I stumbled across the music of Turkey and the Balkans some years ago and it took over my life. I've been back and forth between Canada and Turkey several times, at one point living in Istanbul and studying music for about 5 years.
I've recorded a bit,
Karsilama - with Selim Sesler on Green Goat/Kalan
Ayde Mori - with Muammer Ketencoglu, Sumru Agiryuren & Cevdet Erek on Kalan
Balkan Journeys Close to Home on Golden Horn Records
as a guest musician on a number of recordings including
BaBA ZuLa on Double Moon
Edessa on AgaRhythms
and Selim Sesler's latest recording on Doublemoon
Please get in touch with me if you really want to find anything. Most CD's are available from the labels.
Currently I'm based in Toronto. I'm not sure what I think of that. Sometimes I perform with a group of like-minded Turkish music lovers in the New York & Boston area "Orkestra Keyif". When I travel to California my friends "Edessa" (www.edessamusic.com) usually ask me to join them. Go hear this band live and be prepared to dance. I collaborate with "Baba Zula" Istanbul's Turkish folk-psyche art rock band. "Selim Sesler" - a true master of Turkish clarinet - and I have been playing together for nearly 10 years. You can see me with Selim and Baba Zula in Fatih Akin's film "Crossing the Bridge".
I've done the odd bit of music for film, theatre and even television - usually just lending my voice though sometimes writing happens too. I've taught Turkish and Balkan songs from Canada to Japan. I love the music and dance camps sponsored by the Eastern European Folklife Center (www.eefc.org). Before the internet was there to connect us instantly, these camps brought together people with a passion for learning and sharing wonderful music and dance.
I recently worked as musical director on a play directed by Ross Manson of Theatre Volcano. "Goodness" is a very thought-provoking work by Michael Redhill and it was selected as the Best of the Fringe at Edinburgh in 2006. It looks like the next production for this work will be in Helsinki in 2008. I've also have the pleasure to teach Balkan songs to performers through Volcano's Theatre Intensives.
I recently did a tune, Koupes, for DJ SHantel aka Bucovina Club. He's happy with it - but I still haven't heard it yet - hola Stefan! I'm mixed mixed somewhere into Nekropsi's latest CD and looks like I will sing a song on BaBa ZuLa's latest CD Roots.
A new recording is underway,
honestly,
and it will feature some of the incredible talents I have met in my travels with this music over the years. It is taking me for ever. I am very stubborn. I want to do something that is interesting and new and old at the same time. The music is a selection of Rumeli /Trakya Türküleri with a few surprises.
So far I have the tracks for 5 songs and I hope to do 7 more. I am very happy with the sounds. I'd tell you more but...nazar degmesin.This is my page. This is me, not somebody writing as me. If I take a few days or even weeks to reply please forgive me. Also I don't have much time for comments - sorry I really don't mean to be rude. My Space is a like a black hole for time.And, yes, my own web site STILL under construction. There are never enough hours in the day. One day it will be finished and I hope you will enjoy it...
Thank you for visiting
Hosça kal
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
