Aydin Esen

Aydın Esen ( born May 12, 1962 in Istanbul) is a Turkish musician ( piano, keyboards, electronics ) of the Modern Creative and fusion jazz and composer.

Life and work

Esen, whose father is a trumpet player who grew up with music from an early age and received since the age of five years of classical piano lessons, first with his father, then on the İstanbul Belediye Konservatuarı. He also dealt with the drums. As a teenager, he played in various groups and different genres. 1982 Esen received a scholarship to the Norwegian State Academy of Music in Oslo, where he studied piano, composition and conducting. He also took first European tours at this time as a member of various ensembles and was also involved in some record sessions.

In 1983 he received another scholarship to the Berklee College of Music and moved to Boston. There he completed his studies and made after his master's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music. In 1986 he was involved in the album trio of Eddie Gomez ( with drummer Marcello Pellitteri ). In the same year he formed with Tommy Campbell, Kai Eckhardt, Bob Moses and singer Randy K., who later became his wife, the band transfusion. Soon after, he played with Gary Burton, Pat Metheny and Emily Remler.

On various labels, he presented his own albums. He also collaborated with Dave Liebman and over again with his fellow student Wolfgang Muthspiel. He also went with Trilok Gurtu and also with Jonas Hellborg toured and recorded with Daniel Humair, with Kai Eckhardt and Andrew Anello.

Several of his compositions have been performed in the field of art music under his musical direction and with him as soloist. In 1999 he published with Enfas an album of contemporary electronic music.

Prizes and awards

Since his student days Esen has received numerous awards for his music, as a pianist (including first prize in an international piano competition in Paris in 1989 ) and in the field of electronic music.

Disco Graphical Notes

• So Many Lifetimes (1988 )
• Pictures (1989, with George Garzone, Mick Goodrick, Randy K., Peter Herbert, Selahattin Can Kozlu, Mike Ringguist )
• Aydin Esen (1989 )
• Anadolu (Columbia, 1992, with Anthony Jackson, Dave Holland, Peter Erskine, Mino Cinelu, Dave Liebman, Jon Faddis, Bob Mintzer, Dave Bargeron )
• Radio Edits (1992 )
• Enfas (1998)
• Timescape (1999)
• Living (2001, Miroslav Vitous with Vinnie Colaiuta )
• Flash Point ( 2005)
• Dialogo (2005)
• Light Years ( 2006)
• Extinction (2006)