Sinan Bakir

Turkish guitarist/composer Sinan Bakir is noted as a virtuoso player and a masterful composer by the music critics, audiences and his peers. Sinan's early musical journey started with mandolin lessons followed by an audition leading to the Ankara State Opera Children's Choir. After attending a rock concert in his early teen years he was inspired to pick up his first guitar and started taking private lessons, spending most of his time practicing and studying music.
Soon after that, he formed his first band and started playing gigs around the city as well as during the years while he was attending to college in his hometown Ankara. By the time he graduated from Hacettepe University with a degree in engineering he was granted a scholarship from the Hartford Conservatory and moved to United States. In his new found home the guitarist kept writing tunes, attending sessions,and playing regular gigs & music festivals. His all original debut album "On My Way" (2009) with bassist Thomson Kneeland and drummer Mark Ferber, followed by a quartet recording titled “Tales and Stories”(2012) with pianist Warren Byrd. Both albums received great reviews from many respected music publications and featured in a variety of Radio and TV programs. While maintaining a busy teaching schedule, the guitarist continues to perform in diverse settings from solo recitals to trio concerts as well as in many other musical situations.

Reviews

Tales & Stories is a pleasure-packed minor masterpiece.
Mark Holston - JazzIz

An album full of creative music with a genuinely original flavor.
Bruce Lindsay - All About Jazz

The 12 varied pieces sometimes mix East and West elements and range from the diaphanous to hard-swinging pieces swaggering with digital dexterity and mental agility. All are engaging, clear, uncluttered, accessible and resonate with a pleasant sense of layered mystery, seasoned with savory hints of the exotic.
Owen McNally - Hartford Courant

The quartet explores the 12 original pieces with grace, fire, wit, and emotional intensity, displaying intuitive interaction throughout. Just let these sounds wash over you; good music can excite and soothe and this is good music.
Richard Kamins - Step Tempest

Bakir's inspired soloing feeds off of the energy coming from his trio mates, with lines possessing laser-like focus.
Dan Bilawsky - All About Jazz