Hakan BaŞAR: On Top of The Roof (UBU0032)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of Hakan Başar, an exceptionally gifted 15-year-old pianist from Istanbul, Turkey.

 Hakan will make his international performance debut at this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival as the opening show in the Festival’s 10-day schedule.

 Hakan began playing piano when he was eight. By the age of 10, he gave his first public concert at the Pera Music Festival in Istanbul.  Several years later, Hakan was performing live at major clubs, concert halls and festivals across the country.

 Most recently, Hakan has enjoyed the privileges of having met or attended workshops with a number of the world’s greatest jazz artists including Chick Corea, Ron Carter and Eddie Gomez. Hakan has been compared to Joey Alexander, although their development paths differ.

For the album, Hakan introduces his accomplished trio, consisting of Halil Çağlar Serin (bass) and Ferit Odman (drums).

 Halil began playing bass at 13 years old and was granted a scholarship at Berklee College of Music in the US. He’s played with a number of greats, including Eddie Henderson, Jim Snidero and Miguel Zenon.

 Ferit is an in-demand drummer, hailing from Istanbul. He studied in Sweden, Turkey and in the US where he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. He’s played and recorded with a number of stellar artists, including Vincent Herring, Danny Grissett, Peter Washington and Brian Lynch.

 Also included on the album are Kağan Yıldız (double bass), İmer Demirer (trumpet) and F.Hakan Başar (guitar, and father of Hakan).

On Top of The Roof features a repertoire of classics from the jazz masters including Michel Petrucciani, Sergio Mihanovic, Gerry Mulligan, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Clifford Brown, Charlie Parker and others. The album has hints of Oscar Peterson’s style, throughout the recording.

Hakan describes his background, saying, “I was introduced to jazz music when I was four, thanks to my father’s CD collection. For my eighth birthday, I was given a piano and a collection of jazz books. My original jazz influences came from listening to Wes Montgomery and George Benson, followed by further exposure to Michel Petrucciani, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Hank Jones and more. The best way I can explain the degree of magic jazz holds for me is that it’s the highest way I can express myself. And this makes me very happy.”

Concerning the project, Hakan further explains: “This recording was originally intended for the sole purpose of learning and improving myself. It ended up becoming my first album. My father supported me every step of the way and made many sacrifices to help develop my career. He contacted a number of people abroad to further assist me. Ubuntu Music and Martin Hummel were the invaluable ones. When Martin suggested working together on my album, I felt like I was in a dream. I would like to especially thank Martin Hummel and F. Hakan Başar, as well as Ferit Odman, Esra Başar, Hande Başar, İzzet Öz, Akbank Sanat, Erdoğan Yalvaç and Kaan Berksun.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, sums it up by saying, “Hakan is a one-of-a-kind young artist with an exceptional gift and a pedigree inspired by the masters of the jazz lexicon. We first met on Facebook and the rest is history. There are a number of exciting things in the works. This priceless debut album sets the pace for a wonderful, bright future. We are delighted to have Hakan as the newest member of the Ubuntu Music Family.”