MR. CEM AZAK
When Mr. Cem Azak first watched Mr. Jeremy Monteiro play music, he instantly recognized a dormant sentiment inside him. “I have always liked listening to music, but hearing Mr. Monteiro play jazz made me realize how much I love this type of music.” Since then things started changing for the young banker, currently the Senior Managing Director, Market Head International at EFG Bank: He began listening to more jazz music, appreciating the inventiveness inherent in its form. He also became good friends with Mr. Monteiro, and has turned into an avid supporter of the charity that the man known as Singapore’s ‘King of Swing’ founded. “Jazz music for me is about freedom, and listening to it is very liberating,” Mr. Azak raves. “Jazz is not just confined to music; it inspires creativity and experimentation. I think it’s a very good idea to expose young children to jazz music.” A keen advocate of the music scene in Singapore, Mr. Azak supports the Jazz Association (Singapore) Limited (JASS), the city state’s very first public charity dedicated to developing jazz education, excellence and outreach in Singapore. The Association is also strengthening cultural ties between Singapore and the rest of the world. Founded in 2016, JASS aims to spread the joy of jazz to all walks of life in Singapore and make Singapore a leading jazz city of the world. “I plan to continue supporting the Jazz Association along with other musical charity initiatives. I received a very warm welcome from Singapore and its people when I first moved here, and this is just my way of saying thanks.”