Artist Bio:
Aydin Esen was born in Istanbul, Turkey. He started playing piano at age two and began an intensive study of music at the Istanbul Conservatory of Music during the 1960s. Surrounded by diverse music from earliest childhood, Aydin took his first lessons from his father, an accomplished trumpet player. He also played in his father's band when he was very young.
Esen quickly began incorporating classical, contemporary and mainstream music into an inclusive framework before his formal studies began. After finishing the conservatory in 1980 with a first prize in piano and composition, he was invited to go to Oslo for further studies in Piano, composition and conducting at the Norwegian State Academy of Music. At the same time he toured with different groups around Europe. Later in 1983 he received an invitation from the internationally renowned Berklee College of Music and traveled to the U.S.A. Aydin finished Berklee in one year, instead of the standard four years, and was awarded a special Artist's Diploma for his achievements in modern music and jazz. He also attended the New England Conservatory of Music and completed his Master's Degree.
Since the mid 1980s Esen has been performing, recording and touring with musicians such as Miroslav Vitous, Woody Shaw, Can Kozlu, Randy K., Vinnie Colaiuta, Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, Anthony Jackson, Steve Smith, Baron Browne, Frank Gambale, Kai Eckhardt, Peter Herbert, Dave Liebman, Peter Erskine, Tiger Okoshi, Gary Burton, Daniel Humair, George Garzone, Mino Cinelu, Michel Portal, Trilok Gurtu and countless others from the world contemporary music scene.
His album Trio with Eddie Gomez and Marcello Pelitteri received international recognition in 1985. In 1986 Aydin formed the band Transfusion with drummer Tommy Campbell and bassist Kai Eckhardt (later Baron Browne) and vocalist Randy K. In 1986 he met Miroslav Vitous, and they formed a group with drummer Marcello Pelitteri and trumpeter Woody Shaw and went on the road.
In 1987, Aydin, along with Tiger Okoshi, Miroslav Vitous, Bob Mintzer and Bob Moses formed the New York Super Band and toured Japan for one month. Later he worked with bassist Jonas Hellborg and drummer Kenwood Dennard and toured extensively.
During this period Aydin once again teamed up with Miroslav Vitous and went on tour — this time with a new group member, Trilok Gurtu, on percussion and drums.
Esen has received numerous awards in composition, piano and electronic music, and in 1989 he received the first prize at the International Piano Competition in Paris, one of his most treasured and important awards.
Esen has worked as a professional recording artist and studio musician with a variety of recording labels including Columbia/Sony Records, Polygram, Arista, JMS, Gramavision, Label Bleu and Music City. In 1989 he recorded Timezones with Wolfgang Muthspiel. In 1990 he recorded So Many Lifetimes an important project which received worldwide acclaim. He also recorded Ayden Esen, a trio album with Austrian bassist Peter Herbert and Turkish drummer Can Kozlu in Paris and toured Europe. He recorded Pictures with Mick Goodrick, George Garzone, Can Kozlu and Peter Herbert as well as recording with Tommy Campbell — My Heart Charnett Moffett, Kevin Eubanks, Emily Remler and Randy K. on various special projects in New York.
In 1991 Aydin joined forces with Miroslav Vitous, Jerry Bergonzi and Daniel Humair on Humair's Edges. In 1992 he recorded Anadolu for Columbia/Sony Records in New York with Anthony Jackson, Dave Holland, Peter Erskine, Dave Liebman, Mino Cinelu, Dave Bargeron, Jon Faddis and Randy K. All of these recordings have been greeted with critical applause in the international press.
During 1995 and 1996 Aydin toured in Japan quite extensively, performing in duet and larger group ensembles with artists including Tiger Okoshi and Gary Burton and major Japanese musicians. He also continued giving lectures and clinic/workshops worldwide about contemporary music.
In 1995 Aydin Esen recorded a very special album with Sergio Brandao and Manga-Rosa, Brazilian Landscapes. And in 1996 he recorded The Jazz x-Centrix with clarinet virtuoso Andrew Anello in New York and recorded This is me with Emily Remler. In 1997 he went on the road with Swiss drummer Daniel Humair and bassist Peter Herbert.
For the past few years Aydin Esen has been playing and touring with drummer Steve Smith, bassist Anthony Jackson, guitarist Frank Gambale and vocalist Randy K. He also appears with Vital Information from time to time. In 1997, Esen also recorded an album Turar with percussionist Arto Tuncboyaciyan from Armenia. Later on that same year, he got together with Bob Moses and Kai Eckhardt to do a special tour of Turkey as well as playing concerts with world renowned clarinet player Michel Portal in an exciting nine-piece band. He also appeared in many other recordings as a player, producer and arranger.
Timescape, was released in November '99 with Esen on keyboards, Baron Browne on bass, Steve Smith on drums and Randy K. on vocals . Esen also completed another recording of his contemporary/electronics works, Enfas (1999).
Esen recently recorded with bass player Kai Eckhardt on Eckhardt's debut album Honor Simplicity, Respect the Flow with Kai Eckhardt on bass, Aydin Esen on keyboards, Sean Rickman on drums, Courtney Pine on sax and Zakir Hussein on tablas.
Aydin Esen recorded the CD Living, released in March 2001, with Miroslav Vitous and Vinnie Colaiuta for Universal Records/Emarcy. —Courtesy Calabash Music
