Sinan Bakir is one of the most unique and exciting young jazz guitarists in the scene today. The sound that Sinan is striving for described often as fresh, clean and lively yet intense and full with emotion. Sinan Bakir is hailed not only as a virtuoso player, but also a masterful composer. His album “On My Way” with Thomson Kneeland and Mark Ferber is described by Richard Kamins of Hartford Courant as a solid debut.” It's easy to put this music on and just let it play. One can hear the influences of Holdsworth, John Scofield and Bill Frisell but Bakir is no imitator. The voice of the guitar one hears on the opening cut never wavers or falters throughout.” Dan Barry of Hartford Advocate describes Sinan's playin' as quietly elaborate, informed by a good sense of when to crescendo and when to lean back and let it rip. Dither Schmidth of Radio Resita tells that the album transforms a common day into a perfect day and calls it magical.
Sinan, originally from Turkey, came to the United States to study jazz as a scholarship student. His studies brought him to Hartford, where he has begun to make a name on the music scene. He had the privilege to play with many of areas great musicians such as Warren Byrd, Mike Asetta, Craig Hartley, Alex Nakhimovsky, Steve Clarke, Dezron Douglas, Curtis Torian and Pat Marafiote. Playing credits include Steve Davis, Nat Reeves, Aydin Esen and Jaimoe. Sinan had many TV & Radio appearences such as Comcast's TV series “Up and Coming”, “Accent on Jazz” at WWUH, Fox News and had international airplay from Canada through Europe. Notable festival appearances include Hartford International Jazz Festival and New Haven International Arts & Ideas Festival.
Turkish-born guitarist/composer Sinan Bakir makes a strong debut as a
leader with the self-released On My Way, an inventive guitar-trio outing with
bassist Thomson Kneeland and drummer Mark Ferber. As the title suggests,
the Hartford, Connecticut-based musician shows he is definitely on his way
to becoming a creative voice in the world of jazz guitar.
Bakir moves easily from a classic Kenny Burrell-style, especially on chord
melody passages (title track and “Steps”), to a more modern, linear approach
in the mold of John Scofield (”Stop n' Go,” “Karma”). The guitarist effectively
mixes bebop lines with chromatic trills, relying heavily on guitaristic
hammer-ons and pull-offs, to create a unique voice void of direct imitation.
The full effect of Bakir's approach can be felt on the dirge-like ballad
”Evergreen.” Kneeland, with his deep-in-the-wood tone, cuts through the
harmonically-rich ballad “Ice Orbits” with an inventive solo turn. The bassist
then displays even more technical brilliance on the Latin-tinged “Steps,”
paving the way for one of Bakir's more inspired improvised journeys from the
session the up-tempo “Play.” The disc as a whole benefits from Kneeland
being featured prominently. Ferber's sensitive drumming provides the right
amount of dynamic push the proceedings, elevating piece to a high level of
musicality.
John Vincent Barron - Jazz Review.com
These pieces are not just vamps waiting for long solos; instead, many of the
songs have strong melodic lines that open up logically for the various solos.
”Oddity” displays a Middle-Eastern feel in the rhythms and ringing guitar
chords; Bakir's stinging phrases gallop atop Ferber's exciting drum work and
Kneeland's rich bass tones. “Stop & Go” has a “rockish” feel, thanks to the
pounding drums and thumping bass lines. Bakir digs in on this track and one
can hear the influence of Allan Holdsworth, not so much for blazing fast riffs
but in the textures of the guitar sound. Without a second lead instrument,
Bakir alternates between single-note lines and chordal strumming. “Steps” is a
good example of how he allows the melody to dictate the pace, giving room
to Kneeland for a short, melodic, solo before digging in to a thoughtful guitar
spot. Other highlights include the title track that opens the program. The
guitarist's sound is quite clear allowing the trills and little circular riffs to
stand out on a piece that is somewhat introspective. “Play!” is another “hot”
track, with a rhythm line that, at times, sounds like Juan Tizol's “Caravan.”
Kneeland's bouncing bass phrases atop Ferber's strutting drums gives the
guitarist the impetus to “let rip.”
”On My Way” is a solid debut. It's easy to put this music on and just let it play.
One can hear the influences of Holdsworth, John Scofield and Bill Frisell but
Bakir is no imitator. The voice of the guitar one hears on the opening cut
never wavers or falters throughout. The rhythm section is impressive in their
support and creativity. Sinan Bakir is a good young composer and player
worth your attention.
Richard Kamins - Hartford Courant
Music has a formula: Understanding theory, originality, natural talent, the
right chemistry, discipline and focus, incorporate your own influences,
understand the business side, and most importantly, music continues to grow
inside you for the rest of your life.
Sinan Bakir has accomplished and understands all of the above with his (self
released) debut LP “On My Way” His well matched trio including the extremely
talented Thomas Kneeland on acoustic bass and the magnificent drummer
Mark Ferber, have presented us with something new, different and fresh. Jazz
has evolved yet again with this new alternative. Lend an ear, it's not your
parents/grandparents music anymore. If you haven't discovered Jazz yet, now
is the opportune time to do so. Jazz has a new vehicle with Sinan Bakir at the
helm and this generation can claim him as one of their own.
Debut LP “On My Way” .
”Stop and Go” has a delicious vibe with an example of what a perfect trio
should sound like. Listen for the drum solo.
”Ice Orbits”www.myspace.com/sinanbakir has a sweet lazy day feel with
layers of emotional complexities yawning and spreading it's wings.
”Evergreen” Is truly a lovely piece from start to finish with an epic bass solo.
Lucia Sanchez - Examiner
Sinan has introduced himself as a talented author, and his performing views
accepts a modern tendencies. His themes were done in one interesting
performing mood, where influences comes out from the 50's, and reachs
actuelle period. His guitar technique is in many aspects unique, but offering
arrangments has something “taken” from Metheny/Scofield approaches. His
performing energy is also specific, and in interesting way he treats often
rhythm changes in present album themes. “On My Way” is highly
recomandable product, and realistically announce Sinan' s arrival on modern
jazz scene.
Branimir Lokner - Music Editor and Reviewer
Sinan Bakir's debut album of jazz guitar is a solid start. The album really picks
up with “Oddity”, which comes roaring out of the gates with rumbling drums,
and “Stop N' Go”, which centers on a rock groove that's more Hendrix than
Scofield. Track 10, “Play!”, showcases a talent that Bakir's live audiences are
familiar with: his amazing accompaniment during bassist Thomson
Kneeland's righteous solo.
Dan Barry - Hartford Advocate
Any jazz afficianado will love this hot debut from guitarist Sinan Bakir, who
has been making a name for
himself, playing around the tri-state area these past couple of years. This is
an album you can really
sink your teeth into, delving into the many delights of Bakir's pure guitar
sounds, (no pedals please),
his passages are well thought out and devoid of any guitar shredding so
endemic in todays music be it
jazz or rock. Bakir wears his influences proudly and I hear the echo's of the
greats like Wes
Montgomery, Les Paul, Pat Metheny, John Scofield et al. Recorded in a one day
session, in a re-
furbished studio that was once an old church, Bakir and his two seasoned
New York studio veterans on
acoustic bass and drums have made an album that could have been recorded
50 years ago but could
also have been made today and will still sound great 30 years from now..You
couldn't get a higher
compliment.
Joe Sciortino - Amazon reviewer
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