MAKOTO OZONE — Spring Is Here (review)

MAKOTO OZONE — Spring Is Here album cover Album · 1987 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
After the jazz explosion in Japan of the late 60s-early 70s, which gave to the world some world-class avant-garde jazz musicians and followed the jazz fusion wave, which in Japan developed into some local band cult following and Western stadium-rock star-like stardom, similarly to the Western world, Japanese jazz re-found mainstream bop, many local young talents left the country for studies overseas, pianist Makoto Ozone is a good example.

After graduating from Berklee College in NYC in 1983, Ozone recorded a few albums in the States with some of the best local jazz artists. "Spring Is Here" is his third release in a row and the first one containing standards. Two previous albums, recorded in New York, are based predominantly on Makoto's originals. There were rumors that the album, containing standards only, had been released on Makote Japanese label's initiative since at that time jazz standards were really popular on the Japanese market.

"Spring Is Here" is recorded by the classic piano trio with bassist George Mraz and drummer Roy Haynes - the highest-class session musicians. Nothing special happens on this album, but Makote plays quite emotionally colored piano, more usual for Western tradition, as opposed to Japanese school, which concentrates on technique and precision. The rhythm section is groovy, warm, and very physical. In combination with the crisp recording sound (in a Japanese fashion of the 70s), mainstream jazz sounds tasteful and attractive here.

At the time, jazz greats like Chick Corea and Keith Jarret had released some excellent acoustic piano trio albums influencing the fashion for a few years ahead. Makoto's "Spring Is Here" isn't a work of a similar level, but it has its moments and is significant for establishing standards for the Japanese scene post-bop acoustic trios for a long time to come. Makoto himself will become a major figure in the Japanese piano-jazz scene too.
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