{"id":215,"date":"2023-01-25T11:56:01","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T11:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/?page_id=215"},"modified":"2026-10-26T13:26:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T13:26:58","slug":"biography-en","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/biography-en\/","title":{"rendered":"biography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-f56f613f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\"><nav class=\"is-responsive wp-block-navigation is-layout-flex wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Menu ( EN )\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" 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class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"mailto:\/\/yakyazici@gmail.com\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">contact<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-navigation-item wp-block-navigation-link\"><a class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__content\"  href=\"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/study-jazz-with-yavuz\/\"><span class=\"wp-block-navigation-item__label\">lessons<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/biography-en\/\" title=\"\">en<\/a>     \/     <a href=\"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/biyografi\/\" title=\"\">tr<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"http:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ELD8596-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ELD8596-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ELD8596-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ELD8596-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ELD8596-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ELD8596-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yavuz Akyaz\u0131c\u0131<\/strong> is an acclaimed jazz guitarist, composer, and educator who has spent his career bridging the rich traditions of American jazz with his Turkish cultural roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initially pursuing Chemical Engineering at Bo\u011fazi\u00e7i University in Istanbul, Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 eventually followed his passion for music to the United States. He graduated from <strong>The New School Jazz Program<\/strong> in New York City in 1996 with a degree in Jazz Performance. Over the next 17 years, he embedded himself in the highly competitive NYC jazz scene, performing at legendary venues such as Birdland, 55 Bar, Smalls, and Auggie&#8217;s. During his time in New York, a pivotal conversation with saxophonist and mentor Billy Harper inspired him to begin incorporating elements of his heritage into his modern jazz compositions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2005, Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 recorded his debut album, <em>Volcano<\/em>, at the Asia Minor Carpets design loft in NYC, featuring jazz heavyweights Eric Person, Joe Fonda, and Matt Wilson. Upon returning to Turkey in 2011, he launched the <strong>Turkish Standards Project<\/strong>. This innovative series reimagines classic Turkish pop and folk songs through the lens of bebop and modern jazz harmony. The project resulted in three acclaimed volumes (2011, 2014, 2018) and drew international attention, including a dedicated feature on NPR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His expansive discography also includes <em>Bridge<\/em> (2012), <em>Short Stories<\/em> (2013)\u2014an album entirely composed of his original works\u2014and the self-produced <em>Yavuz Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 Trio Live at Pannonica<\/em> (2015). Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 has shared the stage with notable artists like Patricia Barber, performing together at Babylon and the \u0130KSV Salon, which led to a European tour invitation. Beyond his jazz albums, he has also composed scores for Turkish feature films such as <em>Romantik<\/em> and <em>B\u0131rakmak \u0130stiyorum<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, based in \u0130zmir, Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 leads the <strong>Yavuz Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 Trio<\/strong>, performing regularly at premier venues like Nardis Jazz Club in Istanbul. His trio sets focus on original studio compositions\u2014including recent releases like <em>Kapadokya<\/em> and <em>Road To Osaka<\/em>\u2014alongside classic jazz standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A deeply systematic and dedicated educator, Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 authored the pedagogy book <em>Caz Do\u011fa\u00e7lama Sanat\u0131<\/em> (The Art of Jazz Improvisation) and operates a comprehensive online 1-on-1 jazz mentorship program. Bridging his technical background with his musical expertise, he is also the creator and developer of <strong>J.A.M. (Jazz A Minute)<\/strong>, a mobile application that brings his structured approach to jazz harmony and improvisation to students worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jazzphrase\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 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c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-spotify wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spoti.fi\/2R34ZU9\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" 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jazz with his Turkish cultural roots. Initially pursuing Chemical Engineering at Bo\u011fazi\u00e7i University in Istanbul, Akyaz\u0131c\u0131 eventually followed his passion for music to the United States. He graduated from The New [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-215","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":592,"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215\/revisions\/592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yavuzakyazici.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}