岡崎正典

Masanori Okazaki is a distinguished saxophonist who began his musical journey playing clarinet in his high school wind orchestra. Upon entering Hosei University, he transitioned to the tenor saxophone and discovered jazz through the New Orange Swing Orchestra. Okazaki furthered his studies at Berklee College of Music on a scholarship, where he studied under George Garzone and Bill Pierce, graduating in May 1998. Since returning to Japan, he has been a prominent figure in the jazz scene, performing with the Masahiko Osaka Group, the Norihide Shiota Group, and the Okazaki Brothers alongside his brother, trumpeter Yoshiro Okazaki. His big band experience includes the CUG Jazz Orchestra and the Masaru Uchibori Big Band. In 2003, he participated in The Manhattan Transfer's Japan tour. Notably, he is a member of Makoto Ozone's "No Name Horses," with whom he performed at the IAJE conference in New York and toured Blue Note venues across Japan in 2006. Heavily influenced by the tone of Stan Getz, Okazaki utilizes a variety of instruments including Io soprano and tenor saxophones and Yamaha alto saxophones.