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JAZZ GUITARIST / COMPOSER: SHINOBU ITO Shinobu Ito was born in Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. While a young boy, he was interested in American pop songs、so his father bought him a guitar and gave him lessons. Shinobu devoted great efforts to his study of the guitar and eventually developed an ambition to become a noted guitarist in the future.

In junior high school, he organized his own pop instrumental group and performed at various musical events. He became interested in jazz guitar during his high school days when he heard Wes Montgomery. While attending Tokai University, Shinobu studied with the respected guitar teacher, Ikuo Shiozaki, and became a member of the university’s Jazz Circle. cordings.

In 1975, Shinobu experienced a great culture shock socially and musically during a 6-month stay in Los Angeles. During this period in L.A. Shinobu met Toshiko Akiyoshi, who introduced him to many musicians and strongly suggested to him that he go to New York to learn and play jazz on his next visit to the States.

When he returned to Japan in 1975, Shinobu joined Jazz vocalist Yoshiko Kimura’s group, and also resumed activities with top class Japanese Jazz musicians such as Kohsuke Mine, Seiichi Nakamura, Shigeharu Mukai, Hidefumi Toki and　Takao Uematsu. He also had opportunities to play with Tete Montreux, Bill Reichenbach, Ronnie Foster, Stanley Banks, Dennis Davis and others. Also in 1977, he was chosen as one of the most 20 popular Jazz guitarists in Japan by Swing Journal Magazine, but in keeping with his plan, Shinobu returned to the United States in 1977 and settled in New York City and soon he became a member of a 10-piece band directed by Reggie Workman, which performed mainly at Brooklyn festivals. He also joined Teruo Nakamura & his Rising Sun Band and became involved in various other musical activities mostly in the New York area.

Additionally, Shinobu appeared on pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto’s album .

Some of the many musicians he played with at this time include: Joe Jones Jr., Sadik Hakim, John Orr, Tommy Turrentine, Bob Mintzer, Rickey Ford, Kenny Kirkland, kyle Hicks and some others. In 1980, he formed and recorded his own first fusion group with T.M. Stevens, Kyle Hicks and Gene Williams while continuing other musical activities. He would occasionally lead groups at Jazz clubs such as the Blue Note, 55 Bar, the Angry Squire, Pat’s, Eric’s etc., performing with musicians including Valery Ponomarev, Lonnie Plaxico, Eddie Henderson, Lonnie Smith, Jessey Davis, Kenny Davis and Jeff Williams, among others.

In 1989, Shinobu recorded with pianist Kris Defoort’s 10 piece group who included Mike Formanek, Vincent Herring and Judy Niemack and some other great musicians. Shinobu released his first CD [Sailing Rolling](Crown Records/PAS-1009) in 1991 with Tom Harrell, Danny Gottlieb, Gary King, Mark Soskin and Dick Oates. This CD made the charts as one of the top ten best sellers in the contemporary jazz category in Japan, and was aired on many TV and FM stations for a long period of time.

Shinobu subsequently joined tenor saxophonist Eric Wyatt’s group and has continued for many years to be active, mainly in the Brooklyn Jazz scene. He has played with countless musicians who are also based in Brooklyn, such as Antonio Hart, Mark Shim, Alvester Garnett, Rodney Green, Lester Bowie, Kenyatta Beasley,Tim Perryman and others. He also co-produced and performed on Eric Wyatt’s debut CD  for King Records . in 1997 with Dan Kostelnik, Al Foster, Rufus Reid, Guilherme Franco and Mark Soskin.

Shinobu’s live recording in 1991 at Roppongi Pit Inn in Tokyo was released in 2001 by PJL Japan as   and it was hailed as a legendary recording in the history of Japanese Jazz-Fusion. Shinobu’s next CD, on which he plays mostly acoustic guitar, was released in 2002 and is titled as < A TRIBUTE TO BADEN POWELL AND ANTONIO LAURO> . Also in 2002, Shinobu performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival with renowned guitarist Ryo Kawasaki. His CD duo with Seiichi Nakamura, one of the great tenor saxophonists in Japan, was recorded at his own room in New York September 2004, and was released in August 2005 titled as ]. Shinobu has spent 2 years as an instructor at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music / Jazz Division in Japan, and to do so, He made frequent flights from New York City to Tokyo in the year between 2005-2007. His Latin flavored Jazz group RAMONADA was offered to play as a house group at a newly opened jazz club in Tokyo called CANDY in April 2006. Since then, RAMONADA subsequently performed at there nearly 30 times in only 9 months period of time by popular demand with great success. His CD played as classical guitar duo was recorded in New York City and the CD  was released in August 2006 from JazzBank label. . Since He came back to New York City in March 2008 He is resuming activities with fellow musicians as an instructor and producer.

Discography AS A LEADER SAILING ROLLING .1991

with Tom Harrell, Danny Gottlieb, Gary King, Mark Soskin and Dick Oates.

The CD made the charts as one of the top ten best sellers in the Contemporary Jazz category in Japan, and was aired on many TV and FM stations for years.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE . live recording in 1991 at Roppongi Pit Inn in Tokyo released in 2001

It was celebrated as a legendary recording in the history of Jazz-Fusion in Japan.

A TRIBUTE TO BADEN POWELL & ANTONIO LAURO . 2002

Combination of accoustic and electric guitar album.

SERENATA . 2005

Duo with Seiichi Nakamura, one of the great tenor saxophonists in Japan, was recorded in his own room in New York in September 2004,

and was released as Serenata in August 2005.

All but two of its ten tracks are Shinobu’s original compositions.

MUSICA PARA ENAMORADOS . 2006

A classical guitar duo CD recorded in New York City and released in August 2006.

AS A SIDEMAN P.S.I LOVE YOU .1980

Pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto’s album <P.S. I Love You>

with Teruo Nakamura, Seiichi Nakamura, Art Gore , Jim McNeely , Chagie Carter

GOD SON <King Records / KICJ-313>.1997

Co-produced and performed on Eric Wyatt’s debut CD <God Son> for King Records

with Dan Kostelnik, Al Foster, Rufus Reid, Guilherme Franco and Mark Soskin.

SERENATA <JazzBank/MTCJ-1084>.2005

Duo with Seiichi Nakamura, was recorded in Shinobu’s own room in New York in September 2004, and was released as Serenata in August 2005.

All but two of its ten tracks are Shinobu’s original compositions.