MORE ABOUT FKAJAZZ

Samir Zarif, professionally known as FKAjazz (“forever known as jazz”), is a New York–based, Billboard-charting saxophonist, music producer, and DJ pioneering Jazztronica, a fusion of jazz improvisation, electronic production, and cinematic storytelling. His distinctive sound combines lush melodies, intricate arrangements, vintage synthesizers, soulful saxophone improvisations, and electronic textures, bridging the worlds of jazz, electronica, and contemporary music.

Originally from Houston, Texas, FKAjazz began his musical journey studying piano, violin, and saxophone before attending the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He continued his jazz studies at the University of New Orleans, studying under Grammy-winning trumpeter and film composer Terence Blanchard. He later earned a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the Manhattan School of Music.

His professional recording career includes performances on two Grammy-nominated albums: Jill Scott’s Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 and Miguel Zenón’s Identities Are Changeable. His collaborations span jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music, including work with artists such as Junior Sanchez, Marcus Machado, Artone, and C.L. Smooth.

In 2017, FKAjazz released his debut album, Stereotype Threat, establishing his approach to blending jazz improvisation with contemporary production. His sophomore album, Beautifully Awkward, followed in 2019, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. Since then, he has continued releasing singles, EPs, and full-length albums while expanding his creative direction into multimedia storytelling.

In 2024, FKAjazz released Fearless: An OMGjazz Ninja Saga, an ambitious project combining original music, an audiobook, and visual art. He further developed this approach with his 2025 album, Prelude to Descent — TV Box Saga, Part 1, a cinematic Jazztronica recording accompanied by an original narrative audiobook. The project explores themes of freedom, identity, and institutional control through an interconnected world of music and storytelling.

That same year, he formed FKAjazz Trio+, a multimedia ensemble featuring saxophone, synthesizers, electronic production, live drums, soundscaping, and visual storytelling. The group brings his compositions into an immersive live setting, combining the spontaneity of jazz improvisation with the sonic possibilities of electronic music and cinematic narrative.

Throughout his career, FKAjazz has performed internationally, including appearances in Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom, and at notable venues and festivals such as Carnegie Hall and the North Sea Jazz Festival. His work has been described by SoulTracks as that of “an artist who refuses to be pinned down,” while The Deli Magazine praised his ability to blend “a new vision and old-school precision to create an exciting new take on jazz.”

As an artist pioneering Jazztronica, FKAjazz continues to challenge traditional genre boundaries, exploring new ways to connect music, art, and storytelling while bringing improvisation and individual expression to the forefront of contemporary music.