YUKA MITO, How Deep Is The Ocean

A popular presence at NYC’s now closed Jazz at Kitano for nine years, Tokyo native Yuka Mito shared her deep passion for her adopted hometown in 2023 with a soulful cover of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” and Love In The City, her first album in 12 years.

Now that the expressive cosmopolitan singer – who splits her performance time between the Big Apple and Japan – has impressively checked that box, she’s free to explore a wider expanse of stylistic territory on How Deep Is The Ocean, an engaging trio album featuring the swinging support and explosive improvisations of powerhouse Japanese stalwarts, pianist Hiroki Morioka, bassist Iwao Masuhara and drummer Yoshifumi Nihonmatsu.

Mito explores an impressive array of territory in these seven tracks and 29 minutes, from Cole Porter’s fast paced charmer “Too Darn Hot” to two Burt Bacharach classics (“Close To You,” “Alfie”) and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s eternally shimmering “Agua De Beber” and “Corcovado” – all exquisitely arranged by Masuhara.

Though her phrasing is appealing, her accent is very apparent on the English language songs, which adds a certain charm but takes a tiny bit away from her beautiful overall tone. Wonderfully though, those issues completely disappear during her wild scatting on “How High The Moon” and when she’s singing beautifully in Portuguese on the Jobim gems.