Albums
Greensleeves on and on... (2025)
Variations improvised in one sitting on the traditional English tune “Greensleeves”
Glazbeni Mostovi (2017)
This is Hakan A. Toker's first album where he plays straight-forward classical music by other composers, without improvisation. The title means "Musical Bridges". The project was conceived and realized by the Croatian-Turkish Friendship Association on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Croatian-Turkish diplomatic relations. Croatian pianist Ivan Horvatić played music by Turkish classical composers, while Hakan played music by Croatian classical composers on it. Initially it was a CD-only limited edition, handed-out as gifts to diplomats in 2017 during concerts. In 2024 Hakan released it digitally under his own lable H&H.
Fazioli's Caress (2021)
"On the night of November 20, 2020, I was finishing a 3-day-long intense recording
sesson where I had recorded 7 albums and 23 singles on a delicious F308 Fazioli
grand piano at Işık University, Şile Campus, Turkey. I sat down one last time at the
F308 and improvised freely, without any given themes, saying good-bye to it in my
own way. This became the 8th album of the session which I later named "Fazioli's
Caress" because I was particularly exploring the tender-touch aspect of the
instrument in a playful and positive mood.
I dedicate this album to engineer and pianist Mr. Paolo Fazioli, founder of the
Fazioli Piano Company and I thank him and his team for producing these wonderfully
inspiring instruments that make life so much easier and enjoyable for us pianists."
Afghan Music on Piano (2021)
"This album was recorded in 2004 in Bloomington, IN, USA. It has been waiting under
the carpet for 17 years and now is finally being released on the birth/death
anniversary of the famous Afghan singer Ahmad Zahir, who originally recorded the
songs on this album. I learned them from an Afghan singer named Waheed Mardanzai who
was living in Bloomington in those days. Waheed hired me and my band Salaam to
arrange and record these songs in an album he was to sing in. There was a conflict
between him and the band in the middle of the recording session, upon which the
project was abandoned. After that, I arranged my own versions of these songs for
solo piano, in a manner they were never performed before. My intention was to
release them that year, but other things took precedence in life, which kept pushing
this release to this day.
I dedicate this album to the memory of Ahmad Zahir and the Afghan People who have
been deprived of their rights, their freedom and justice to this day. "
Satie Deconstructed (2021)
Improvisations on the most famous masterpieces of the great composer in honor of his 155th birthday. Sixth album of the "Classics Deconstructed" series.
Bach Deconstructed (2021)
Improvisations on the most famous masterpieces of the great composer in honor of his 336th birthday. Fifth album of the "Classics Deconstructed" series.
Chopin Deconstructed (2021)
Improvisations on the most famous masterpieces of the great composer in honor of his 211th birthday. Fourth album of the "Classics Deconstructed" series.
Schubert Deconstructed (2021)
Improvisations on the most famous masterpieces of the great composer in honor of his 224th birthday. Third album of the "Classics Deconstructed" series.
Mozart Deconstructed (2021)
Improvisations on the most famous masterpieces of the great composer in honor of his 265th birthday. Second album of the "Classics Deconstructed" series.
Gift Music 1 (2021)
Original piano music by Hakan A. Toker. First in a series of albums featuring music commissioned to be given as gifts to loved ones on birthdays, anniversaries etc. See Gift Music for more info about the project and to make a commission.
Beethoven Deconstructed (2020)
Improvisations on the most famous masterpieces of the great composer in honor of his 250th birthday. First album of the "Classics Deconstructed" series.
Christmas Songs All Wrong (2020)
Shameless improvisations deforming and transforming the most popular Christmas songs known to the English-speaking world!
Taurus Mountains (2019)
Lisztian piano school blended-in with blues and Middle Eastern makam (Hakan Ali Toker) , a 5-string cello that mimics the bass (Murat Süngü), drums that can imitate traditional hand-percussion (Erdem Göymen)... This album consists of Hakan's original compositions. All about the convergency of classical music, jazz and Turkish music; sometimes going as far as Ireland and India.
Toker Messing Around... with the classics;) (2019)
A homorous parody album consisting of Hakan's arrangements born out of years of improvising. Classical tunes jazzified, jazz tunes classicized, sometimes both Turkified! The album is partly solo piano, with one piece played on the harpsichord. On the second half of the album, Hakan is accompanied by Aykut Sütoğlu on clarinet, Vedat Dinletir on zurna, Bilal Kızıllar on kanun, Tolga Karaslan on ud, Mehmet Sönmez on doublebass, İsmail Darıcı on Turkish and Latin percussion, Hakan Çetinkaya on drums, Gürkan Özkan on tabla and Golden Horn Brass (Ömer Dağaşan and Enes Nalkıran: trumpets, Begüm Gökmen: French horn, Burak Dursun: trombone, Ertan Şahin: tuba).
Şehir Hayatı / City Life (2018)
An ethnic jazz album consisting entirely of Hakan's compositions. Clarinet: Aykut Sütoğlu, Trumpet: Hikmet Altunbaşlıer, Saxophone: Tamer Temel, Piano: Hakan A. Toker, Bass: Apostolos Sideris, Drums: Hakan Çetinkaya / Cengiz Baysal, Percussion: İsmail Darıcı, Tabla: Gürkan Özkan. "Cengaver" (The Warrior) from this album has been included in the Spotify List "Jazz From Turkey 2010's" compiled by the Istanbul Jazz Festival with contributions of leading jazz critics.
Alla Turca Alla Toker (2011)
This is Hakan’s third solo CD, also his first solo release in Turkey. The contents are traditional Turkish tunes arranged in a pianistic manner with classical and jazz elements, mostly for solo piano. On some of the tracks, Hakan is accompanied by Engin Titiz, Hakan Gürbüz and Cenker Sarp on bass; Cem Aksel on drums and Halil Uğur Kutlu on Turkish percussion. First released by MCC in 2011, later re-released in 2018 by the artist’s own label H&H Music.
