BAŞAK YAVUZ
"Packed with creative stuff throughout."
Aydın Esen
"This is truly very original music."
Dave Liebman
"From modern jazz to minimalism, from blues and world music to chromatic harmony, her music is eclectic, heartfelt, and has the just the right amount of biting honesty. Her songwriting covers the full range of human experience; it can be fragile or aggressive, beautifully simple or deceptively complex, and always tells a compelling story. "
Dr. Başak Yavuz is one of the leading jazz figures from Turkey. The international projects she has developed and performed are illustrations of cross-cultural exchange and communication. After winning the Nardis Jazz Vocal Competition in 2008, she moved to New York and earned a Master of Music degree from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in 2012. She completed her doctoral studies with her dissertation entitled: "The Impact of Twentieth Century Music Theory on John Coltrane's Performances and Compositions."
She has performed her own music in Turkey, the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Her debut album, "things" features jazz legends such as Dave Liebman and Peter Eldridge, along with other respected musicians.
Başak has taught at Bahcesehir and Bilgi Universities in Istanbul. She founded the only singer-songwriter collective in Turkey: "Bi' Şarkım Var! (I have a song)". She also hosted two radio shows at Acik Radio, "Dunyanin Cazi (Jazz of the World)" and "Bi' Şarkim var!".
Başak has started her own record label and has a substantial catalog of releases. Her second album, "a little red bug," along with singles such as "Muhip Bey" and "Her Şey Yolunda," showcases her versatility and innovative approach to jazz. Recently, she released her third LP, "Raum 610," through the Berlin-based record label Rumi Sounds. This album has been praised for its Zappa-esque qualities, demonstrating her ability to push musical boundaries.
In addition to her musical releases, Başak contributes to various productions as a vocalist, songwriter, producer, arranger, vocal coach, and songwriting coach. She is passionate about interdisciplinary collaborations, exploring new artistic frontiers. Her latest composition, "Yoklar," has been reviewed as a bold, sincere, and unpredictable project, reflecting her commitment to creating music that challenges and inspires.