Osmo

A Japanese pianist and composer based in Copenhagen since 1990, Makiko Hirabayashi is recognized as a distinctive voice on the international jazz scene. Her music incorporates elements of jazz, classical music, Far Eastern sounds, and Nordic moods, reflecting her multicultural background. 

Since her debut as a bandleader in 2006, she has released ten albums under her own name and received several awards, including Jazz Album of the Year for her quartet Weavers at the Danish Music Awards 2021, and the Danish Composers Association’s Honorary Award in 2020. Makiko Hirabayashi Trio (2001–2025), featuring Marilyn Mazur and Klavs Hovman, toured internationally for 25 years; their fifth and final album, Meteora, was listed among “The Best Albums of 2023” by the acclaimed American jazz magazine DownBeat. She has also collaborated with top European musicians, including Enrico Rava, Norma Winstone, and Josefine Cronholm.