I announced the interview with double bassist Esat Ekincioğlu a few weeks ago in my weekend column; on that occasion, I recalled our first meeting through his work with the bands AVA Trio (Mediterranean avant-garde jazz) and Kuhn Fu (theatrical alternative jazz rock and much more). In this conversation, we also mention his work with saxophonist Korhan Futacı, as well as a new project that has just been born in Serbia – a trio with saxophonist Hayden Chisholm and drummer Aleksandar Škorić.
What I immediately loved about Esat is his infectious enthusiasm; whether it’s about the music itself, or the energy he invests in all possible aspects of his work. In addition to playing in several bands, he also runs his own concert agency, Chilli Chilli. As we learn in the conversation, he plays at least 100 concerts a year. He lives in Groningen in the Netherlands, which turns out to be a kind of logistical challenge; but on the other hand, an advantage when it comes to certain other aspects of everyday life.
The conversation with Esat Ekincioğlu is therefore also a conversation about music and about “the jazz life” in its various forms. I hope you will enjoy this episode of the Eurojazzist audio series.
