Yavuz Akyazıcı

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, Eric Person, Joe Fonda, Kevin Burke and formed the band Volcano. With this band he played in various jazz clubs like Birdland, Smalls, Auggie’s, Knitting Factory in United States. He also brought this band to Turkey to play in Nardis, Hayal Kahvesi, JC’s and then travelled to Baku to play in 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 previous 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”.

In 2013 he recorded his latest CD, “Short Stories” consisted of all original compositions.
In this recording he was accompanied by Yahya Dai on tenor, soprano sax, Volkan Hürsever on bass and Cengiz Baysal on drums.

He also accompanied Patricia Barber on two concerts at IKSV Salon in October 2013.