Paula Morelenbaum, once a vocalist in Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Nova Banda," wife of Nova Banda member, Jobim producer, and frequent Sakamoto collaborator Jaques Morelenbaum, and mother of recent Sakamoto collaborator Dora, has had an idea for a new project for about five years now. Recently the time was right for Paula to bring Jaques and Ryuichi into the new unit known as Morelenbaum²/Sakamoto. With the recording plans set, M²S first had an opportunity to take the stage together informally at the end of Sakamoto's European tour for an unannounced jam session in the lobby of London's Great Eastern Hotel.

M²S got together again in January '01 in Rio to record a collection of some of the lesser-known beautiful pieces written by Antonio Carlos "Tom" Jobim. Thanks to the generosity of Jobim's family, the group had the honor to record in the most inspiring setting imaginable, the study of Tom Jobim. As if that wasn't enough, the setting provided the ultimate perk; it enabled Sakamoto to record the album on Jobim's piano, "The whole experience was spiritual, as if Tom's spirit came into me through the fingerprints on the
keys of his piano. During one of the recordings at his house a bird suddenly sang in the middle of the song. We all thought that was Tom."