Jazz Articles about Makoto Ozone

Makoto Ozone Trio: The Trio

by Douglas Payne
October 1, 1997

Back when Japanese pianist Makoto Ozone was attending Berklee, he was Gary Burton's prodigy and a frighteningly promising improvisor. Ozone has an unusual ability to suggest odd traits of past masters – the muscularity of Ahmad Jamal, the happy romanticism of Bill Evans, the simplicity of the intricate Joanne Brackeen and, at times, the classic panache of Chick Corea – and weave them into a personable style.

Somewhere along the way, even though all these traits are still evident, he ...