Maki Nakano

Maki Nakano is a Japanese alto saxophonist, metal-clarinetist, composer, improviser, songwriter, and vocalist currently based in Paris. Nakano is best known as one-half of conceptual duo Ky with guitarist Yann Pittard, a founder of Openmusic label, and a member of Yoram Rosilio's ARBF/Anti Rubber Brain Fact0ry orchestra.

She started playing organ at the age of five. After graduating from the high school, Maki Nakano studied saxophone with Eiichi Hayashi in Tokyo. In 2001, Nakano went to Europe, where she played with jazz pianist Mal Waldron in Belgium, and eventually continued her education at Openmusic, graduating in 2005. She had been working with many prominent improvisers in Europe, such as Daunik Lazro and Jean-François Pauvros.

In 2006, Nakano released [r3714197] album with guitarist Raymond Boni and drummer Makoto Sato on Japanese label Openmusic. They had a Japanese tour in 2009, and a Openmusic broadcast in 2010. Nakano also recorded Musique Pour Quatre Mains Et Une Bouche album with pianist Stéphane Tsapis in 2012, as well as Rossignol with pianist Riko Goto. After meeting with balafon virtuoso Moussa Hema at the 2008 Africolor Festival in France, Maki Nakano and Yann Pittard started Ky x Bala Dée project, dedicated to the exploration of Burkina Faso and Mali traditional music.