Isao is Japan’s greatest jazz master. He is a multi-instrumentalist, bassist, composer, arranger and producer, as well as a bandleader. Isao was born in Tokyo on the 2nd of January 1933. He began his musical career in 1956 as a double bass player at a U.S. military station in Tokyo. Art Blakey encouraged him to go to New York in 1970 and he joined the legendary JAZZ MESSENGERS. He recorded and worked with Wynton Kelly and Wynton Kelly during this period. Isao returned to Japan in 1980 and contributed to the development of many young jazz musicians by enlisting them in his band, ‘OMA SOUND’. This has helped keep his sound at the forefront of progressive jazz. Suzuki’s solo album, “Self-Portrait”, was released in 1980. He played at least 20 instruments on the album. This made him a unique figure in Japan’s jazz scene. Suzuki is now a respected leader in Japanese jazz, having released more than 50 albums, including many winners of the Japan Jazz Prize award. The Internet radio “Radio Jazz International of Switzerland”, has chosen him as one of the 20 most outstanding jazz musicians worldwide and named him “JAZZ GOD FEARER.” http://isaosuzuki.jp
