This past week plus has been colourful. Recently, I've been uploading more & more videos on Facebook. These include my performances & videos from the open mic archives!
Thanks Celeste for the article, Yin for making everything epic, all my friends that made #azontour possible and the NewMan team for supporting the local Malaysian indie music scene. An excerpt:
"Sometimes, you may get lucky and big things happen to you. You see all these big success and you hope things could be that instant. Unfortunately, for most people, it takes longer. If you're not in that demographic, you have to go the long way round, and build everything step by step. You're not accountable to anyone but yourself."
NewMan, Sept '13: The Az Guide to a DIY European Tour
In addition to joining the family of K&K artists, I am very happy to announce that I'm now the newest artist to represent Maestro Guitars!
My new handcrafted acoustic guitar is a Raffles PH Maestro Select Shop Model with a solid adirondack spruce top, solid purple heart back & sides and mahogany neck with carbon rod. (The back and sides are purple! More photos coming up.)
For the pickup system, it's equipped with the awesome Quantum Trinity System which includes K&K Sound Systems's award-winning Pure Mini pickup, the Trinity Microphone and the Quantum Blender Preamp.
Recently, I was a part of the Piazzolla! Not Only Tango performance at penangpac, Straits Quay, Penang. Here are the photos from our rehearsals, performance as well as some adventure & food time in Penang!
For the complete photo albums on FB, check out the links below:
Back in KL after 29 days on the road for my first ever solo Europe tour!
It was filled with epic performances, teaching, travels and friends.
Thank you to everyone who made my first ever solo Europe tour so beautiful. Special thanks to Yin for coordinating the whole tour logistics and planning.
[Highlights include]
10 performances 6 guitar classes 1 six-hour recording session 2 YouTube video recording sessions 1 radio interview 3 newspaper appearances met 2 amazing guitar luthiers
...and during some chill-out time, attended:
1 musical in London (Matilda)
5 concerts (Djavan, Elvis Costello, Cold Porter, Shibusashirazu Orchestra and a school holiday children's performance too!)
Fingerstyle Guitar performances featuring Thomas Leeb, Jon Gomm, Mike Dawes, Alex Kabasser and so many epic guitarists at the annual Thomas Leeb Guitar Bootcamp in Austria
Went for 2 rides on the Nocky Flitzer mountain ride in Austria
Also, I visited the George Lowden Guitar Factory in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland for the first time, had an epic tour by Johnny Lowden & performed for the amazing folks there with Mickey Murphy.
Performances all over including in the UK (Brighton, Blackburn, Darwen) Northern Ireland (Newry), Haarlem (near Amsterdam), Turrache Höhe (Austria) and Berlin (Germany).
Uber happy!
Thank you everyone!!!
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Follow the 2013 Solo Europe Tour live on twitter @azsamad & instagram @azsamad
[Quotes from the audience at Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap]
"We get a lot of good music in Darwen, and especially at 39, but nights like this are rare. Thanks very much to Richard Moss (always a pleasure) and Az Samad (a treat), and for Gary and 39 for a special night." - Nigel Lewin [permalink]
A great night of music by two very talented musicians. - Derren Lee Poole [permalink]
What an absolute pleasure... It was magical. Blew me away... Richard Moss & Az Samad were something else! What beautiful performances. You guys deserve much recognition, you have something very special. You moved me many times. It was a joy. - Leona Holden[permalink 1][permalink 2][permalink 3]
What an amazing night, so glad we came :) It was a priviledge to hear such emotive music, me and Nigel are glad we bought a C D, much luv from us x - Heather Hook [permalink]
Another Amazing night ....Thank you for sharing ..It was AWEsome xx - Andrea Holden [permalink]
The C Factor | Az Samad (Live in Austria at Thomas Leeb Acoustic Guitar Bootcamp)
Performing my medley of P. Ramlee songs at Amplified Bar, Newry, Northern Ireland:
From the house concert in Haarlem, Netherlands:
Duet with Berlin guitarist Matteo Alderete:
Duet with Northern Ireland guitarist Mickey Murphy at the George Lowden Guitars workshop at Downpatrick:
Az Samad in a duet with multi-instrumentalist Richard Moss at Sprout Cafe, Blackburn UK. This is the first performance of Az's 2013 Solo Europe Tour. — with Richard Moss and Az Samad at Sprout Cafe.
From the performance at Number 39 - Hopstar Brewery Tap, Darwen, UK with Richard Moss.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 2:49PM 
