Yoshiko Saita: Back in Time to Boston
Singer Yoshiko Saita’s latest release is Back in Time to Boston, an album whose recording was both a homecoming and a musical trip down memory lane. It’s a trip not troubled by turbulence or misadventure, as the entire album occupies a relaxed, late-night mood that’s perfect for this combination of Saita’s rich voice and mellow delivery.
Joining the singer is her old musical partner Kenny Werner on piano on all tracks, with Grégoire Maret adding harmonica to about half of the songs, with tracks alternating between duo and trio formats. In a room lush with reverb, Werner’s piano is elegantly pretty and Maret’s harmonica is wistfully bluesy, and both musicians know how to expertly support Saita’s voice in the spotlight.
Saita’s extensive experience with live shows and recordings pays off for this thirteen-track album. She sings confidently while leading her small group through each track, infusing the lyrics with naturally attractive emotion and narrative conveyed through her deep and sultry vocals.
Both jazz standards and pop songs are revisited during Saita’s return to her old stomping grounds. Jazz standards include the familiar songs “Come Rain or Come Shine”, “I Loves You Porgy”, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, and “Crazy He Calls Me”.
Other songs on the album include pop selections made famous by Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt, or through movies and musicals, such as “Both Sides Now”, “Blue Velvet”, “I Can’t Make You Love Me”, and “Stranger in Paradise”.
Additionally, Saita also includes one original song of her own, her charming “Walk Around Liberty Hill”.
Liner Notes
(Translated from an excerpt of the original Japanese liner notes. Part 1 is “About Yoshiko Saita” by Toshio Miki, and Part 3 is “The Sky and Wind of Boston” by Hiroshi Minami. The following is Part 2 by Yoshiko Saita.)
I’m back in Boston!
I’ve come back to Boston after more than thirty-five years had passed since studying abroad for two years of high school and four years of college. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music, I’ve been back twice, I believe…
In 2012 I was able to record with the amazing musicians Kenny Werner, Toots Thielemans, and Oscar Castro-Neves. The last song I recorded on that day was a song called “Dream”, which I played as a duo with Kenny. Since then I’m been dreaming of making a duo album, and I proposed the idea to Kenny in the spring of 2022.
I never thought that the pandemic would last so long. I told him I definitely wanted to record someday again when things opened up, and he said “OK, I’ll be waiting in New York, and let’s stay healthy until then.” It seems that during that time that the pandemic was raging, Kenny had suddenly become a professor at the same Berklee where I had graduated, which is when our contact resumed after such a long absence. Boston…
Images from my time as a homestay student in high school flashed through my mind. Since then, I had learned of the passing of the mother of my homestay family. I felt that this trip would be like a journey of tracing back through my roots.
Finally, after such a long time, I met Kenny again for a rehearsal at his home. I headed to his house using my freshly installed Uber app. As soon as I got there he opened the door and greeted me as if he were watching out the window waiting for my arrival. We started to catch up while starting the rehearsal.
Since almost all the songs are played as a duo, I asked for advice about continuing through with slow tempos and about how we should play.
He suggested, “Yoshiko, you’ve made an album introducing yourself before, right? It’s fine to keep it slow all throughout this album. More importantly, how about making this album one big vibe from start to end?”
I see… I was embarrassed about my tendency to worry too much about this and that. I decided to take Kenny’s advice and give it my all.
The rehearsal lasted for three hours, and the recording started two days later. Kenny introduced me to Futura Studios, which provided a wonderful castle-like environment as shown in the photos. I got goosebumps when I heard the beautiful piano tone and the large studio’s natural reverb through headphones. I remember feeling like I was under a spell and was filled with a pleasant nervousness.
The first song we recorded was “Easy Living” (a bonus track), followed by “I Will Wait for You”. We also recorded a few songs that reminded us of our student days, including Track 3 “I Loves You Porgy” (a song I sang with a big band in a school cafeteria for a classmate’s project!) and Track 7 “You Don’t Know What Love Is”.
Track 9 “I Can’t Make You Love Me” is a song by singer Bonnie Raitt, who handed me my diploma. Every year at Berklee, a Grammy winner musician for that year would hold a concert and lecture at the school, and they would hand over diplomas as presenters at the graduation ceremony. Indeed, that very year this song won a Grammy Award.
Here’s another memorable episode. It was the second day of recording when we would record Track 1 “Come Rain or Come Shine” — harmonica player Grégoire was coming from New York to record with us, and on that day a storm was forecast! We were caught up in events where, despite Grégoire changing trains at the last minute, the trains were stopped due to tornado warnings, and he ended up having to come by Uber.
However, even beset by a belated arrival, when he played his harmonica a new wind blew into the studio. The atmosphere changed in an instant. The musicians that Kenny introduced to me were certainly amazing!
We also shot video at the time with multiple cameras. With my hairstyle set, it was difficult for me to wear headphones properly. Seeing this, Kenny suggested we play without headphones and just record while listening to each other’s sound.
It was scary to consider attempting to record with no headphone monitor, and all because of me. But it turned out to be surprisingly easy! (You can see the scene in the “making of” video through the QR code.) I think it shows how we communicated through our sound as we heard it in the studio.
By the way, this video was taken by trumpet player Brian Thompson (a member of Manard Ferguson’s band), who was my classmate when I was a homestay student and at Berklee.
In addition to songs that I have fond memories of, this album also includes “Walk Around Liberty Hill” based on Jiyugaoka, the neighborhood I have long lived in. It’s a song that I actually wrote on the airplane, heading with excitement for an overseas recording session that was the first after a long absence. I was thinking, if I write this now, perhaps I can record it with Kenny in Boston…
I was really inspired by being able to see Kenny who I had last met eleven years ago, and by the chemistry we had playing together with the addition of Grégoire. I felt like I was able to relax more than I expected and to sing in ways I hadn’t been able to before. In addition to the songs we recorded this time, the recording process footage, and the studio documentary video, it was truly an exciting time.
I truly hope you enjoy this album, relaxing with time flowing slowly.
Back in Time to Boston by Yoshiko Saita
Yoshiko Saita - vocal
Kenny Werner - piano
Grégoire Maret - harmonica
Released in 2024 on Viva Sounds of DADA as VSDD-004
Japanese names: Yoshiko Saita 斉田佳子 (Saita Yoshiko)
Audio and Video
Video for “Walk Around Liberty Hill”, track #5 on this album
Video for “I Can't Make You Love Me”, track #9 on this album
Video for “Someone to Watch Over Me”, track #11 on this album
Excerpt from “I Will Wait for You”, track #2 on this album: