Makoto Ozone (小曽根真, Pronounced [Oh-zone'-ay];[1] born March 25, 1961)[2] is a Japanese jazz pianist.
Career
Ozone was born in Kobe, Japan.[3] He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father, himself a pianist and club owner in Kobe, from 1968 to 1970. At the age of twelve, Ozone switched to piano after being impressed by the albums of Oscar Peterson, taking two years of classical piano lessons.[3] In 1980, he entered the Berklee College of Music and later worked with Gary Burton.[3] He also had his recording debut in 1983 before returning to his native Japan.
Ozone has collaborated with vocalist Kimiko Itoh. They appeared as a duo at the Montreux Jazz Festival,[4] and he produced her album Kimiko, which won the 2000 Swing Journal jazz disk grand prix for Japanese vocalist.[5]
.jpg)
