Hakan Başar Maiden Voyage (Hand Numbered)

Hakan Başar, already has almost everything to become a major player in jazz in the coming years... Luca Conti editor of Musica Jazz, liner notes.

His repertoire has been shaped, in no small part, by his extensive listening habits. So many of his influences make an appearance on this album through pieces of their own composition: Petrucciani, Peterson, Strayhorn, Walton, Tyner, and even a non-pianist like Wes Montgomery. However, further listening ends up revealing additional equally or more indicative inspirations, notably Chick Corea and Ahmad Jamal. All this material is tackled by Başar and his bandmates Michelangelo Scandroglio and Bernardo Guerra - both of whom it is an unusual pleasure to see engaged in a, shall we say, more mainstream repertoire and getting away with it - with a truly surprising flair: these are strongly purposeful performances that immediately impose their presence without getting lost in vain babble or idle turns waiting for serendipity. Here we get serious and straight to the point, little talk and lots of music. Such that we can safely conclude our presentation by confirming for the umpteenth time that here too, as in so many other cases, liner notes are of very little use, as Miles Davis well maintained, who, in fact, at one point decided to do without them: the music of Başar, Scandroglio and Guerra speaks very well for itself and can explain itself wonderfully, certainly better than a now disillusioned jazz reporter can. Who, however, fortunately for him and for you, still has some residual glimmer of lucidity in store, such that he can say that the title of this record is truly apt: it is indeed a maiden voyage and a very good one, the fortunate starting point of a career that seems to us already well under way as well as destined for likely acclaim. Stay tuned, someone would say: there is a good chance that more pleasant surprises await those who choose to remain engaged. In the meantime, let us enjoy this excellent recorded evidence and keep Hakan Başar in our mind.

Track Listing

Chloe Meets Gershwin Chloe Meets Gershwin Wheatland Lotus Blossom Bolivia Inception Maiden Voyage Inception Maiden Voyage Full House Compassion Maiden Voyage Full House Compassion Chelsea Bridge