www.alldatjazz.com
"Az has the marks of a prodigy and his virtuosity makes the humble guitar simply fascinating and intriguing, yet approachable. Constantly evolving, he brings in a fresh perspective in guitar techniques that broadens the sonic landscape, from the percussive to alternative tunings."

TIMEOUT Singapore
"A rising acoustic guitarist"

KLue Magazine
"This is one guy who can finger-pick, hold massive...
"This is one guy who can finger-pick, hold massive grape fruit-sized chords and make his guitar gently weep with the best."

The New Straits Times
"..Az Samad produces works that are richly textured, poetic and atmospheric."

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Biography

One of 17 Malaysia's most outstanding individuals (Faces Magazine), San Francisco Bay Area acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Az Samad is a full-time musician who focuses on writing original instrumental guitar music. His songs are a blend of world music, jazz, Latin, pop and new age influences. In 2003 and 2004, he studied with the late British acoustic guitar legend Eric Roche in two Residential Guitar Workshops in the UK. Deeply influenced by Eric's music, Az gradually incorporated more percussive and non-conventional guitar techniques in his playing.

After releasing his debut album "Acoustic Gestures" in Fall 2004 to critical acclaim in Malaysia, he moved to Boston, MA to study under scholarship at Berklee College Of Music. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major degree in Jazz Composition and Performance (guitar). In 2007, Az taught at Berklee for the Summer Guitar Sessions.  Az has performed in venues in Malaysia, Singapore, England and the United States as a soloist and duets with his father, Malaysian National Laurete A. Samad Said as well as a member of Malaysian singer-songwriter Shelley Leong's band.  He is currently writing material for his second album slated for release in Summer 2008.

Awards:

2007 - Sonicbids Spotlight Artist (December 2007)
2007 - "Berjalan Bersamamu" received an honorable mention in the 11th Unisong International Songwriting Contest for the "Instrumental (any style)" category.
2005 - Berklee College Of Music World Scholarship Tour Recipient
2003 - Nominated for Best Solo Performance(Music) in the first Cameronian Arts Award, a prestigious event for the arts community in Malaysia.

Az has performed at:

Malaysia :

Venues:
No Black Tie
Istana Budaya
Avanti's
Alexis Bar and Bistro
La Bodega
Le Bernardin
Bangkok Jazz
Paul's Place
Backyard Pub
Laundry Bar
KL JamAsia
Fasta Pasta
Starbucks KLue Acoustic Series
Borders Books
MPH Bookstores, Midvalley Megamall
The Palace Of The Golden Horses
Mandarin Oriental
Equatorial Hotel
Hotel Istana
Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC)
The Actor's Studio Dataran Merdeka
The Actor's Studio Box
Auditorium DBKL
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
MATIC
Universiti Malaya
Universiti Institut Teknologi Mara
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
International College Of Music
UCSI Recital Hall, Sedaya College
Monash University
PRIME College
Commonwealth Club Malaysia
Central Market
Taman Budaya Ipoh
Plaza Putra, Dataran Merdeka
Kelab Darul Ehsan
Dataran Shah Alam
Karnival Sure Heboh TV3, Stadium Bukit Jalil
Times Square Shopping Mall
Sunway Pyramid
Bangsar Shopping Centre

Festivals :
As part of Shelley Leong and Jazz Odyssey:
Penang Island Jazz Festival 2004
Sunrise Jazz and Rhythm Festival 2005 & 2006
Heineken Octoberfest
KL Sing Song 2006 Festival

As Dalcha Duo (acoustic guitar duo project with Hardesh Singh)
Fete De La Musique Festival 2003

As a solo act:
Singapore Writers Festival 2007
Yogyakarta Quake Aid 2006
Fete De La Musique Festival 2004
17th National Malaysian Poetry Day 2007
Jairus Anthony Music Festival 2004
Unplugged at Paulies 2003

Singapore:
The Singapore Art Museum
Esplanade Outdoor Theatre Stage
The Arts House @ Old Parliament
Home Bar

UK:

Newton Ferrers Yacht Club

US:

New York City:
Stain Bar NY
Caffe Vivaldi

Boston:
Swiss Human Rights Exhibition @ Logan Airport
Marriot Copley
Berklee Performance Center
Lawrence Berk Recital Hall
MIT
La Luna Caffe, Cambridge
The Paulist Center
Club Passim (open mic)
All Asia Bar (open mic)
Fire and Ice Boston (open mic)

San Francisco:
Caffe Trieste
Coffee Adventures
The Cannery
Bazaar Cafe
Blondie's Bar and No Grill
King Tsin Restaurant
Anna's Jazz Island
Brainwash
Rooz Cafe
Sea Mi Restaurant
Red Rock Coffee

West Virginia:
Appalachian South Folk Life Center

Festivals:

As a solo act:
Culturefest 2007, Pipestem, West Virginia

As Az & The Jazz Strings:
MIT Nightmarket 2007

Az has taught at:
Berklee College Of Music (Berklee Summer Guitar Sessions 2007)

Az has conducted guitar workshops at:
International College Of Music, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Guitar Collection Subang Jaya, Malaysia
Music Hut, Damansara Perdana, Malaysia
Kl SingSong Festival 2006

TV/Radio/Media appearances/interviews/performances:

France: 'The C Factor' chosen to be on continual airplay on 100% Music Radio Station (Avrille, France)
US: Song featured on PIXY 103 - Homegrown Radio Show (Cape Cod,MA)
Malaysia: RTM1, RTM2, TV3, NTV7, 8TV, Astro, Channel V, X-Fresh Radio, TraxxFM and Red104.9.
Singapore: Suria Segar TV Show, Mr. Brown Podcast Show (interview and performance with Shelley Leong)

For Performance videos:
http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=azsamad

Official MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/azsamad

Instrumentation

Solo shows-
Az Samad - solo acoustic guitar

Duo shows-
Az Samad- acoustic guitars (steel string and nylon string guitar)
Shelley Leong - voice, keyboard, guitar and percussions (hand drum, ocean drum, shaker, misc. hand percussion)

Az & The Jazz Strings (Trio and Quartet Shows)
Az Samad - guitar
Michael Borgida - guitar
Helen Sherrah-Davies - violin, electric violin
Shelley Leong - cello and percussions (hand drum, ocean drum, shaker, misc. hand percussion)

Discography
Acoustic Gestures is available for purchase on:
www.cdbaby.com/azsamad
iTunes
EMusic
Real Rhapsody
Napster
and all major online retailers.

The Snow and Ice EP is available on Az's Snocap store on his myspace page : www.myspace.com/azsamad

2007- Snow and Ice EP (exclusive online-only release)
2007- Ciplak - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2006- Panic In The Peninsula (compilation album)
2004- Acoustic Gestures (debut solo guitar album)
2003- ICOM :Feel The Buzz (compilation album)
2003- Echoes Of Bangsar (limited printing self-produced EP)
2002- B'Yu (Universal Music/Synchrosound Music) (as lyricist)

Songs licensed for use in:
2007- Teaser Trailer for "London Calling", a indie movie by Anugerah Skrin Award Winner Kharil M. Bahar
2007- The Bedroom Musicians Series Promotional Video
2005- Video CD of Malaysian National Laurete A Samad Said - "A Samad Said - Kehidupan Seorang Seniman Malaysia"

Original Music for children's musical:
2003- Di Mana Singa (Where is the Lion) directed by Ladin Nuawi

Original Theme Song for:
2004 - Monolog Memori Di Hadapan Pulau directed by SN Datuk Dr. A Samad Said

Links

http://www.azsamad.com