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World-renowned Turkish pianist and composer Fazil Say is set to tour Türkiye this summer with a new jazz-focused project that reworks his musical language into a continuous, narrative-driven performance format.
Titled “Say Plays Jazz on Tour with Skoda,” the project will bring Say together with an international ensemble for a series of 10 concerts across seven cities, blending original compositions, reinterpretations, and improvisation into a single, uninterrupted experience.
Organised by Pozitif Muzik, the tour marks a new phase in Say’s career, as he moves beyond traditional concert structures toward a more conceptual and immersive format.
Speaking at a press conference held at Istanbul’s Ataturk Cultural Center, Say described the project as a departure from both conventional classical concerts and standard jazz performances.
“This is not about playing familiar jazz standards and receiving applause in between,” he said. “Once we start, the performance continues as a connected whole for 85 to 90 minutes, almost like a symphony. There will be no breaks for applause.”
The structure reflects Say’s long-standing position between genres.
“I am a classical musician who also works in jazz,” he said, emphasizing that the project remains rooted in his own compositions rather than established repertoire.
The program will include six to seven pieces, combining newly written works with reimagined versions of earlier compositions. Instrumental storytelling will take center stage, with five musicians shaping the narrative without relying on lyrics in most pieces.
Fazil Say also framed the project as an attempt to engage with the social and cultural realities of the present, arguing that music should reflect the artist’s internal and external world.
“I have always believed that music should represent the artist’s soul,” he said, adding that his work often addresses themes ranging from everyday struggles to broader societal concerns, including issues such as the treatment of stray animals.
Within this context, the project will include a new interpretation of “Black Earth" (Kara Toprak) by Asik Veysel, performed in a jazz format for the first time as part of the quintet.
At the same time, Say offered a pointed critique of the global music industry, arguing that artistic depth is often overshadowed by accessibility and mass appeal.
He described musicians, including himself, as operating within a system shaped by popular culture and capitalism, where “the simplest and most mediocre works attract far more attention.”
The quintet features a group of established performers from different corners of Türkiye’s contemporary music scene:
Flutist Aslihan And Say described the collaboration as both creatively and emotionally significant, saying the project’s “spirit and the presence of important musicians” would shape it into something distinctive.
Vocalist Ezgi Alas called the project a turning point in her career, noting that working alongside Say and the ensemble would be a major learning experience both musically and professionally.
Drummer Ferit Odman emphasized the importance of artistic freedom in the project’s approach to audience engagement, stating that the group aims to “create a sense of freedom in communication with the audience.”
The tour will begin on July 19 in Ayvalik and continue through some of Türkiye’s most prominent open-air and historical venues, including ancient theatres and major urban stages.
Key dates include:
Tickets will go on sale from May 4 through major platforms, including Biletix, Passo, and Bubilet.
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