In collaboration with İKSV, the Akra Jazz Festival continues to bring young and talented musicians together with art lovers, alongside the groups participating in and performing at the Young Jazz+ competition within the scope of the Istanbul Jazz Festival. This year, “Akra Young Jazz” features SU Trio, Leviers, and Mojo 5.
SU Trio
Pianist and vocalist Pelin Su Yavuz, born in Istanbul in 2006, began her piano education at the age of ten at the Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory. Continuing her studies at Berklee College of Music, the young artist produces and performs across a wide range of genres, from jazz to R&B and neo-soul, from hip-hop, funk and fusion to pop and classical music.
Yavuz performed as a headliner for three consecutive days at the Boston Calling Music Festival; after winning the Fidelity Young Artists Competition, she appeared as a soloist with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. Having taken part in numerous productions at the same venue, the artist has also participated in recording projects for Steinway & Sons pianos. She has also been nominated for the Boston Music Awards.
Pelin Su Yavuz’s performance videos on digital platforms have surpassed 30 million views, and her work has drawn the attention of international artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Questlove, David Foster, Jon Batiste, Rick Beato, Robert Glasper, Randy Jackson, and Anderson Paak.
Pelin Su Yavuz, piano/vocals
Chase Behar, bass
Angel L. Ruiz, drums
Leviers
Leviers is a modern jazz–fusion quartet founded in 2022 and shaped within the METU Jazz Orchestra in 2024. The group won the Istanbul Jazz Festival Young Jazz+ competition in 2025 and was featured on the Young Jazz+ 25 album with their composition “Sunwarmed.” Drawing inspiration from jazz legends such as Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, as well as contemporary artists like Robert Glasper and Alfa Mist, Leviers produces original compositions and arrangements. The group will present pieces from their upcoming debut album to jazz lovers.
Levent Güner, guitar
Ertuğrul Güner, drums
Hakan Çakıcı, piano
Seçkin Eroğlu, bass
Mojo 5
Mojo 5 is a jazz ensemble founded in Istanbul in 2024. Shaping its repertoire mainly around the aesthetics of hard bop, the group aims to provide listeners with a fluid, energetic, and musically rich experience by performing not only original compositions but also selected, rarely performed works. While some members of the ensemble continue their music education in Basel, Switzerland, others pursue their studies and productions in Istanbul.
Kaşif Şahin Düşko, alto saxophone
Mehmet Kağan Karabayrak, trumpet
Göksu Köse, guitar
Melih Can Yardı, bass
Berkay Sümbül, drums