Nardis Jazz Club has a fully loaded program for the month of September, featuring several seriously talented musicians and some of the city’s best vibes for an evening of jazz. For reservations contact +90 212 244 6327. Be sure to keep up with the official site for any changes in the program.
From the Organizer:
Mon 1: Gagarin Band (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Gagarin came together in 2015 when musicians performing a wide variety of music including jazz, latin and soul with different bands decided to form a band. Members of the band had performed at venues like Nardis, 60m2, Noasis Jazz Bar, Böcek and the Badau before. They took part in Youth Jazz 2016 and 2017 and performed at the Parklarda Caz (Jazz in Parks) events organised by İKSV. The band is influenced by artists like Gagarin; Esbjörn Svennson, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, John Coltrane and also contemporary artists. Gagarin Band perform regularly in the Istanbul music scene while working on their original compositions.
Tue 2: Hasan Aran Quartet (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
He was Born in Germany 1982. He started to play guitar at a early age. He studied jazz and Popular music at the Johannes Gutenberg Conservatory in Frankfurt between 2005-2009. He graduated in 2009 and returned back to Istanbul. He continues performing at events, studios and creates his own projects, playing mainstream jazz standarts with his own interpretation.
Wed 3: Manuş-u Ala (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Born in the capital Ankara, Gizay started her musical studies by singing in choirs. She also took classical guitar lessons in high school. While studying at Hacettepe University, she also took part in the Hacettepe University Conservatory Youth Choir. Upon her graduation in 2008, she moved to İstanbul and started studying jazz. She attended workshops by Sibel Köse and Elif Çağlar, studied jazz vocal with İldeniz Çetin and Çağıl Kaya, jazz piano with Haluk Dayıoğlu and harmony/piano with Ilgın Ayık. She continued working on commercial music, music for TV shows and live performances since then. She co-founded Stüdyo 6 with jazz guitarist Kaan Büyükdoğanay in late 2013. She currently continues her studies along with live performances.
Thu 4: Esra Kayıkçı Band (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
She began studying music theory and guitar in 1999. She studied jazz vocal with Elif Çağlar, Randy Esen and Sibel Köse and attended workshops of important musicians such as Shelia Jordan and Mark Murphy. She reached to the semi-final in the competition named “Jamzz” which organized by Akbank in 2011. She took stage at Anadolu University 11. Amateur Jazz Musicians Festival in 2013. In 2016 &Bozgun Hatıra& her first/debut album consisting of her own compositions and lyrics written by herself together with Mehmet Karadağ, was published under the label of Kabak & Lin Records in which Ercüment Orkut undertook the arrangements and musical directorate.
In 2016, she took the stage as semi-finalist in one of the world’s most prestigious competitions, 50th Montreux Jazz Vocal Contest where Angelique Kidjo was head of the jury.
In 2017 she won the first place in Solo Vocal category of Made in NY Jazz Competition where Mike Stern, Randy Brecker and Lenny White were among the jury and took the stage at Gala night realized at Tribeca Performing Art Center.
Fri 5: Ceren Temel Quintet (22:30-01:30) // 50 TL
Ceren Temel began studying piano and violin at the Fine Arts Anatolian High School in Kayseri. She did her undergraduate studies at Gazi University’s Department of Music Education in Ankara between 2008-2012 and continued with her violin and piano studies. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Gazi University she began her masters program at the same school and she graduated in 2016.
Since high school Ceren has sung as a soprano in several choirs and has been a vocalist for several pop, blues and hard rock bands. Because of her deep love and interest in jazz she began studying jazz performance at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory. Since September 2014 she has been studying vocal jazz performance and improvisation with Randy Esen and also worked on general vocal tecnique with Yıldız İbrahimova. Ceren took several lessons from award winning jazz vocalist Meltem Ege who is doing her doctoral degree in the USA.
In 2015, she performed in a concert with the Turkay Orchestra at Gazi University. In 2016 she joined the Istanbul Jazz Festival Youth Jazz Contest with her band was chosen to play at the festivals outdoor park concert. In September 2016 she attended legendary pianist Barry Harris’s jazz workshop in Rome. In March 2017 Ceren won the first prize at the 13th Nardis Youth Jazz Vocal Contest in Istanbul and attended and represented Turkey at the Riga Jazz Stage Contest in Latvia in April 2017. She continues studying jazz in Ankara and performing concerts in both Ankara and Istanbul. Tonight, the band will be performing jazz standards with different arrangements.
