Cenk is an Istanbul-born, London-based pianist and composer. Born to a family of musicians, he grew up listening to post-bop classics alongside mid-noughties pop, shaping a musical sensibility as diverse as the soundscapes of his hometown. After graduating from the Berklee College of Music, where he was a student at the prestigious Global Jazz Institute, Cenk moved to London, quickly establishing himself as a mover and shaker in the scene. The last few years have seen him tour and collaborate with artists like Mansur Brown, Chaos in the CBD, Romarna Campbell, Şam, MckNasty and Tom Driessler; perform in venues like Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Cadogan Hall, Southbank Centre and Royal Albert Hall; and events like Montreux Jazz Festival, New York Winter Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival and We Out Here Festival.
His sophomore album, “Endlessly”, featuring Mcknasty, Tom Driessler, Leyla & Aydın Esen, was recorded at London’s hallowed AIR Studios and was released in May 2025. This is in addition to Cenk’s first full-length album “It’s a Family Thing” (2021) , which had its live debut at the Istanbul Jazz Festival in 2021. 2022 saw Cenk collaborate with US-based drummer Jasper Williamson on “Peace Achievement” (2022), adding to two self-released EP’s.
Listen to his music and watch his performances at www.cenkesen.com
Follow him on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cenkesen1/