Turkish Music on Piano (2005)
This is Hakan’s second solo albüm printed (but not published) in the USA. It features classical, pianistic arrangements of well-known traditional Turkish tunes, performed semi-improvisationally.
Transformations (2003)
Hakan’s first solo album. Improvisations on themes from around the world. Recorded in Indiana, USA.
Guest Appearances
Toothpick Wilson & The Cave Monkeys : Last Chance Church of God (2020)
Cheerful and humorous songs in Country, Blues, Rock and Jazz styles written by Toothpick Wilson (Tim Moore) and his friends. Hakan Toker takes part as a pianist and sings his "Hummingbird Song" :)
Musical Bridges (2017)
This limited-edition CD has been produced and handed-out in honor of the 25th anniversary of Croatian-Turkish diplomatic relations, with the initiative of the Croatian-Turkish friendship association and support from ministries of foreign affairs of both countries. Croatian pianist Ivan Horvatić plays music by Turkish composers who write in the Western classical idiom, while Hakan A. Toker plays music by Croatian composers. Not available on the market.
Vivaldi 4 Seasons for 3 Pianos (2017)
Vivaldi’s 4 seasons have been not only transcribed, but re-arranged in a humorous fashion by Croatian pianist-composer Matej Meštrović, incorporating odd meters, jazz and Oriental flavors, leaving room for improvisation as well! Played by the arranger himself, Matija Dedić and Hakan A. Toker (also on accordion).
Tales of Three Hearts (2017)
This album has been recorded in Toker’s own studio and produced by his own label H&H, partnering with Hakan Çetinkaya. The contents are original pieces written and played by Murat Süngü (cello, violin), Hakan A. Toker (piano, accordion), Hakan Çetinkaya (percussion, guitar), 3 each; + one cover: jazz version of Saint-Saëns’s famous “Swan” from the Carnival or Animals.
Şairane Sevdalar (2017)
Mostly original music composed by Mahmut Abra on poems by leading Turkish poets. Melihat Gülses (trad. vocals), İsmail Işık (trad. vocals, bağlama), Caner Akın (tenor), Tuncay Kurtoğlu (bass), Çağatay Akçay (flute), Serkan Çağrı (clarinette), İhsan Mendeş (kabak kemane), Murat Aydemir (tambur), Göksel Baktagir (kanun), Murat Süngü (cello), Ferda Vural (harp), Serhan Yasdıman (guitar), Hakan Çetinkaya (percussion, mix), Okay Temiz (percussion), İstanbul Strings, Hakan A. Toker (arrangements and piano)
Çağ Erçağ: Aydınlık Evler (2016)
Hakan A. Toker is the arranger and pianist on the track "Ay Gız" in this album where cellist Çağ Erçağ sings for the first time.
Richness of tones (2012)
Richness of the Tones is an album by the viola-accordion duo called “Duo Mares”. Viola: Esra Pehlivanlı. Accordion: Marko Kassl. The album consists of music composed or arranged for this duo by Turkish composers. Two of Hakan A. Toker’s compositions are included: 5th and 6th pieces from the Notenbuch für P.E.B.
Season of Love (2011)
Seaon of Love is an album by Dilek Türkan, Turkish traditional music singer. It is a live concert recording. The contents are modern traditional Turkish songs and tangos from the early 20th century republic era, arranged by Cengiz Onural and Oğuzhan Balcı. On this album, Dilek Türkan is accompanied by: Hakan A. Toker, piano; Serdar Kalafatoğlu, clarinet; Olgu Kızılay and Esen Kıvrak, violins; Efdal Altun, viola; Çağ Erçağ, cello; Erdal Akyol, doublebass.
Touches II (2011)
This second album of Tanini continues along the lines of the first, therefore bears the same name. One important difference is that, this one additionally features one original composition by each of the members of the band.
Touches (2008)
This is Tanini’s first album. A lyric synthesis of traditional Turkish music and western classical music. Featuring Tahir Aydoğdu on kanun, Bilgin Canaz on ney, Hakan Ali Toker on piano and accordion. It was recorded in 2007 at Hakan A. Toker’s former basement in Ankara, released a year later.
Salaam (2009)
This self-titled album contains explorations of Iraqi, Syrian, Turkish, and North-African music, along with several original compositions, improvisations, and fresh interpretations. Progressive and rooted, this album is a sophisticated fusion of Middle-Eastern and Western sensibilities. Hakan plays the piano, kanun and accordion among a nicely crowded gang of colleagues.
Ya Salaam! (2005)
This is Hakan’s second album with Salaam. A rich variety of instrumentation (different on virtually every track) and styles, covering the many facets of Middle Eastern music; from Iraq to Turkey, from traditional to modern. Hakan plays piano, accordion, kanun, and even sings on this one!
Laylat Salaam (2001)
“Laylat Salaam” means “Night of Salaam” or “Night of Peace”. Relatively more traditional renditions of Middle Eastern tunes, compared to later albums of Salaam. Hakan plays the kanun on this one.
Fifth Annual Competition in the Performance of Music from Spain and Latin America (2002)
Hakan accompanies Mexican singer Emilio Jimenez-Pons on the piano. This CD is a production of the Latin American Music Center and the Spanish Recourse Concert at Indiana University under the sponsorship of the Office of Education of the Embassy of Spain.
Despair and Deliverance (2000)
A 3-disc set of Christi Smith Hayden’s radio play about a Texan pianist’s fight with leukemia. 10% of the proceeds have been donated to the Leukemia Society of America. Most of the music composed by Joe Donelly. Piano played (mostly improvised) by Hakan.