Sat 6: Sibel Köse Quintet (22:30-01:30) // 50 TL
Sibel Köse was born in Ankara where she attended the TED Ankara College followed by the Architecture Faculty of the METU graduating as an architect. Her early interest in jazz coincides with her university studies. She attended numerous seminars in Poland. Ms. Köse performs in concerts, radio and TV productions and local & international jazz festivals since 1987. She has been the winner of the International Jazz Vocalists Competition held in Zamosc, Poland. She performed alongside Dee Dee Bridgewater, Raul Midon and Stacey Kent at the “Nina Simone Tribute” concert. She has an album published in Poland. Tonight Ms. Köse and her band hope to give you an enjoyable evening with their fresh interpretation of standards.
Sun 8: Yavuz Akyazıcı Trio (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
He was born in 1966. He started his education in Bosphorus University Chemical Engineering department. However, He decided to study jazz in New York and went to New School Jazz Performance program. He became a student of teachers like Reggie Workman, Jim Hall, Billy Harper, Buster Williams, Vic Juris. While his education was going on, he performed at jazz clubs like 55 Bar where Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz also played. After graduation, he continued playing his own compositions with musicians like Matt Wilson (Charlie Haden Liberation Band), Eric Person (Ben Harper, Dave Holland Quintet), Joe Fonda (Kenny Baron, Anthony Braxton), Kevin Burke (Wynton Marsallis Orchestra) and formed the band Volcano. With this band he played in various jazz clubs in United States, Turkey and Baku Jazz Festival.
His first published CD Volcano/Gamzelim received a lot praise in jazz community. Interntaional Sound on Sound magazine named this album as “virtuoso performance and recording”. He formed Yavuz Akyazıcı Project at the beginning of 2011. This band recorded Turkish Standards Vol.1 which ic a CD consisted of Turkish pop songs re-arranged in a jazz standard fashion. His latest CD “Bridge” was published at the beginning of 2012. This recording consists of seven Yavuz Akyazıcı compositions as well as popular songs like “Sway”, “House of the Rising Sun” and a jazz standard from Sam Rivers named “Beatrice”.
Tue 9: Uğur Güneş Trio (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Uğur Güneş was born in 1974, in Izmir. He started studying at the D.E.U. State Conservatory in 1986 and graduated in 1996. Since 1998 he has played with a variety of bands in Istanbul. He was also featured on some TV and radio shows for the TRT Jazz Orchestra. His trio played for Tuna Ötenel in the 2001 Roxy Jazz Days and also Bodrum Jazz Days. He played concerts in Paris in 2004 and in London in 2005.
Wed 10: Raci Pişmişoğlu Mus 461 (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Raci Pişmişoğlu had been teaching bass, ensemble and listening analysis courses at İstanbul Bilgi University Jazz Department. He played bass on Ali Perret’s ”Acid Trippin” and ”Mingus Trippin” albums as well as performing with the band regularly. On albums and on stage with Ali Perret’s band he performed with Can Kozlu, İmer Demirer, Ricky Ford, Ercüment Ateş, Sarp Maden and Erkan Oğur. He also performed with Ricky Ford and Donovan Mixon’s bands. He performed in various parts of the world, playing at Albania, İstanbul, Akbank, Yapı Kredi and Eskişehir Jazz Festivals. He continues performing with his Mus 461 project.
Thu 11: Flapper Swing (21:30-00:30) // 50 TL
Flapper Swing is a quintet following footsteps of famous french jazz artist Django Reinhardt and New Orleans’s expatriate Sidney Bechet. These five musicians were brought together by their passion for taunting acoustic sounds of gypsy swing . Flapper Swing’s music is a sweet blend of manouche guitars, wild soprano saxophone, sensitive silklike vocal, supported by deep woody hum of double bass. In their performances Flapper Swing is striving to bring the audience an atmosphere of roaring twenties and ballroom parties, the times when jazz was still fun.
Fri 12: Aydın Kahya “All Star” Band (22:30-01:30) // 50 TL
Aydın Kahya was born in 1974 in Ankara. After elementary school he started to study at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory Piano Department. Two years later he switched to trombone and promoted to higher grades twice for his accomplishments. He studied jazz composition with Prof. İlhan Baran and motown vocal techniques with Keisha Brown. Some of the artists he has performed with include Aydın Esen, Atilla Şereftuğ, Aşkın Arsunan, Garo Mafyan, Süheyl Denizci, Tuna Ötenel, Kerem Görsev, Önder Focan, Slide Hampton, Brian Lynch, Bruce Barth, Doug Weiss, Huge Sicotte and Tony Jones. The albums he was featured on include “Vocalists” by Önder Focan (the first album ever released by Blue Note with Turkish jazz vocals), R&B album “Istanbul Party” with Tony Jones and a symphonic jazz album “Aventia Crooners” with Atilla Şereftuğ, performing with the Czech Philarmonic Orchestra. He has performed inside and outside of Turkey with symphonies, big bands and different band variations on festivals, radios and recordings. He currently is a tutor at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory Jazz Vocal department.
