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BaBa ZuLa

ISTANBUL SOUND

About Me

Baba Zula’s new album "Roots" out now on Doublemoon Records


Founded in Istanbul in 1996, Baba ZuLa feautures founding members Levent Akman (percussion, rhythm machines,toys), Murat Ertel (saz and other strings,vocal,theremin), as well as darbuka player Cosar Kamci who replaced original member Emre Onel in 2005. BaBa ZuLa added live drawing artist Ceren Oykut into the mix in 2004. Her presence onstage has added an important visual aspect to BaBa ZuLa’s live performances.

Baba ZuLa go to great lengths to provide their fans with a unique live show experience. Their ritual like performances are a mixture of disciplines of art, often featuring belly dancers, elaborate costumes, poetry, theatre and live drawing, delivering viewers a tantalizing audio-visual feast.

By mixing oriental instruments such as the darbuka, electric saz, and spoons with electronics and modern sounds, BaBa ZuLa creates a sound all their own called "Oriental Dub". While a ney can represent the past Sufi-Islamic tradition, and a clarinet is the symbol of the music of the Turkish gypsies-an electric saz together with a wooden spoon can serve as musical compass to Turkish musical roots going as far back as pre-Islamic, shamanic times, through Anatolia reaches all the way up to present-day Istanbul.Despite sounds that might initially come to mind when one hears the phrase "Oriental Dub", Baba ZuLa’s music is in fact rock’n roll that rolls in a way that westerners haven’t heard since the late ’60s rock epoch. Baba ZuLa share their legacy with us through their music, a music born out of Istanbul and influenced by the memories of Istanbul passed on to them from generations past.

The group, which from the very beginning has shown great interest in featuring guest musicians and players in concerts and albums, has been accompanied by stars such as the Thracian Selim Sesler (clarinet ), the Canadian singer Brenna MacCrimmon (specialized in Balkan folk music), Alexander Hacke (Einsturzende Neubauten), Fred Frith (from Henry Cow, John Zorn, etc), Jaki Liebezeit (Can), Hüsnü Senlendirici (Clarinet ),William Macbeth(aka Bill MacBeath bass) and Ralph Carney from San Fransisco (saxophonist who worked with Tom Waits and B52’s) and the diva Semiha Berksoy (first Turkish opera singer and painter).

Baba ZuLa’s debut album, "Tabutta Rovasata = Sommersault in the Coffin" (re-released by Kadraj in 2006) includes the original music score for Dervis Zaim’s first movie of the same name released in 1996 about a car thief who returns the cars he has stolen to their original owners and falls in love with a peacock. The album also includes four songs on which the movie’s stars Ahmet Ugurlu, Tuncel Kurtiz and Aysen Aydemir contribute vocals.

Their album, "Three Plays from Seventeen pieces" (Doublemoon Records ) comprising music created for the plays "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery, "Frog Tales" by Arnold Lobel and "Kitchen Accidents" by Perihan Magden, was released in 1999. Apart from a number of other artists,Ralph Carney, Brenna McCrimmon and Selim Sesler have also taken part in this album as guest stars. Baba ZuLa has also made the music for the film "Renkli Türkçe = Colored and in Turkish", directed by Ahmet Cadirci.

Their third album "Psychebelly Dance Music released in May 2003 was mixed and mastered by Mad Professor who previously worked with Massive Attack , The Orb, Lee Perry and the like. Their fourth album "Duble Oryantal" which was released on Doublemoon Records in May of 2005, reunited them with mix-master Mad Professor, Sly & Robbie and Alexander Hacke and reflects the culmination of years of fearless musical adventuring, and as usual there’s a talented and eclectic supporting cast on board for a share of the bounty.

On 2007 release, "Roots", Baba ZuLa return to their original format as a trio . Only old friend vocalist Brenna MacCrimmon can be heard on one song. The group also show off a new perspective on their trademark sound "oriental dub" on 3 dub mixes courtesy of the group’s first trip to Japan in the Spring of 2007, where they befriended a Japanese sound engineer. Traditional Turkish influences on the album include works by important composers and lyricists in the history of Turkish music, such as Neset Ertas and Pir Sultan Abdal as well as analog recording techniques courtesy of Turkish producer Mehmet Ates.

