Musician (Guitarist) / Composer / Music Producer / Educator
Over a decade of combining academic rigor with intuitive stage musicianship. Specialized in jazz, pop, and indie production, fretless & electric guitars, and full-spectrum sound engineering. Currently expanding European engagements with confirmed 2026 tour dates.
Original compositions, studio productions, arrangements, and instrumental collaborations.
Meditative and expansive narrative featuring a 4-piece string quartet, piano, trumpet, and jazz rhythm section. All compositions and arrangements by Erkan Zeki Ar.
Dynamic guitar-trio jazz recorded with Eren Turgut on bass and Mert Can Bilgin on drums. Synthesizes years of modern jazz composition and improvisation.
End-to-end music production, guitar performance, and arrangements across consecutive releases: Korkmamış Olsaydım (2025), Sustu Sözler (2024), Sevemedim Bilinmezi (2023), and Yol Uzun (2022).
Full record production and sound design. Followed the 2024 single Zifiri.
Studio tracking, sound sculpting, and production for singer-songwriter Tolgay Keskin.
Arranged, produced, and recorded into an intimate, warm acoustic atmosphere.
Studio session guitar performance on Ceren Gündoğdu's popular single.
Electric and hollowbody guitar performances for live sessions (Sofar Istanbul) and studio releases.
Guitar arrangement and accompaniment for singer-songwriter Güler Özince.
Ensemble guitarist at Turkey's premier jazz venue Nardis Jazz Club, collaborating with Pür Records.
Moments from international tours, jazz festivals, and concert halls across Europe and Turkey.
Click any performance below to watch the official video on YouTube in a new tab.
Original live session performance · YouTube ↗
Guitarist, Record, Mix & Mastering Engineer · YouTube ↗
Evin Caz Hali · Original jazz duo compositions · YouTube ↗
Sofar Istanbul acoustic live jazz ensemble · YouTube ↗
Acoustic guitar live recording session · YouTube ↗
Sofar Istanbul live guitar performance · YouTube ↗
Babylon Istanbul concert hall performance · YouTube ↗
Confirmed upcoming appearances in Istanbul and Paris, alongside completed European tour highlights.
For booking inquiries, residency offers, and festival programming:
Book Erkan Zeki ArBridging sociological analysis with intuitive musical craftsmanship.
Erkan Zeki Ar is an Istanbul-born multi-instrumentalist, composer, and music producer with over 10 years of professional immersion in contemporary music. Having graduated in Sociology from Marmara University before completing his Master's in Music and Performing Arts at Yıldız Technical University, his artistic outlook is distinctly shaped by a double consciousness: analytical sociology and instinctive sound sculpting.
His master’s thesis, "Alienation in Music Production", examines modern studio workflows and the psychology of sonic creation. This research directly informs his production style: organic, emotionally attentive, and rich in textural space.
As a Musical Director and session guitarist, he has led ensembles at premier venues including Zorlu PSM, Nardis Jazz Club, Babylon, and landmark festivals including Akbank Jazz Festival and IKSV Istanbul Jazz Festival. Currently expanding his base to Germany, Erkan works across acoustic, fretless, and electric instruments, producing records and touring internationally.
Ensemble curation, live arrangement, repertoire direction (Selin Sümbültepe and touring collectives).
Tracking, mixing, mastering, original theatre (Apsolit) and film (Bağlanma Hali) scores.
Ensemble instructor at Randy Esen’s S.O.S. (Singers Only Space), focusing on orchestra leadership and chart writing.
Excerpts from leading jazz journalists, cultural critics, and newspapers.
Cumhuriyet Gazetesi“Erkan Zeki Ar belongs to our new generation of guitarists who has translated his sociological background into music... All compositions and arrangements stem from him. Erkan tells stories that emerge like mental meditations—calm, subtly dramatic, and mystic, accompanied by melancholic soundscapes.”
Cazkolik“One of Turkey's gifted young guitarists whose artistic maturity we had the privilege of witnessing on the stages of The Badau. With his second album Tecelli, he brings together a gifted ensemble, touching a far wider musical universe spanning jazz and alternative sensibilities.”
Jazz Dergisi“I had the opportunity to hear his own original compositions together with his trio: Eren Turgut on bass and Mert Can Bilgin on drums. His compositions feel distinctly more mature than his age suggests, demonstrating an unmistakable command of jazz syntax.”
Nouvart“Active across jazz, alternative, and pop projects, Erkan Zeki Ar continues to expand modern sonic horizons, establishing himself as a prolific producer and arranger for new generation artists.”
For concerts, international touring, music production, arrangements, and education.
Istanbul, Turkey & Germany (confirmed 2026 tour)
Available for European & International Bookings