Sat 13: İpek Dinç Yüce Quintet (22:30-01:30) // 50 TL
İpek Dinç who is an undergraduate of İstanbul University, Faculty of Chemistry, started her musical career in 2005 when she met İlham Gencer. She was a finalist at the 2006 Nardis Young Jazz Singer of the Year Competition and participated in the İstanbul Jazz Festival Young Jazz Singer competition. She gave a concert in the Festival. Her success at 2009 Nardis Singing Competition took her to the Nomme Jazz Festival Competition in Estonia where she won the 3rd prize. She participated in numerous festivals. Dinç has been invited to attend the “Young jazz Voices” event in Latvia in 2009. Her repertoire for this night will consist of R&B as well as jazz standards.
Mon 15: Aki Rissanen Trio (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Pianist Aki Rissanen has been quickly rising among the few top forces of Finnish jazz. Over the last years, he has also made a name for himself in the international jazz scene especially as a leader of his own trio. Although originally classically trained, he has always had a heart for improvised music and jazz.
His debut album Amorandom (Edition Records, 2016) with Aki Rissanen Trio was critically acclaimed all around the world and he gained a fast growing reputation on the European scene. The album received praises at home and abroad on prestigious newspapers like the Guardian and jazz magazines like Jazzwise. Finnish main newspaper Helsingin Sanomat selected the album as “The Best Jazz Album of the Year”. The album also won the Finnish Grammy, the Emma Award for the Best Jazz Album in 2016.
Aki Rissanen Trio released their second album Another North in November 2017 on Edition Records. It is an ambitious and rhythmically intense album that raises Aki Rissanen Trio undeniably into the front of the whole European jazz field. At the moment the trio is touring actively internationally.
Aki Rissanen studied classical piano for 12 years in Finland and jazz and improvised music at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Paris, France. He took private lessons in New York, USA and Cologne, Germany in 2005-2008. In 2009, he graduated with a Master’s degree from the Sibelius Academy Jazz Department in Finland after studing jazz piano and composition for 7 years.
His teachers have included Jarmo Savolainen, Jukkis Uotila, Kirmo Lintinen, John Taylor, Jim Beard, Anders Jormin, Hervé Sellin, Markku Hyvärinen, Jouni Kuronen, Seppo Kantonen and Frank Carlberg, to name a few.
In addition to his high merits in the Solo Piano Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival and La Defense competition in France, Rissanen has been best known for his works with saxophonist Dave Liebman on German Ozella Music and trumpeter Verneri Pohjola on British Edition Records and on ACT Music in Germany.
He has shared the stage with UMO Jazz Orchestra, The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Dave Liebman, Rick Margitza, Randy Brecker, Sten Sandell, Tim Hagans, Emil Strandberg and Robert Ikiz among others. He has performed in most of the European countries, USA, Japan, China and North Africa.
Tue 16: SPIN (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
SPIN was formed by Sıtkı Sırtanadolu and Selim Benba in 2005 and released their debut album ‘İLK’ in 2007. The band was still together until they took a brake to concentrate on other projects. Selim Benba now lives abroad, so this will be a reunion project and they will be performing both old and new tunes.
Wed 17: Will Brahm Istanbul Trio (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Jazz guitarist, composer and bandleader Will Brahm will be at Nardis as part of his first Turkey tour. Born in Portland Oregon, Will Brahm moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and attended the Cole Conservatory of music at Cal State Long Beach, graduating in 2012 with a bachelors degree in jazz guitar performance as a 5 time K-jazz scholar. Having always loved music from different cultures around the world, Will formed his world music group “Homenaje”, releasing their debut album “La Mariposa y el Mentiroso” in 2017, featuring all original compositions of Will’s. He tours extensively within the United States and has also toured to Asia, Canada, and Europe with his music. He also plays with the critically acclaimed New West Guitar Group, and has worked with artists including The Gordon Goodwin Phat Band, Kim Richmond, Jimmy Branly, Otmaro Ruiz, Gretchen Parlato, Sara Gazarek, and Jane Monheit.