Baba ZuLa have composed several mood-setting pieces for the silver screen over the years, their most recent release is an original score for the film "Dondurmam Gaymak". The band also appeared in the Golden Bear award winning director Fatih Akin’s film "Crossing the Bridge" that explores the sounds of Istanbul. The group also provided music for the film by recording with Einstürzende Neubauten’s Alexander Hacke.

Baba ZuLa have turned up the volume and energy levels at festivals and clubs such as the Roskilde Festival (Denmark), Sofia Film Festival (Bulgaria),shibuya club(tokyo), Klinkende Munt Festival (Belgium), Arezzo Wave Festival (Italy), Images of Middle East (multi-city Denmark tour), Cologne Triennale (Germany), Printemps de Bourges (France), simdi/Now Festival (Germany), the Boost Festival ( Netherlands) and the Venice Biennial.

== Discography ==
*Kökler = Roots ( Doublemoon 2007)
*Dondurmam Gaymak (Kadraj – Pozitif Music’s soundtrack label- 2006)
*Duble Oryantal (Doublemoon 2005)
* Ruhani Oyun Havalari =Psychebelly Dance Music (Doublemoon 2003)
* 3 Oyundan 17 Müzik = 17 pieces from 3 plays (Doublemoon 1999)
* Tabutta Rovasata = Sommersault in the Coffin (Ada Music 1996/ Kadraj -Pozitif Music’s soundtrack label- 2006 )

Baba ZuLa’nin yeni albumu “Kokler” Doublemoon etiketiyle yayinlandi.


“Kokler”, BaBa ZuLa’nin (film muzikleri de dâhil) altinci albumu. 1996 yilinda kurulan topluluk, 11. yilini devirirken en basa donuyor ve aslina rucu ediyor. Bu topraklardan aldiklarinin kokune iniyor. Halk müzigimizden ziyadesiyle faydalanmislardi, bu kez oryantal durumdan uzaklasmadan isin en basina hatta Asya’ya donuyorlar.
Hatirlayalim: ZeN zamani Dervis Zaim’in “Tabuta Rovasata”sina müzik yapan Murat Ertel, Levent Akman ve Emre Onel topluluktan ayrilarak BaBa ZuLa’yi kurmus, yaptiklari film ve oyun muziklerinin disinda albumler ve canli performanslarla toplulugu bugüne getirmislerdi. Yakin zamanda Emre Onel’in bayragini Cosar Kamci devraldi ama bastaki ekip ruhu aynen hatta belki de iyi anlamda katlanarak devam ediyor.
BaBa ZuLa’nin canli performanslarini sahit olanlar bilir: Uc kisilik kocaman ekiple sahnede harikalar yaratirlar. Zaman zaman kendilerine birileri eslik etse de BaBa ZuLa’nin kokunde saz, vurmalilar, makineler ve bunlari idare eden maharetli eller var. “Kokler”in en onemli ozelligi, toplulugun sahne performansina cok yaklasmis olmasi. Bunun icin, bu albume, her calista biraz daha ileriye giden BaBa ZuLa’nin an itibariyle performans belgesi olarak da bakabilirsiniz. Bir nevi konser albumu ama degil. Su gercek ama: Hem canli, hem heyecanli bir album “Kokler”. Toplulugun her anlamda ruhunu kattigi, bir anda dinleyeni kavrayan ve birakmayan bir sihir demeti… Oldukca minimal ancak bir o kadar da sasirtici ve karisik. BaBa ZuLa müziginin de tanimi bu olsa gerek.
Sunu unutmamali: Son donemlerde canli performanslarin bu kadar guzel olmasinin nedenlerinden birisi toplulugun “sescisi” Mehmet Ates. Bu kadar basit degil elbet. Gorenler, elindeki karmakarisik haritanin en iyi sese ulasmak icin ince elenerek ve deneyimlerle kotarilmis kucuk bir rehber oldugunu bilirler. iste o Mehmet Ates, bu albumun de ses teknisyenligini yapti. Onu anlatmak bu yaziyi asar ama sunu soyleyelim: 1960’lardan bu yana bu isin icinde ve dünyanin her yerini gezerek kendisini gelistirmis. Isin (ve elbette sesin) güzelligi, Ates’in, ‘50’li yillarin kayit teknolojilerini ve o dönemin alet edevatini kullanmis olmasinda. Son dakikada ancak cdye aktarirken bilgisayar destegi alinmis ama o zamana kadar her sey “el yordamiyla” ilerlemis. Albumun bu kadar samimi ve sahici olmasi bundan... Bu anlamda, “Kokler”in gayet rock’n’roll bir album oldugunu rahatlikla soyleyebiliyoruz!
Sarkilari tek tek anlatmanin geregi yok. Canli performanslarda karsimiza cikan, sevdigimiz “Iskender”, bu albumde yerini bulmus. Neset Ertas katkili ”Sevsem Oldururler Sevmesem Oldum” ve Pir Sultan Abdal’dan bir beyit aldiklari “Asiklarin Sozu Kalir” iki “baska” sarki. Bu kez konuksuz bir albüm yapmis BaBa Zula. “Âsiklarin Sözü Kalir”da bizi büyüleyen “eski dost” Brenna’yi konuktan saymamak gerek elbet. insani bir anda kendine getiren “Nokta”, kus civiltilari esliginde adini aldigi parkin guzelligini odamiza kadar getiren “Abbasaga Parki” ve neseli “Karayel” disinda bir “Japon Halayi” bile var bu albumde. Hatta oyun havalari ile beraber ve solo sarkilar da... Her birinin birbirinden etkileyici oldugunu soylememize gerek yok, zaten dinleyince fark edeceksiniz.
Sona dogru, toplulugun “gizli” elemani Ceren Oykut’un da adini anmakta fayda var. Album icin cizdigi desenler, canli performanslardakini aratmiyor. Bir BaBa ZuLa klasigi daha!
Sessiz, sakin ama bir o kadar dolu, firtinali bir albüm “Kokler”. BaBa ZuLa deyince akla ilk ne geliyorsa tastamam o, bu albumde yerini almis.
Metin: Murat Meric

