Written interview with guitarist Goro Ito – Tree, Forests Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Jazz Blues European Union: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Goro Ito: – Until around the age of twelve, in the upper grades of elementary school, I listened exclusively to classical music, influenced by my father. I had a particular fondness for German music, and I would read the monthly magazine Record Geijutsu from cover to cover, decide on an album I wanted, and use my allowance to buy one record each month. I often compared different interpretations of the same piece by various conductors or from different eras—I suppose I was quite the classical music enthusiast(OTAKU).
When I was in junior high school, I discovered the record Getz/Gilberto in my father’s collection—a man who otherwise only listened to classical music—and I heard bossa nova for the first time. I remember thinking it was unlike anything I had ever heard before, with a mysterious atmosphere that somehow reminded me of a Japanese summer living room.
I first picked up the guitar at age fourteen, a gift from my uncle, and soon started a rock band with friends. That was the beginning of my band activities. I began writing songs, covering artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Southern soul, and XTC, while also listening broadly and without regard for genre—classical, world music, traditional folk, and more.
I began playing bossa nova in earnest after turning twenty-five, when I listened to João Gilberto’s album Águas de Março, often referred to as his “White Album.” From the day I heard it, I stopped listening to other music, switched fully to the guitar, and immersed myself in studying bossa nova by playing along to that album over and over again. That was my entry into the world of bossa nova.
JBEU: – What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
GI: – I was born in Aomori, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan, a place known for its heavy snowfall. The snowy landscapes of Aomori are at the core of my music. I carry in me the stillness of a world where snow piles up and muffles every surrounding sound, the howling of blizzards, the subtle colors of winter light.
In summer, there is the “Nebuta Festival,” a vibrant celebration with flutes and taiko drums — somewhat reminiscent of the Rio Carnival — and I believe I have been influenced by many such cultural elements from my hometown. The contrast between the serene, silent winters and the energetic, colorful summers has shaped my sense of rhythm, texture, and atmosphere in music.
JBEU: – What performers have been your inspiration?
GI: – I have been influenced by many artists throughout my life. Since childhood, I have listened to a wide range of classical composers — especially Beethoven, Bruckner, and Fauré — whose works shaped my early musical sensibilities. Later, I was deeply inspired by Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto, John Lennon, and Ryuichi Sakamoto, among many others. Each of them has left a unique mark on my approach to melody, harmony, and expression.
JBEU: – What do you base your success on?
GI: – I write and share music on a daily basis, yet every time I compose, there is always an insurmountable wall to face. Sometimes, when I look back, I feel I may have grown a little, but the musicians I admire are so extraordinary that the mountain toward them feels impossibly high, and I often find myself at a loss. Perhaps that is why I have never really set “success” as a personal goal.
JBEU: – Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
GI: – I am a rather shy person, but I have collaborated with remarkable artists such as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, Jaques & Paula Morelenbaum, Sean O’Hagan, and Arthur Jeffes. These collaborations have been truly invaluable experiences for me.
In particular, as with the making of this latest album, the joy of being able to share my music with people overseas is something truly special.
JBEU: – What was your latest musical release?
GI: – On June 25, 2025, I released Goro Ito, Paula Morelenbaum & Jaques Morelenbaum – Tree, Forests: Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto.
On July 23, 2025, the album Anemone by the renowned Japanese actress and singer Tomoyo Harada was released, for which I served as producer and composed/arranged four tracks.
I am currently in the midst of composing music for a television drama.
JBEU: – Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD “Goro Ito, Paula Morelenbaum & Jaques Morelenbaum – Tree, Forests Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto” and what inspired its creation?
GI: – I first encountered Ryuichi Sakamoto six years after he had collaborated with Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum on CASA (2001), their tribute album to Antonio Carlos Jobim.
When I first listened to CASA, I was struck by how much common ground and closeness there was between Sakamoto’s music and Jobim’s — to the point that it felt as though it could almost be called Sakamoto’s own work. When played on his piano, I sometimes couldn’t tell whether a piece was by Jobim or Sakamoto. As someone who had been exploring bossa nova as an approach to Jobim’s music, I almost felt a sense of rivalry — in a good way — because the album illuminated a path I wanted to follow.
