"A rising acoustic guitarist" - TIMEOUT Singapore "This is one guy who can finger-pick, hold massive grape fruit-sized chords and make his guitar gently weep with the best." - KLue Magazine "..Az Samad produces works that are richly textured, poetic and atmospheric." - The New Straits Times Currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area, guitarist-composer Az Samad's music has taken him to festivals and venues in the United States, Austria, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia. Az has performed/recorded with Grammy winners Flaco Jimanez and Max Baca; singer-songwriter Tara Linda; guitarists Matthew Montfort, John Stowell, Stuart Ryan, Teja Gerken, Rick Vandivier, and Hristo Vitchev; world music ensemble Bogofusion; electronic jazz-funk group Planet Loop; and string jazz ensemble JazzMine. "A prodigy with the steel-string and nylon-string guitars" (Faces Magazine), Az is constantly in demand with his diverse musical skills in Jazz, contemporary acoustic fingerstyle guitar and classical guitar leading to performances from intimate solo guitar shows to outdoor festival stages and classical orchestra concerts. As an educator, Az has been on faculty for Berklee College of Music's Summer Guitar Sessions since 2007. Az was also the co-teacher for the Guitar Fundamentals class, and teaching assistant for Jazz Improvisation class at San Jose State University (SJSU), San Jose, CA. In addition to his musical outreach work at SF Bay Area schools with Sonart Group, Az has taught workshops at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT; Culturefest in Pipestem, WV; International College of Music, and Malaysian Institute of Art in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Az is an endorsed artist of William Jeffrey Jones Guitars and alpha product tester for Keith McMillen Instruments. Az Samad received his MA in Music (Jazz Studies) from San Jose State University, BM in Jazz Composition and Performance (Summa Cum Laude) from Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, and BMus in Arranging from University of Westminster, United Kingdom. Az has studied guitar with Eric Roche (UK), Thomas Leeb (Austria/LA), Don Ross (Canada), Mick Goodrick (Gary Burton Group), David Tronzo, John Stowell, Jimmy Wyble, Ben Monder (Maria Schneider Orchestra) and Bryan Baker (Steps Ahead). Az has participated in classical guitar master classes with Mark Teicholz and Muriel Anderson; and taken private lessons with Steven Lin, Patrick Francis, Grisha Goryachev, Scott Tennant, Willliam Kanengiser, Gyan Riley, and Ron Burczon. Current Projects and Gigs: Az Samad : solo acoustic fingerstyle guitar originals Az Samad Duo: jazz/world duo w/ Carrie Jahde and Eli Harrison (rotating lineup) Duo Brasileira: brazilian/jazz guitar-vocal duo w/ Kiyoe Wakabayashi Tara Linda: Tortilla Western originals Jazz Mine: gypsy jazz string ensemble For more info, log on to: www.sonicbids.com/azsamad Watch Videos at : www.youtube.com/azsamad Follow Az on Twitter/Facebook: azsamad About Emo Attack Turtle: Az recorded this album on June 20, 2010 in Berkeley, California. Using one guitar, one microphone and one computer, he wanted to create a work that embraced his love of improvisational music and the acoustic guitar.