During his years in New York, pianist Makoto Ozone fronted a number of small combos and gigged with such heavyweights as Branford Marsalis, Gary Burton and Christian McBride. But the collaborators he has come back to time and time again are his Japan-based big band, No Name Horses.
This 15-member monster swings with reverence for its forbearers while pushing an experimental agenda that keeps the music fresh and engaging. Ozone is currently touring Japan, playing solo as well as with NHK Symphony Orchestra, and he'll be showcasing No Name Horses at Blue Note gigs in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka next month. Over the phone, he spoke of the group's genesis.
"The birth of this band came from a session for singer Kimiko Ito," Ozone says. "I called a couple of friends of mine and told them to put a band together for the recording. That was 10 years ago."