Makoto Ozone (小曽根真) is a Japanese jazz pianist.

Career

Ozone was born in Kobe, Japan. 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. In 1980, he entered the Berklee College of Music and later worked with Gary Burton. 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, and he produced her album Kimiko, which won the 2000 Swing Journal jazz disk grand prix for Japanese vocalist. Ozone is in charge of visiting professor of Jazz course in Kunitachi College of Music since 2010.

Honors

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As No Name Horses

Soundtracks

As sideman

With Gary Burton With Bobby Shew