Alec Haavik

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Primary Instrument: Saxophone

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Alec Haavik, hailing from the New York City area, is now based in Shanghai, China. His urban, yet personable compositions fuse the multi-textured language of jazz with the raw energy of rock. The result is an array of tunes which cause listeners to both scream and reflect, laugh and grow quiet. This spectrum, made even wider by his new hometown, is captured on Alec's latest CD, Ye Shanghai.

Raised in the New York City area, Alec has performed internationally in a broad array of jazz and performance groups. During his eight years on the scene in New York City, he performed or recorded with such artists as Jane Monheit, Ronnie Burrage, Daniel Carter, Taro Koyama, Gregory Hutchinson, Shoko Nagai, and Eric Harland, among others. Alec's CD from this period, entitled “Rocks,” features a quintet with not one, but two electric guitars. The video of his charged-yet-classic tune, “Instant Death, Part 2,” (as recorded by a quartet) appears on this website.

Prior to Shanghai, Alec lived in Taipei, Taiwan, where he performed at top jazz and Latin music venues including The Blue Note, Brown Sugar, and The Stage. He also appeared regularly at Club 75, with local legends Roberto Zayas and Xiao Bai. In 2003, Alec performed in Seoul, Korea, as saxophonist and flautist for Musical: The Play, an original theatrical production.

During his Master's Program at the Manhattan School of Music, Alec studied with Dick Oatts and Mark Turner. More recently, Alec has studied with Ralph Bowen, Dave Tofani and George Garzone.

Last Updated: July 16, 2009

”Haavik masterfully adds raw and funky rock flavor into the jazz genre.” Shanghai Daily Jan 8, 2009

”Alec Haavik, the lanky saxophonist known for his wildly physical shows and musical contortionism on the JZ stage, has channeled his powers of transformation in a newly released album called Ye Shanghai. “ That's Shanghai August 2008

“Alec is a plastic performer, plastic enough to move from one dimension to the next with full control of the situation, and his love for music and sound is so attractive you just want to be right there. “
Layabozi, shanghai Jun 2008

“Alec is a theatrical player: he plays with all the elements that cross his path on every tune, and his body is an essential tool for mixing the colors and emotions coming from his horn, from the people listening, from the couples flirting, from the pals laughing and drinking, from the bartenders calling, from the cars passing by and from the friends playing with him on the stage. “
Layabozi, shanghai Jun 2008

“Alec Haavik and his band were ripping up the place with some experimental, funky and hot jazz with a rock bent. TaiwanFun.com May, 2005

Alec Haavik

Album Name: Ye Shanghai
Record Label:Red Ankh Records
Year Released:2008
Tracks: 1, Ye Shanghai;
2,Cruise Control;
3, Exotic Wall Burger;
4, The 42 Bus;
5, Upside Down;
6, Oxytocin in the Tundra;
7, Kai's Blues;
8, Fours Sticks;
9, Going Home.

Friction Five:

Alec Haavik – Saxophone (Tenor & Soprano);
Lawrence Ku – Guitar;
Leonardo Susi – Percussion;
Jin Yong Jun – Bass;
Chris Trzcinski – Drums;

With special guests:
Sinne Eeg - Vocals;
Steinar Nickelsen - Hammond B-2 Organ, Synthesizer;
Nicholas Bouloukos - Piano, Fender Rhodes

Disclaimer: All About Jazz is not responsible for the accuracy of the discographical data at the website(s) provided. If a link is no longer valid, please contact discography@allaboutjazz.com. Thank you.

Tenor and soprano

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