CD 9169-2	Makiko Hirabayashi Trio Makiko Hirabayashi - piano Klavs Hovman - bass Marilyn Mazur - drums, percussion 1. Clouds over Mt. Blanc 4:45 2. Asymmetric Rainbow 4:28 3. Waves 4:24 4. First Flight 5:19 5. Camel Ride 4:41 6. City Murmur 5:50 7. Midnight Bells 2:35 8. My Cherry Tree 6:19 9. Orchids 6:07 10. Epilogue 2:50 All music composed and arranged by Makiko Hirabayashi

Makiko Hirabayashi is a Japanese jazz pianist, based in Denmark since 1990. She started playing classical music at the age of four in Tokyo, and spent 5 years of her childhood in Hong Kong, which opened her eyes to the rest of the world.
At the age of twenty, she received a scholarship from Berklee College Of Music in Boston, USA, and began concentrating on composing and playing in the style of jazz. After completing her studies with honours, she moved to Denmark with guitarist, Morten Kargaard, and started her professional career.
She has performed and recorded with many groups on the Danish jazz scene and World Music scene, both as a leader and a sideman. As a member of the quartet, Sisters, she won the Best Arrangement Award, Public Award and 3rd Prize at the European Jazz Contest in Belgium,´95. As the leader of Third Floor Jazz Trio, she toured her home country, Japan, in ´92, ´93, ´94 and performed with the legendary Japanese drummer, Motohiko Hino.
Besides performing at major clubs and festivals in Japan and Scandinavia, Makiko has toured in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Spain, Latvia, Brazil, and South Africa.

In 2005, Makiko recorded her first album as a leader with two of the most creative musicians in Denmark, percussionist/drummer, Marilyn Mazur (Miles Davis Group 85-89 and Jan Garbarek Group 91- ) and bassist, Klavs Hovman. Her compositions have a wide spectrum; from raw, groovy city beat to impressionistic, free approach, brought to life by the three musicians whose openness and creativity shine through. The music is earthy, vibrant and full of surprises. Elements of classical music and Asian influences blend beautifully with the Nordic sound, giving the trio a fresh, unique sound.