, not surprising, considering her musical path and recording legacy so far, but it can definitely be viewed as a very potent singer / songwriter presentation, which in view of her incredible vocal and dramatic presentation capabilities, puts her in the same league as Nina Simone or Carole King. ”
— Adam Baruch
“Yumi Ito (above) is fast cementing her position as one of Europe’s most exciting new composers, singers and improvisers. Her vocal range is huge, she uses her voice more as an additional instrument than just to sing lyrics. Ito also plays in a trio format and with Nadav Erlich (bass) and Iago Fernández (drums) and they create beautiful sonic poems that ebb and flow in a very intimate and personal way. ‘Love is here to Stay’ and ‘Lonely Island’ are perfect examples of her very personal storytelling style.”
— Tim Dickeson, Jazzwise
“Swiss-Polish-Japanese artist Yumi Ito has built an international reputation for weaving together cultures and genres in her music. With Lonely Island, she takes a more intimate turn: for the first time, she performs entirely solo - just voice and piano - creating a stripped-back record that feels both vulnerable and direct.
— Folk and Honey (UK)
“Lonely Island is a profound and moving album I could listen to forever."
“The music recalls the intensity of singer-songwriters such as Tori Amos or Fiona Apple, not only because of the expressive vocals but also due to her narrative piano playing, which not only accompanies but actively shapes. For the first time, Ito has also incorporated extended piano improvisations, occasionally doubling them with her wide vocal range.”— Melodiva
“Listening to Yumi Ito’s songs immediately brings to mind the work of Tori Amos, but her voice also carries echoes of Loreena McKennitt and, at times, Annie Lennox. ‘Lonely Island’ is filled with subtlety, intimacy, and poetry.”
— Esensja (Poland)
“A house of light, in the middle of the sea
Lonely Island isn't an album to be listened to distractedly. It's a dimly lit room, a lit candle, the artist's breath touching you. It's proof that the nakedness of sound isn't poverty, but absolute richness. In a world that screams, Yumi Ito whispers—going further than anyone else.
Listening to it is like finding yourself on an island, alone with the sea and the wind, and discovering that solitude can be beauty, that fragility is strength.”
— Jazz in Family
“Beguiling, beautifully nuanced, neo-classical-tinged jazz merged with contemporary sweeping soundscapes. An accomplished and elegant pianist, an exquisite vocalist, an imaginative improviser and adept collaborator... Ito's accolades and credentials have long cemented her as a definitive force within contemporary jazz.”
— Blue In Green Radio
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JAZZ'N'MORE - Review
Switzerland
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UK Vibe - Review
England
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WDR - Interview
Germany
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Jazz Thing
Germany
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erem online - Review
Germany
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Era Jazzu
Poland
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mdr Klassik
Germany
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hr2 kulture
Germany
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Jazzpress Cover Story
Poland
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Jazz Thing
Germany
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JAZZ'N'MORE
Switzerland
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I Avgi Feature Story
Greece
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CNN Türk
Turkey
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La Provincia Newspaper
Italy
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SK Jazz - Review
Slovakia
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Concerto Magazine - Review
Germany
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Phosphor Kultur - Review
Switzerland
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Off Topic Magazine
Italy
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Hörerlebnis Magazin - Review
Germany
“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.”
— Adam Baruch
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The Standard Newspaper
Germany
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Polytika Newspaper
Poland
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Women in Jazz Media
United States
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Bergson
Germany