Thu 18: Funda Sezer Quintet (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Funda Sezer graduated from Istanbul University American Culture and Literature Department. She sang in choirs, took part in projects and lead projects for many years. She studied with Donovan Mixon and Randy Esen. She performed with Fundolatino and Fundo’s Swings at Nardis before. She’ll be performing jazz standards and a selection of bossa nova tonight.
Fri 19: Samantha Antoinette Band (21:30-00:30) // 50 TL
Samantha Antoinette Smith started singing professionally 35 years ago and has enjoyed singing gospel, blues, jazz, motown, funk, and pop music throughout her colourful career. Samantha Antoinette joined The London Community Gospel Choir and stayed and perfected her natural craft with them for 21 years. Her singing career started out as a backing vocalist. Her warm velvet, engaging vocal tones, afforded Samantha Antoinette to be booked regularly and tour Europe and world-wide with; Depeche Mode, Erasure, Jamiroquai, Richard Ashcroft, Beverley Knight, MIKA, Plan B and Sam Moore.
Sat 20: Ece Göksu Quintet (22:30-01:30) // 50 TL
Ece Göksu comes from a family of musicians and was born in Ankara. As a child she sang with the children’s choir of the Ankara State Opera and Ballet where she went on to study the piano. She participated in masterclasses run by Hüseyin Sermet and Ayşegül Sarıca. She started to get interested in Jazz at university. When her family moved to Istanbul in 2000 she transferred to the Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory from where she studied with Prof. Seher Tanrıyar before graduating. In 2007 while singing in various Istanbul venues and taking part in different festivals she won the Fulbright scholarship and then a scholarship from the William Paterson University which allowed her to follow a master’s programme in NJ/USA. Her masters thesis was based on Billie Holiday’s compositions and this was eventually published as a book by UMI-Proquest. Ece Goksu’s repertoire tonight will include her album Masal and Slow Hot Wind.
Mon 22: Kristian Lind Trio (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Kristian Lind trio experiments with Turkish music, playing it in a “Scandinavian jazz style” and also play Kristian’s own compositions wich range from bebop to almost classical music. This creates a very interesting mix that you almost certainly havn’t heard before. If you have previously listened to Kristian’s solo album “winter games”, you might get surprised since this is something completely different.
Tue 23 & Wed 24: Michael Pipoquinha Trio (21:30-00:30) // 80 TL
Michael Pipoquinha is one of the most skilled and virtuous bass players of the young generation – born in late 90s. Early in childhood, he had his first contact with the guitar through his father,, who is also a bassist. It is one of the few cases of musical formation entirely self-taught, demonstrating a native and undeniable talent for the instrument. From 2007, with only 11 years old, he began to perform professionally. From then on, he aroused curiosity wherever he passed by, due to his charisma and precocious virtuosity. In 2009 he has perfomed at “Domingão do Faustão”, the national entertainment TV show with the largest audience of Brazilian television, when he impressed the whole country with only 13 years and began to participate in major music festivals in Brazil. In the same year he started the recording of his first album, Cearencinho, produced by Artur Maia.
In 2012, he performed regularly at jazz festivals in South America, where he met his idols such as Victor Wooten and Stanley Clarke, for whom he was recognized and praised in quotes for Bass Player magazine. In 2015, Pipoquinha made his first trip to Europe, invited to participate in the “We’ve Got a Talent” program, where he presented authorial themes alongside the renowned Big Band WDR in Cologne, Germany. At the end of the same year, Bass Player maganize has published a report with him, where he mentions his heroes, main influences, and the techniques applied in his music. In 2016 he performed with James Morrison & Latvian Radio Big Band at the Rigas Ritmi Festival in Latvia, also doing workshops around the region. In 2017 he participated in the Grahamstown Jazz Festival in South Africa. In August he participated in Brasilian Day Stockolmo in Sweden. Parallely to concerts and workshops, Pipoquinha has just recorded his second album, produced by Sandro Haick. He had the great honour to be the soloist, in 2018, of a special Jaco Pastorius tribute with Latvian Radio Big Band, in Riga.
Thu 25: Önder Focan & Şallıel Bros. “Funkbook” (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
We will listen to a new project by Önder Focan and Şallıel Brothers. Şallıel Brothers are the founders of What da Funk Project, in which they interpret classics from funk, jazz and soul music with their own arrangements. The saxophonist brothers will interpret Önder Focan’s compositions in their own funky style tonight.
