Hakan is interviewed by Komplike Dergi

Yet giving his first concert at age ten, Turkey's best young jazz pianist, we conducted an interview with Hakan Basar. Başar, who previously took part in important festivals including Istanbul Jazz Festival, İzmir European Jazz Festival, Akbank Jazz Festival and EFG London Jazz Festival, also received full marks with his performance from Mike Collins from London Jazz News. Hakan Başar, who also has the opportunity to work with Chick Corea, has met important jazz musicians Ron Carter, Russell Malone, Eddie Gomez and Donald Vega. Hakan Başar, who is just 16 years old, Jimmy Haslip from Yellowjackets and Will Kennedy will release the 'Hub Art Single Edition' on October 16th.

Interview: Narcissus Storm

Are you known as Turkey's best young jazz musicians. How did you get into music? What kind of education did you get during this period?
He started at the age of children in recent years and I have also included my examples from Turkey to the growing jazz musicians in the world, brought together in this definition also. Although I have had the opportunity to listen to this music from a much younger age, I can say that the instrument and jazz beginnings are around eight or nine years old. Actually I started as a thought much earlier. Because the first stage of my father's orchestra rehearsals was held at home, which was very interesting to me, and with desperate patience I was expecting to grow a little more and to meet with an instrument. One of the surprises in the normal course of life led my father to find a solution from his own infrastructure instead of external transfer. So I started playing the piano. We produced our own solutions as education. While I continue my compulsory education with normal classes in public school, Music studies were also progressing with hours and curriculum programs without a hitch. First of all, very serious research has been done. Junior Hanon begins with Jazz Hanon, Jazz Invention, Jazz Keyboard and Oscar Peterson Jazz Exercises, followed by Michel Petrucciani, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Kenny Barron, Hank Jones, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Clark, Art Tatum, Scott Joplin, Chick Corea and Thelonious Monk were the first names I took as an example. This very serious research has brought me surprises like Walter Norris and Clare Fisher. Kenny Barron, Hank Jones, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Clark, Art Tatum, Scott Joplin, Chick Corea, Thelonious Monk were the first names I took as an example. This very serious research has brought me surprises like Walter Norris and Clare Fisher. Kenny Barron, Hank Jones, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Clark, Art Tatum, Scott Joplin, Chick Corea, Thelonious Monk were the first names I took as an example. This very serious research has brought me surprises like Walter Norris and Clare Fisher.

Jazz music is difficult to understand and perform? Why did you choose jazz music?
First I would like to clarify the subject of understanding. At first, my father made me work slowly and patiently with systems that were the most appropriate, fun, and least boring for my age. He once asked one of his old acquaintances to play a piece before the orchestra's program. The answer was "But Hakan does not know the TV series." Maybe that day, when I was trying to learn Turkish in primary school, if impositions like Locrian, Phrigian, Dorian, Mixolydian were made, I would never have reached these points today. Because I never do anything I don't want. My father always used the best choices for me, foreseeing that I could handle all the theoretical information in time. Of course, premium systems such as food, order, sports shoes and clothes were the fun part. My first stage experiences are Esma Sultan, It took place by playing at the most important events of the world, at Raffles Hotel and similar important places. Of course it is very difficult to steal. It is necessary to create a whole by bringing together many important details in the most harmonious way. Most importantly, it is necessary to work regularly for progress. There are days when I don't want to hear any sound and don't touch the piano, as well as active rest. After jazz music took an important place in my life with the methods I worked on, the CDs I listen to and the first repertoire I gradually created, it became indispensable for me every day and I started to feel it in myself. I now saw myself belonging to this music. Most importantly, it is necessary to work regularly for progress. There are days when I don't want to hear any sound and don't touch the piano, as well as active rest. After jazz music took an important place in my life with the methods I worked on, the CDs I listen to and the first repertoire I gradually created, it became indispensable for me every day and I started to feel it in myself. I now saw myself belonging to this music. Most importantly, it is necessary to work regularly for progress. There are days when I don't want to hear any sound and don't touch the piano, as well as active rest. After jazz music took an important place in my life with the methods I worked on, the CDs I listen to and the first repertoire I gradually created, it became indispensable for me every day and I started to feel it in myself. I now saw myself belonging to this music.

