Preface

“Not to be satisfied with being; to go through doing from being, and to start being by doing”, this was what Yavuz Baydar had said about Kerem years. When it thought that “Laid Back” is the fifth CD in a period of five years, we understand that Yavuz made a real  observation about him . Indeed, Kerem is being by creating and in his every creation, he is going beyond himself. Going beyond because he, continuously, has new objectives. It is possible to say that this is a jazz adventure aiming to visit every corner of jazz with extraordinary desire, gusto, and energy and to mark a strong sign to every spot he reachedwithout being seized by the complex of redefining every spot.

With “Laid Back”, Kerem aims to form a music platform to enhance the strong standard interpretations of vocalist Allan Harris, who started acquiring an engraving position in the international jazz literature. Just like the albums made by John Coltrane, at the peak of his fame, with Johnny Hartman in 1960’s. He was carrying that great-voiced vocalist tradition of the groupts of the Be-bop period and the immortal jazz standards to the generation of the 1960s. Kerem and Allan are luckier. They have a millenium in front of them.

Bon Voyage Kerem. It is a great pleasure to follow you in that adventure.

Atilla Aksoy