“I think the jazz community seriously underrates Makoto [Ozone],” wrote Gary Burton in his 2013 autobiography ‘Learning to Listen’, “probably because he is from Japan, and even though he comes to the US and Europe regularly for concerts.”
In the mid-1980’s, Burton taught Ozone at Berklee, and then picked him to be the first pianist to be part of his touring band. “I had long believed I would never use a pianist in my band, given that I had such a great thing going with Chick [Corea]. But then I heard Makoto Ozone…” There may be another reason why Ozone’s profile is not what it could be. (Clue: either read to the end or just skip the review).
Ozone has recently turned 60, but looks much younger. He has mainly been in the UK for a major project with another Berklee and Burton band alumnus, Tommy Smith, and also performed two solo piano concerts on the Pizza Pheasantry Steinway. If Ozone’s visits here are relatively rare then at least part of the explanation is the level of reverence which he receives in his native Japan (more detail on that in Rob Adams’s feature).
Ozone has had a serious focus on solo piano activity in recent years, notably through a series of three fine albums under the title “Ozone 60”, released in 2021, which has scarcely been marketed outside Japan. There are albums dedicated to classical (none of that was heard last night : some incredibly sensitive Moszowski Etudes and the Ravel G major concerto slow movement all played “straight”, but by contrast Mozart’s Kleine Gigue K.574 which is taken for a very playful and original walk.) There is also a volume of jazz standards – last night we heard just one of those, a beautiful, delectable, less-is more “My Foolish Heart”, where Ozone’s gift for teasing, floating, unexpected countermelodies came into play.
Almost all of Ozone’s programme last night was from the repertoire of his own tunes, some of which are on the third album of the set. They show the range of his interests and command of a wide range of styles. It is perhaps no surprise that he has a range of sound from softest whisper to massive, fully orchestral: he does so much work with orchestras, and cannot resist the temptation to go the full Rachmaninov, even in a tiny club, as he did in “Pandora”, dedicated to Branford Marsalis which starts gently and innocently… but watch out!
There is a whole range of other moods and styles: “A Need to Walk” starts off as a sly blues, but with an Ozone hallmark, silences which invade the tune like sudden chinks of light, but then a powerful bass line takes over. “Fairy Dance” was a lovely moment of repose, like the most calming of bedtime stories.
When Ozone talks, either telling parts of his own story, or praising the Steinway piano or his musical colleagues past and present, what comes across is his jaw-dropping modesty and humility. One can only reflect that maybe the age of the old-fashioned virtues of grace and civilisation has now gone. He also does the jazz thing of showing gratitude, respect and admiration; it colours every word he speaks, either publicly or privately. whereas, in truth, he is a fascinating pianist and creative force in his own right, with a compellingly vast range of musical vocabulary. Makoto Ozone will give the attentive listener pleasant surprises at every turn.
First set
1: My Witch’s Blue
2: Need to walk
3: Nova Alvorada
4: Asian Dream
5: Snapshot (for Chick)
6: Ever Evolving Etude (Avishai Cohen)
Second set
7: Fairy Dance
8: Cubano Chant (Ray Bryant)
9: Pandora
10: O’berek
Encores
11: My Foolish heart ( Victor Young)
12: Spain (Chick Corea)
Original compositions unless stated.
