Renowned Turkish pianist and composer Fazıl Say will bring his jazz quintet to London’s Barbican on Monday 24 May 2027, offering audiences an inventive new perspective on his music.
Titled Say Plays Jazz, the programme pairs two new works written for the ensemble with fresh jazz arrangements of compositions from across Say’s repertoire. Classical virtuosity meets the spontaneity of improvisation in a continuous performance lasting around 75–80 minutes, with each piece flowing into the next.
One of Türkiye’s most internationally celebrated musicians, Say has built a career as both an expressive interpreter of the classical repertoire and a distinctive composer. His victory at the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York in 1994 helped launch an international career, while his compositions have attracted commissions from institutions including the BBC, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Salzburg Festival.
Improvisation has been central to his musical development since childhood. His early teacher, Mithat Fenmen, encouraged him to improvise on everyday themes before beginning his regular piano exercises — an approach that helped shape his creative identity. His catalogue also includes playful encounters with classical music, such as Alla Turca Jazz, drawing on Mozart, and Paganini Jazz.
Another celebrated composition, Kara Toprak (Black Earth), demonstrates his ability to move between musical traditions. Inspired by the song of the same name by Turkish folk poet and musician Aşık Veysel, the piece combines folk influences, Romantic piano writing and jazz, with Say using muted piano strings to evoke the sound of the saz.
For the Barbican performance, the quintet’s music will reflect on contemporary life, encompassing social and global crises, the environment, education and nature. The freedom afforded to the musicians promises a performance shaped by their interaction on the night.
Presented by Piu Entertainment, the concert offers London audiences an opportunity to experience another dimension of Say’s musical imagination.
Concert Details
Concert: Fazıl Say — Jazz Quintet
Date: Monday 24 May 2027
Time: 8pm
Venue: Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
Tickets: From £44, including a £4 booking fee (bf). Young Barbican tickets £18 for members aged 16–29, subject to availability, with no bf.
Booking: via the Barbican website
