Gary Burton Makoto Ozone Virtuosity
Gary Burton Makoto Ozone Virtuosity Md
Vibraphonist Gary Burton, who performed at the Dakota Jazz Club on Wednesday night, is nearing the end of the road as a touring musician. Burton, who turned 74 in January, has announced his current tour with Japanese pianist Makoto Ozone will be his last.Ozone and Burton delivered a bravura duet performance at the Dakota, the product of a long-standing musical relationship.When Ozone was a student at the Berklee School of Music in 1981, he asked Burton for private lessons. Three years later, he joined Burton’s Grammy-winning quartet. Ozone has since become a major star in his native country, performing both classical music and jazz.
In 1995, Ozone and Burton released a well-received album of duet performances, called “Face To Face.” Related Articles.Wednesday’s set opener was “Bud Powell,” a bouncy bebop tribute written by one of Burton’s frequent bandmates over the years, pianist Chick Corea. Burton’s eyes and hands darted back and forth as he wove together four-mallet chords and single-note riffs.The duo paid tribute to the late pianist/composer James Williams with his ballad piece “Soulful Bill,” with Ozone contributing some bluesy riffs. In the absence of a drummer, Burton’s foot could be heard keeping the beat on the hardwood stage.Burton, whose skill as a composer is sometimes overshadowed by his instrumental brilliance, revisted “Remembering Tano,” a piece he wrote to honor another past collaborator, the Argentine composer and bandoneon virtuoso Astor Piazzola. The ballad is an ideal vehicle for the vibraphone’s shimmering sound.
Ozone’s right-hand facility on the keyboard was awe-inspiring.Several years ago, Burton and Ozone collaborated on a bold experiment, recording an album of classical pieces rearranged to allow jazz improvisation.