Tracklist:
1. Listen (06:05)
2. D-Obsessive (03:10)
3. Peut-Etre Encore (02:35)
4. TAO (Three As One) (05:17)
5. Explore (06:12)
6. Body And Soul (05:00)
7. D-Obsessive (Reprise) (03:12)
8. Ballad For The Neutral (08:57)
Born in Istanbul, New York/New Jersey-based pianist Burak Bedikyan is one of the foremost players and composers of his native country. As a leader and a highly sought-after sideman for a variety of American and European Jazz artists, his work is internationally recognized for its originality and stylistic variety.
Bedikyan first interested in Jazz during high school (Saint Benoit French High School) with the commitment and passion to pursue a career as a professional musician. Formal music education began in 1996 with distinguished Turkish pianist & composer Aydin Esen where studies included modern harmony and jazz improvisation. He attended the “Marmara University Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences” in the same year. While studying improvisational music, the pianist began expanding his harmonic base playing pop and rock gigs accompanying some of the leading popular figures of Turkey.
In 2002 he received a full merit-based scholarship of music performance from the “Istanbul Bilgi University” and heads began turning in his direction from the Turkish jazz scene when he started playing primarily with his professors and later on with international visiting artists such as Benny Golson, Vincent Herring, Stefano DiBattista, Jim Rotondi, Dusko Goykovich, Kevin Mahogany, Jenny Evans, Ricky Ford, Andy Middleton, Harvie S, Eric Revis, Jean-Loup Lognon, Melba Joyce, Larry Price, Mark Alban Lotz to name but a few.
The artist recorded his debut album “Circle of Life” in 2012 in NYC with internationally acclaimed artists, Chris Potter, Peter Washington and Bill Stewart. Published worldwide in 2013 by the prestigious record label SteepleChase Records, “Circle of Life” received positive feedback on the international arena from critics, journalists, as well as fans.
January 2015 gave birth to his second album as a leader. “Leap of Faith” featuring another all-American line up including jazz greats Chris Cheek, Ron McClure and Billy Drummond. As in his first album, Bedikyan presented a set of original compositions rooted with the American jazz tradition but embracing his European influences as well as his Turkish/Armenian heritage.
On October 2016 his third SteepleChase CD “Awakening“ is published with the participation of the top-notch American jazzmen: Loren Stillman, Ugonna Okegwo and Donald Edwards.
Burak Bedikyan signed up with Alessa Records for the publishing of his European Quartet’s live album “Hybrid 4tet (Live at Amsec)” in collaboration with Andy Middleton (s), Johannes Strasser (b) and Joris Dudli (dr) as a by-product of a much successful European Tour in 2017.
His first Trio recording (being his 5th album) featured veteran musicians Jay Anderson (b) and Adam Nussbaum (dr). “New Beginning” is released in October 2018 as a result of a spontaneous session. It received great critical praise by the international jazz media as well as music enthusiasts around the world.
As a prolific composer, Burak Bedikyan’s 6th solo album “Istanbul Junction” has been released in October 2019, presenting a fresh repertoire of originals performed with his longtime collaborators Can Kozlu (dr), Matthew Hall (b) and the talented Gabor Bolla (s).
2021 gave birth to an unexpected Solo Piano album consisting of a selection of fully improvised pieces titled “Introspection”.
Besides touring and performing worldwide with both his American and European bands, he is also a highly active and respected figure in the field of Music Education in both New York and New Jersey.
