The Making of "Jungle"

The album began with the concept of creating a Latin-infused record. As tracks like "Cave Walk," which evokes the breath of wild animals, and "Oasis," which seems to cool down the excitement of being in nature, took shape, they struggled to find a title for the album.

"This band has incredible members. The theme is the 'coexistence' of each member's individuality, including their technical skills and musicality."

One evening, the perfect word to describe both the "Latin flavor" and the band's "coexistence" came from Ozone's wife: "Jungle."


He explains, "In jazz music, bass and drums are the foundation." Witnessing Christian McBride's bass and Brian Blade's drums, he saw firsthand "how rhythm is directly connected to the vitality of human life."

"I was so moved by the brilliance of those two, by the vitality, that I came back and just..."

He wrote it. That became "Jungle."
As he continued writing the score for the song, envisioning the faces of the members and the potential phrases, he felt...
"I felt I had written a song that showcased the unique personalities of each member of No name horses, while also embodying the band's overall color. I was convinced that this song could only be titled 'Jungle.'"
There was no other possibility.

Amidst all these jungle-flavored titles, one track stands out: "La verda Con Los Caballos." Composed by member Eric, its literal translation is "Truth with the Horses."
"The 'truth' here is a play on words with 'true' (真, shin). He thought of the title 'The truth of being with the horses' and wrote it for me."

This song, and others on the album, are not necessarily performed by their composers. With such a gathering of top-tier musicians, isn't it rare for a big band to be able to compose without worrying about their own performance time?

Humbly, Ozone replied, "I don't know if this sounds cool, but..."

"Everyone here loves music more than themselves. That's the simplest way to put it. If they valued themselves more than music, they wouldn't be like this."
This is what forms the band No name horses, where members trust and respect each other.

A Band with the Pride of "I'm Proud to Be a Member of This Band"

"The truth lies only in the sound that is playing right now."

This message is also included in the album's booklet.
"Beyond super technique and high musicality, there is another door."
Beyond that door lies a world where "music takes you," and No name horses inhabit that dimension.

"We are fortunate to be able to go there, and the happy energy from that is contained in this album," he says, as if recalling that happiness. He himself has been listening to the album daily for three months since the recording finished.
Ozone also shared this:

"The truth lies only in the sound that is playing right now. By facing that sound honestly, the next sound is born."

Because everyone in No Name Horses "loves each other and the music more than anything," the next sound, and the sound after that, all emerge like "living things," one after another.
The phrase "sound is alive," which Ozone repeated several times during the interview, fits remarkably well with his music, and especially with this album.

As he excitedly stated, "This album is alive." Created by members who "love music more than themselves" and love each other, guided by sound, the album is brimming with the vitality of life.
While Ozone is active in the classical world beyond the boundaries of jazz, something "incredibly significant happened once" between him and classical music. What was this incident? And what are his "aspirations" for the upcoming tour?

—Look forward to the second part of the interview!