Fri 26: Caloe Barbillon Quartet (22:30-01:30) // 60 TL
Jazz singer and composer Caloé, follows in the footsteps of her musical idol Ella Fitzgerald and tries to pursue new horizons by interpreting the “scat” technique. Creating her own rainbow with songs inspired by different cultures, and a vast repertoire of covers, improvisations and her characteristic vocal, this young talent also does justice to always being surrounded by amazingly good musicians. She shares her music via her YouTube channel every month, with new videos showcasing snapshots from her life in France. At the beginning of this year Caloé released two new singles, Stevie Wonder’s Part Time Lover cover and Soleil d’Hiver. In addition to being a semi-finalist at the Montreux Jazz Festival’s contest, she has performed at major jazz venues in cities such as New York, Mexico, Oslo and Stockholm. Bringing a French breeze to the city, Caloé’s first concert in Istanbul definitely is not to be missed.
Sat 27: Şenova Ülker Quartet feat. Caloe (22:30-01:30) // 50 TL
Since the ‘70’s, Ulker has recorded in countless albums and has performed and toured with many jazz groups. He continues to participate in studio recordings and an album project for the Bone3 Brass Section that he formed together with Aycan Teztel and Levent Altındag. He also performs with “Istanbul Superband” –jazz music’s national team- as the solo trumpetist and a founding member.
Senova worked mostly with pianist Askin Arsunan in jazz groups that they created together, such as “0212” and “Ethno Karma.” He performed as a soloist and also as a member of the brass group, “3Bones” in Arsunan’s album, “One A Day” in 2004. In the same year, Ulker performed as a soloist in Sadun Aksut’s “A Misty September Night;” Okan Ersan’s “To Whom It May Concern” and Donovan Mixon’s “The Dance of Life” albums. The next year, he played in Cengiz Baysal’s “Candy and Milkshake.” In 2007, he participated as a soloist and lead trumpetist in the album, “Istanbul Superband Plays Ömer Göksel” which was the first big band album in Turkey’s jazz history. He also performed in Onder Focan’s “Standard A La Turc” and “Swing A La Turc” albums in the same year.
Ulker has participated in countless projects throughout his music career: Istanbul Superband, Bone3, Jazz Juniors, Şenova Ülker Big Band, CRR Big Band, Okan Ersan Band, Önder Focan Group/ Swing A La Turc/ Standard A La Turc/ Fobop, Emin Fındıkoğlu Detant and Euphony, Pasaporte Latino, Beck’s Big Band, Hi-Jazz, 0212 Pop and Latin Jazz Band, Aşkın Arsunan Ethno-Karma/ Blue Print Projects, Dzihan and Kamien, Group Passiflora, Donovan Mixon Group, La Pluma Latin Band, Selçuk Sun Quartet, Tuna Ötenel Quintet, Şenova Ülker Quartet, Baki Duyarlar/ Speak No Evil, Q-Bar Quartet, Jazz On Line and Levent Altındağ Brecker Bros. Project are among the main ones.
Mon 29: Önder Focan Trio (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
The trio of jazz guitar, bass and drums has been an interesting ensemble in jazz world providing orchestral textures, interplay and a lot of freedom for the players at the same time.
Jazz guitarist Önder Focan almost a year ago joined forces with 2 young players who attracted a lot of appreciation recently, bass player Enver Muhamedi and drummer Burak Cihangirli. The repertoire of the trio were carefully chosen and arranged for the trio format and composed of originals by Önder Focan, jazz standards and jazz arrangements of Turkish music. The audiences definitely enjoy the choice of the tunes, tight trio playing and the great command on the instruments of each individual player.
Tue 30: Burak Dursun Quartet – Fourtune (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Meeting in the State Conservatory, Barış Develioğlu, Altay Acar and Burak Dursun decided to form a band and with the addition of Burak Cihangirli on the drums, they formed Fourtune.
Wed 31: Bora Çeliker Quartet (21:30-00:30) // 40 TL
Bora Çeliker started playing the guitar right after elementary school. Throughout college he fronted a very popular blues band, which improvised while staying true to the genre’s stylistic traditions. Taking a hint from masters such as T-bone Walker and BB King, he turned his attention towards jazz musicians like Lester Young, Johnny Hodges and Charlie Christian. Since then, his involvement in music grew deeper and became a pathway for him to understand and appreciate art and life in general. He enjoys playing and singing standard tunes, as well as performing original material. He also takes part in free improvisation ensembles and has collaborated with experimental visual artists. At 2013 he released his debut album “Borabook”.