I think you are incredibly talented. What does being a 'child prodigy' change in your life? Or do you describe yourself like that?
I think I made progress by being guided and working regularly. The fact that I thought and implemented very quickly also created a situation in my favor in terms of time. I took care of the features that can be gained by working for years in a shorter time. At first, I was able to work on parts besides technical and basic studies, so I had to do many things together. I'm more comfortable right now.

You did great things at a very young age. Is there a secret or method to this success?
It's just the beginning of the road for me. I worked with the right coach. (Laughs) He is a very experienced person who avoids any sacrifice for me. The fact that we act together with our feelings of stability, order, humor, fun, getting through difficult days together and similar feelings have also positively affected my work.

You have worked with many important jazz musicians abroad as well as in our country. You have met many important musicians. You have been a student of Chick Corea. What was the experience?
I met important jazz musicians such as Ron Carter, Eddie Gomez, Russel Malone, and we met Chick Corea before a concert in Istanbul. I had the chance to work and talk for about an hour. We even played their own songs together, and when he heard Jaki Byard's "Chandra" from me, he immediately went to the drums and laughed a lot.

Who was the musician you enjoyed performing together most? Is there a place where you say 'I should definitely play on this stage'?
I can say Ferit Odman and Montreux Jazz Festival ...

You released your first album 'On the Top of the Roof' last year. Can you talk a little bit about your album process?
For a new musician like me, the word "album" is quite assertive. The recordings of “On Top Of The Roof” were planned in order to get clearer answers to questions such as how I can make a sound from the piano, how my touch, what are my shortcomings, how the pieces I have chosen affect people, and to learn how to act together with professional musicians. Registration, which started in February 2018 with the support of Izzet Öz and Babajim Studios, was completed in November. Although the track Ferit Odman, İmer Demirer, Halil Çağlar Serin, Kağan Yıldız and Voyage was not included in the album, I had the chance to play with Engin Recepoğulları. The recordings took place on social media through the videos, and as a result, we signed with Martin Hummel and Ubuntu Music. On October 18, 2019, the album was released all over the world. The launch took place on October 22 at Pera Fine Arts Stage.

What does Hakan Başar do other than music? You are only sixteen years old. Isn't it difficult for school, professional music life and adolescence?
Since I haven't been out for months, I usually watch movies, matches, and news channels on TV. By entering Pera Fine Arts High School, I carried my choice of music to the school environment. Therefore, it cannot be said that I have had difficulties.

Finally, I want to talk about the pandemic process. As you know, we are all closed to homes. Music has also been one of the most affected areas. How did you spend this period? How did you keep your motivation high? How did it affect your production process?
We are going through a period where many things happen at the same time and it is not clear when it will end. On the one hand, people who are dealing with their lives have trouble making a living, environments such as a battlefield, burning trucks entering gas stations, weddings, parties, etc. However, when this period is over, everyone should be ready as much as possible in terms of business. Because I think we will face days with impatience, intolerance and too many expectations after the chaos. If I have to explain it in a single sentence, I am trying to take my own measures musically.

The 'Hub Art Special Edition' single you recorded with Yellowjackets' Jimmy Haslip and Will Kennedy will be released soon. Can you talk about this project?
The recordings, which were made in 2018 and constitute the album On Top Of The Roof today, were also shot and shared on social media with appropriate timings, each of which constitutes a concert, attracting great attention at home and abroad. In this way, we created our own activities in one place by preventing the year 2018 from being empty. In this way, my musical concentration did not dissipate and my connections with the followers of me were not broken.

Then what?
During all these works, I was often listening to the piece called Pixel in the Jeff Lorber Group 2010 promotional video, which I liked and liked very much. Of course, in the meantime, interviews about me are being held and new alternatives are being sought. In one of these, another magic hand came into play, meeting with Jimmy Haslip and Will Kennedy and telling us that they got approval for a project together. The most important feature in the selection of the track was the funk intro of Hub Art and especially how the track could be with the Will Kennedy drum sound. Of course, this duo, who played together in Yellow Jackets for many years, would take place in a recording for me again. I can only say "amazing" for that. In the summer of 2018, Will and Jimmy's recording took place. Between the volume of the album, concerts, management, launch, and the London Jazz Festival, we put this recording on hold. In the fall of 2019, the track was completed with Halil İbrahim Işık recording and Erim Arkman mixing and mastering. In the first months of 2020, a single offer came from Martin Hummel and Ubuntu Music and the name of the project was named "Hub Art Special Edition". The release date will be October 16, 2020. In addition to all of these, I would like to thank Kompıklı magazine for this interview.

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