Bios & promo — benchmark artistes

Goro Ito, a composer, arranger, guitarist and producer, has been active as a solo artist "MOOSE HILL" and also as member of a bossa-nova duo "naomi & goro." Along with releasing his own albums and performing at home and abroad, he has written music for movies etc. While pursuing his own music with profound taste of Bossa Nova, he has played in genre-straddling style of music such as classic and rock, etc. Besides his own work he has collaborated with various musicians including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Taskahashi. For singer and actress Tomoyo Harada, he has produced many songs and albums. He has worked with Takashi Hiraide, a poet who won the Best Translated Book Award by his poetry collection "For the Fighting Spirit of the Walnut" in USA.

Goro Ito is a composer, arranger, guitarist and producer, has been active as a solo artist 'MOOSE HILL' and also as member of a bossa-nova duo 'naomi & goro.' He has created music for films, television, and commercial productions while releasing solo albums and performing internationally. Ito has produced numerous notable albums, including work with Penguin Cafe Orchestra and tribute albums for Ryuichi Sakamoto's "commmons" label. His production credits extend to "GETZ/GILBERTO＋50" and albums by Tomoyo Harada.

Until around age twelve, I listened exclusively to classical music, influenced by my father. I had particular fondness for German music and would read Record Geijutsu magazine cover to cover, deciding on albums I wanted and using allowance to buy one record monthly. I often compared different interpretations of the same piece by various conductors or from different eras—I was quite the classical music enthusiast. When in junior high school, I discovered the record Getz/Gilberto in my father's collection and 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Goro Ito (MOOSE HILL) is a composer, arranger, guitarist, and producer active as a solo artist and a member of the bossa-nova duo Naomi & goro. He has released albums, performed internationally, and written film music. He has worked with notable collaborators including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono, and Yukihiro Takahashi, and produced material for singer Tomoyo Harada. The album Amorozsofia -Abstract João features eleven tracks with a chamber ensemble, original compositions, and arrangements on Universal Music. An enjoyable crossover combining classical, jazz, and Brazilian sounds with beautiful orchestrations, mystic refrains, and revving themes.