Jazz Kissa
Jazz Kissa Trio | A Renewal Space.
First, the name. It harks back to the Japanese jazu kissa (= jazz café) coffee shops or bars of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, where gathering and listening to jazz recordings was the thing, some more strictly so than others. This tradition has since expanded from the east to the west, from northern to southern lands. And now, in our very own South Carolina, the Jazz Kissa Trio brings to life in its own way, many a classic tune from the Great American Songbook.
Second, the concept. It arose from both a passion for the genre and a wish to honor a loss, on February 21, 2022. Bernard Michael Schutzman, psychiatrist, marine, spouse and father, was a great aficionado of the Great American Songbook. “If you can walk out humming the tune…” he would say. These living timeless tunes are for you, Dad.
Third, the cat approved cats:
*cat approved
İlker Işıkyakar
...founder of the Jazz Kissa Trio, is a composer, music producer and experimentalist of international renown, who has performed in Europe, East Asia, and the USA. İlker offers workshops and master classes in improvisation. He holds a degree in music production and sound engineering from Berklee College of Music, a BS in civil engineering and MS in city planning.
Kevin Flannery
...comes from a musical family and has played music of all kinds over the years, developing a unique affinity for the ensemble milieu. A retired IT professional with a PhD in computer science, Kevin is also a long-distance runner who has completed over 20 marathons in various states of the Union.
Oǧuz Gel
...is a budding jazz player who from the age of 15 has engaged with music in varied settings. A published author, radio and TV personality, Oǧuz holds a BS in mechanical engineering and MS in economic theory.
Shannon Pinkney
...aka True Blue or Deon Blue, chose music as his realm at a young age. A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, he holds a degree in music theory from Newberry College and has performed in these here Columbia waters since 2010.
Derrick J. Vaz
...found his love for jazz and marketing as a teenager. A strategic communicator by day and a jazz bassist by night, you can catch him working at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina, and performing all around town. Originally from South Florida, he has played on cruise ships, in Europe, and serves on the board of directors for the SC Jazz Foundation.