Music Style Jazz & Jazz Fusion

Musical Influences Charlie Parker, Django Reinhardt, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Miles Davis, Art Tatum

Similar Artists Django Reinhardt, Oscar Aleman, John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell

Artist History Guitarist-Composer Orhan Demir was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1954. Some of his early influences include the principal groups of the "Jazz-rock/fusion" era and afterwards the cream of the 40's and 50's, Jazz stylists (Charlie Parker, Django Reinhardt, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Miles Davis, Art Tatum, etc).In 1977 he left Turkey and came to North America "because there's better music here and also the opportunities to listen to it." Since then he's stayed in Montreal for many years, making friends among the musical community of that city before finally moving to Toronto. He cannot read music. He plays from the heart. He is a true improviser and he picks some of them as compositions.

Group Members Orhan Demir-Guitars/ Neil Swainson, Thomas Orejnicki and Rick Lazaroff,-Bass/ Perry Pansieri, Barry Elmes, Jack Vorvis, Drums/ Francois Briere-Tenor Sax

Instruments Guitars, Bass, Drums and Sax

Albums Hot Cargo, Originals and Guitar Plus

Press Reviews JAZZ HOT ~ MICHEL MAESTRACCI - SEPTEMBER 1998Orhan Demir, virtuouso-guitarist, a Turkish native now living in Canada possesses a style like that of rapid-fire. DOWNBEAT ~ PETE WELDING - MAY 1998Orhan Demir, a young Toronto-based guitarist whose speed of execution is little short of prodigious and must be heard to be believed. Demir is very much his own man, bearing comparison with literally no other player, guitarist or otherwise. JAZZTIMES ~ CHUCK BERGCanadian guitarist Orhan Demir possesses a blistering technique, an envelope-pushing musicality and a romantic heart-on-sleeve soul. JAZZTIMES ~ JIM FERGUSONPossessing phenomenal single-note technique, Demir plays with a decidedly Middle Eastern perspective that at times seems to originate more from the sound that the guitar...his highly idiosyncratic white-knuckle improvisations...are apt to leave you breathless. JAZZ NOW ~ DAVE McELFRESH 1998If you're a Jazz guitar fan, you need to hear this album...God knows how someone can think so creatively at this pace, but he can...He's a great writer too...If one of the big labels doesn't snag this guy, they're crazy.

Additional Info CD's available on Jazzpromo.com

Location Toronto, Ontario - Canada

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