South Florida JAZZ, the area’s premier modern jazz organization, continues its 25th Anniversary celebration by presenting world-renowned vibraphonist Gary Burton in a career farewell concert with long-term collaborator, pianist Makoto Ozone. The performance will take place on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. in the Rose
& Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center on the Nova Southeastern University campus, 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr Blvd, Davie 33314. Tickets are $40 ($10 for students under age 25 with valid I.D.) and can be purchased from Ticketmaster either online via http://www.southfloridajazz.org or by calling 954-462-0222.

Gary Burton is the most important vibraphonist of the modern era. Largely self-taught, he is a major innovator on his instrument because of his conception and mastery of an extraordinary and four-mallet technique that continues to elude most practitioners. His accomplishments resulted in seven Grammy Awards. He has been voted Best Vibraphonist innumerably in the important trade polls. In 2016, he was awarded a richly-deserved Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master, an honor given only to luminaries who have advanced the art form.

Makoto Ozone (o-zo-neh) was born into a musical family in Kobe, Japan and began to play organ at age two. At twelve, inspired by Oscar Peterson, he switched to piano. While classically trained, he strove to become a jazz pianist and met Gary Burton when he came to Berklee School of Music in Boston to study in 1980. He played a classical solo concert in Carnegie Hall in 1983, the same year that he joined Gary’s jazz band. He stayed in the US until 1989, returning to Japan where he continued performing works from the classical repertoire with major orchestras to rave reviews – a very rare acceptance of a jazz musician.

In 2013, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of their debut together, Makoto toured with Gary in Japan for a month. They have now collaborated memorably for over 33 years. This performance for South Florida JAZZ represents the conclusion, as Gary Burton retires from the profession with a brief tour with his friend Makoto.