Musician Eastwood in Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Jazz musician Kyle Eastwood will take the stage on June 21 at Akbank Sanat.

The son of Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood will play bass with his band at Akbank Sanat’s “Caz Günleri” (Jazz Days) on June 21. Kyle Eastwood opted out of following his father into the film business, finding his true passion lay in jazz music.

Eastwood said he can trace his love of music back to his jazz-loving father, Clint Eastwood, whose career took him from riding horses in western films, to a police detective in the “Dirty Harry” film series, and to the director’s chair in his later years. Growing up in Carmel, California Eastwood was introduced to jazz at an early age through his father’s love of the genre. He remembers records from jazz stars such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Miles Davis playing in the house while he was doing his homework as a child and visiting the Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, California near his hometown every year. An accomplished jazz-bassist as well as pianist, Eastwood began to play the guitar in his early teens, but later turned to the bass when he was 18. Initially Eastwood went on after high school to study film and potentially follow his father into the movie business, but soon realized that jazz was his true passion.

After years of paying his dues performing small gigs in Los Angeles and New York Eastwood released his debut album in 1998 on Sony Records. “From Here to There” showcased Eastwood’s composing abilities and led to work composing film scores for 11 different movies. He contributed to the musical score for the 2003 film “Mystic River,” directed by his father.

In 2004 Eastwood was signed to Candid Records, one of the leading independent jazz labels in the United Kingdom, and released his second album “Paris Blue.” It resonates with overtones from swing, groove, and funk. “My roots remain in jazz but I like adding all kinds of different flavors,” Eastwood said of the album’s fusion of sound. “Paris Blue” climbed to the number one spot on French jazz charts.

Kyle’s third album “Now” was released in 2006 and featured songs written by Ben Cullum and collaborations with BBC Jazz Award winner pianist Andrew McCormack, as well as other musicians who make up the who’s who of the London jazz scene. In 2009 he released “Metropolitain,” which was co-produced by Erin Davis, the son of jazz legend Miles Davis.

Eastwood will perform at Akbank Sanat June 21 at 8 p.m. with a workshop held earlier in the day at 2 p.m.