Az Samad | The Musician Featured
As an educator, Az has been on the faculty of Berklee College of Music's Summer Guitar Sessions and has taught workshops at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut; Culturefest in Pipestem, West Virginia; and The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, California. Az believes in contributing back to the society that has supported his music efforts.
His music outreach program starts off with scholarship student Irena Taib of The Impatient Sisters fame. Az currently conducts private guitar lessons in Kuala Lumpur with a strong focus on beginners and Jazz students.
Guitarist-Composer-Educator Az Samad has performed in the United States, Europe and Asia. A versatile musician who has appeared on seventeen CDs (eight of which are his solo releases), he has worked with Grammy winners Flaco Jiménez and Max Baca, drummer Bernie Dresel (Brian Setzer Orchestra), singer-songwriters Tara Linda and Reza Salleh, guitarists John Stowell, Adam Rafferty, Stuart Ryan, and Teja Gerken; world music ensemble Bogofusion; electronic jazz-funk group Planet Loop; Cumbia-Dub band Candelaria; and string jazz ensemble JazzMine. Az has been invited to perform as the opening act for concerts by Tommy Emmanuel and Martin Taylor.
In 2012, he embarked on his first European tour with California-based Tara Linda & The Tortilla Western Trio performing in the Folk Segovia Festival, Spain & a 3-night residency at Töpferei Niehenke, Hasbergen, Germany. Previously based in Berkeley, California; Az now lives in Kuala Lumpur. A low profile Az, is the youngest son of Datuk Abdul Samad Said, Malaysia's Sasterawan Negara (National Laurette) - who helmed as the guardian of Malay language and culture.