Most of the songs I've composed or curated for Monochrome Blue are an homage of one kind or another—to musicians and others no longer with us, to my beloved late mother, and to my own misty memories of youthful days now long past.

• Track one, "Maria Cervantes," was first published in 1960 by bandleader Noro Morales in tribute to its namesake, the great Cuban pianist and composer who left us in 1981. I was captivated when I first heard this charming song some years ago and knew that I would like to record it myself one day. Kudos to my accompanying pianist Klaus Mueller, who delivers a fine performance.
  
  
• Track two, "You Should Go All the Way," is my own composition. To me it means that each of us has just one life to live this time around, so we should make the most of it without holding back. The melody came to mind first and was soon followed by the lyrics, which flowed naturally like a gift from above. Soaring vocals by the virtual Hollywood Backup Singers lend a big-city feel to the sound that, for me, conjures up images of my adopted home, New York.
  
  
• The third track, "Fuego," means "flame" in Spanish and is a recording I had released in 2002 on A Tribute to Baden Powell and Antonio Lauro. That album has long since been out of print, so I decided to make this fusion song with a Latin flavor available once again. It's a composition I had dedicated to Chick Corea's group Return to Forever, which had long since taken the world by storm.
  
  
• "September Serenade," the fourth track, is one I wrote for the victims of 9/11. It, too, can be heard on A Tribute to Baden Powell and Antonio Lauro, but this is a newly edited version overdubbed with percussion and helicopter sounds, and with a synthesizer solo added in the latter half.
  
  
• Track five, "My Deepest Prayer," is a song I've dedicated to Jaco Pastorius, the genius bassist who died an untimely and tragic death in 1987. Pianist and keyboardist Taiki Imaizumi delivers exquisite playing throughout the piece, beginning with a teasing setup of the melody in the intro. Klaus backs us up with some impressive synth effects, contributing significantly to the overall sound.
  
  
• After hearing him play this old jazz standard I called in my Florida-based friend Willie Carrero to join me on guitar for track six, "The Nearness of You." Supported by Rob Landeros on piano and Imaizumi on strings, we had a great time recording this. Though this old chestnut may be one of the more somber of the great jazz standards, its lyrical content is simply magnificent.
  
  
• The seventh and title track, "Monochrome Blue," I dedicate to my mother. I was born in the coastal township of Oiso, in Kanagawa prefecture, and lived near the sea until age five. There was one intersection between our house and the station where the deep blue of Sagami Bay suddenly came into full view. I have vivid memories of walking home from the station, hand-in-hand with my mom, and crying out "Ah, the ocean!" every time we reached that crossing. Back in 2010, on the second anniversary of her death, I returned to Oiso for the first time in decades. As I neared that intersection, that same deep-blue view opened up to me once again.
  
  All my memories of the past have become like monochrome photographs, and the title I've given this CD is that same seascape that still colors my heart. My good friend Klaus plays piano on this title track and has arranged the strings beautifully, just as I imagined them.
  
  
• Track eight, "Barefoot Sarah," is a memory from when I was a much younger man. Our usual crew would gather in our usual place for our shared passion—surfing. Time seemed in infinite supply. Before we knew it, though, reality caught up with us. One by one we drifted apart, each moving on in our separate ways.
  
  A half century has passed since then, but I wonder if others from that old gang still look back with feelings of nostalgia for the times we shared.
  
  Sarah, what are you up to these days? To me, even now, you are still my surfer angel.
  
  Intro
  (On this shore) The kisses we shared
  (A lingering trace) I seek, still wandering
  (Those summer days)
  
  A1
  I haven't forgotten the promise we made back then
  (Always)
  How have you been since then? Ah, how I've looked for you. Where are you?
  (On this shore)
  
  A2
  Like the setting sun, we too were blushed by shyness back then (I remember) But why did you offer me those summer kisses? You are (still my surfer angel)
  
  Bridge
  We were chasing waves (The days always came to an end)
  And all those waves we missed (Were the times we kissed)
  (Ooo)
  
  A3
  And yet, all that's left are footprints now
  (On this shore)
  How have you been since then? What are you up to now?
  You are (still my surfer angel)
  
  Interlude
  (On this shore) The kisses we shared
  (Those summer days) My shining surfer angel
  (A lingering trace) I seek (still wandering)
  (Surfer angel)
  
  [Phone rings]
  Sarah: Hello?
  Shinobu: Hey, Sarah! How's the waves up there now?
  Sarah: Going off!
  Shinobu: Wow! I'm on my way!
  
  Bridge
  We were chasing waves (The days always came to an end)
  And all those waves we missed (Were the times we kissed)
  (Ooo)
  
  A3
  And yet, all that's left are footprints now
  (On this shore)
  How have you been since then? What are you up to now?
  You are (still my surfer angel)
  
  *Repeat
  (On this shore) The kisses we shared
  (Those summer days) My shining surfer angel
  (A lingering trace) I seek, still wandering
  
  
• Track nine is the instrumental version of "Barefoot Sarah."

SONG ORDER:

All songs composed by Shinobu Ito except:
"Maria Cervantes" composed by Noro Morales &
"The Nearness of You" composed by Hoagy Carmichael

RECORDING MUSICIANS:

01: MARIA CERVANTES
   
    E. Guitar: Shinobu Ito
    Piano: Klaus Mueller
    A. Bass: John "Trilian" Patitucci
    Chorus: Hollywood Backup Singers
    Percussion: Cuban Latin Boys

02: YOU SHOULD GO ALL THE WAY
   
    E. Guitar: Shinobu Ito
    Keyboard & Synthesizer: Klaus Mueller
    Bass: Jaco "Trilian" Pastorius
    Drums: Jay Marshall
    Chorus: Hollywood Backup Singers

03: FUEGO (In memory of Return to Forever)
   
    E. Guitar: Shinobu Ito
    E. Piano & Synthesizer: Yoshiko Tachibana
    Sequencer Programming: Shinobu Ito

04: SEPTEMBER SERENADE (In memory of Sep 11th)
   
    All Music played by Shinobu Ito

05: MY DEEPEST PRAYER (In memory of Jaco Pastorius)
   
    Keyboard & Synthesizer: Taiki Imaizumi & Klaus Mueller
    Bass: Jaco "Trilian" Pastorius
    Drums: Stylus RMX
    Chorus: Hollywood Backup Singers

06: THE NEARNESS OF YOU
   
    E. Guitar: Shinobu Ito & Willie Carrero
    A. Piano: Rob Landeros
    Keyboard & Synthesizer: Taiki Imaizumi
    Shinobu on left side & Willie on right

07: MONOCHROME BLUE
    ~ I dearly miss you (In memory of my mom, Kyoko)

    Grand Piano: Klaus Mueller
    Violin: Carrie Frey
    Cello: Julia Henderson
    A. Guitar: Shinobu Ito
   
    Strings Arrangement: Klaus Mueller
    Piano recorded at Michael Brorby Studio
    Strings recorded at Klaus Mueller Studio

08: BAREFOOT SARAH (Vocal) (In memory of Malibu, CA 1975)
   
    Vocal: Shinobu Ito
    E. Guitar: Shinobu Ito
    E. Bass: Jaco "Trilian" Pastorius
    Backup Chorus: Lady Blue & Kathleen Forest
    Voices on Phone: Sarah & Shinobu

09: BAREFOOT SARAH (Instrumental: In memory of Malibu, CA 1975)

    All music played by Shinobu Ito