Six years after the release of CASA, I met Sakamoto in person and had the privilege of working with him.
Under his label, commmons, we co-produced thirteen albums together. It was also through him that I was introduced to Jaques and Paula. Sadly, Sakamoto passed away in 2023, but thanks to Paula’s initiative, we held a tribute tour for him in Japan and Korea. It became a tour in which everyone performed his compositions with deep respect. Wanting to preserve that emotion, I decided to create this album.
Arranging and performing Sakamoto’s music was something truly special for me. It was both a way of studying his work and a joyful process of discovering traces of A.C. Jobim and other timeless classical composers within his compositions. Creating this album with such wonderful musicians, and now having the opportunity to speak about it in this interview, is a profound joy for me.
JBEU: – How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
GI: – In truth, I had always kept a certain distance from Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music. It was one of those bodies of work that, if I drew it too close, I felt I might be consumed by it and lose my own identity — so I deliberately kept it at arm’s length.
However, for this project, I revisited his compositions in order to arrange them, listening closely and creating detailed scores to study their inner workings. I realized how meticulously and thoughtfully they were crafted — truly impressive. At the same time, I also discovered elements that felt loose or born out of chance. It wasn’t just music constructed through intense intellectual effort; there were also moments that seemed to happen almost accidentally.
What I mean is that he was constantly challenging himself and creating something new. Through this process, I felt that I had naturally absorbed many of these qualities from his music, and it made me realize that this was a perfect moment for me to create this album.
JBEU: – How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
GI: – The smallest details in daily life often inspire my compositions — the streetscape, the color of the sky, the wind. I often create songs from a hummed melody recorded on my iPhone, or from notes containing words or even small illustrations.
When composing music for films or television dramas, I choose instruments and set the tempo in alignment with the scene, the landscape, or the emotions of the characters.
Sometimes I receive the lyrics first, and in those cases, the melody may be guided by the sound and intonation of the words themselves.
JBEU: – What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
GI: – Technology allows me to create music the way I envision it. It supports recording anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day, and sometimes even a mistaken operation can lead to a new idea for a composition. It enables me to convey things that can’t be expressed through written scores alone, making it an indispensable part of my work.
I look forward to the day when technology can also assist with composing, but for now, I still feel it’s better to create that part myself.
JBEU: – Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
GI: – The tour in Japan and Korea last year, which became the inspiration for this album, was truly wonderful. It is rare to have the opportunity to perform such remarkable music with such outstanding members. Every day was filled with joy, and yet we approached the music with rigor.
As the final day of the tour drew near, I felt a real sadness that it was coming to an end. It was an experience that doesn’t come along often, and I feel it was an exceptionally fulfilling tour.
JBEU: – In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
GI: – When I was in my twenties, obtaining music from outside Japan meant visiting many record stores or asking importers — it took a lot of time and was often quite expensive. With streaming, it’s truly wonderful that we can now listen instantly to music from all over the world. I also think it’s remarkable that streaming removes barriers between the new and the old, the rare and the easily available, and between different genres.
That said, I believe physical releases still have great value as complete works, including their packaging. Listening to an album from the first track in sequence allows the listener to better experience the flow and understand what the artist wants to convey.
JBEU: – Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
GI: – I sometimes wonder if I might not be as kind to my fans as I should be — perhaps because I tend to retreat into the shell of my own music. One of my challenges moving forward is to find ways to open up more and connect with my listeners.
JBEU: – How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
GI: – Although it’s only in Japanese, my official website and my X (formerly Twitter) account always have the latest information.
https://www.youtube.com/c/GoroIto
I approach music with sincerity and take great care in creating my work. It would make me truly happy if you could take the time to listen closely, and if you come to enjoy it. Thank you for reading all the way through.
By Olivia Peevas