A Brief Zula Space F.A.Q
*This is the Offical Myspace profile of Baba ZuLa.
Contact:
BOOKING - WEST EUROPE:
( Benelux, Spain, Portugal, France, Skandinavia, Germany, Austria, CH, Italy,UK, Iceland)
International Booking Department
(IBD)

Sabine Watlz
Sabine Waltz-Andrea Scholz GbR
Bodenseestr. 91
D-81243, Munich
www.ibdbooking.de
[email protected]
ph +49 89 8342410
fx +49 89 8342288
............
BOOKING - EAST EUROPE / BALKANS / ASIA:
Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Sirbia, Bulgaria, ChechRepublic, Poland, Lytvania, Letonia, Slovenia, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Romania
CHARMENKO
Baris BASARAN
www.charmenko.net
[email protected]
Ph: +90 212 244 8065
............
BOOKING:
Pozitif Artist Management: Exclusive World Wide Management
Cuneyt BASAR
[email protected]
Ph: +90 212 334 0100
Fx: +90 212 292 9773
............
Please send all mails to:
[email protected]

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/6/2006
Band Website: babazula.com
Band Members: MURAT ERTEL, vocals and electric saz,thereminLEVENT AKMAN, spoons,percussion and machinesCOSAR KAMCI, darbukaCEREN OYKUT, live drawingand of course also various dancers..
Influences:

AZMAK KOPRUSU - DONDURMAM GAYMAK SOUNDTRACK

BABA ZULA WITH NOURAH * TOUR IN DENMARK



CECOM (from the documentary of fat'h akin - Crossing The Bridge)


EL FILAN SALLIYORUM

Sounds Like: DISCOGRAPHY
Click on the album cover for details

Kokler
(Roots)


Duble Oryantal

Ruhani Oyun Havalari
(Psyche-belly dance music)


Uc Oyundan Onyedi Müzik
(Seventeen music from three plays)


Soundtracks/Scores

Tabutta Rovasata
(Sommersault in the coffin)


Istanbul Hatirasi
(Crossing The Bridge)


Dondurmam Gaymak

Record Label: Doublemoon Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

"Tabutta Rovasata" Tekrar dagitimda...

Tabutta Rovasata orjinal film muzikleri albumu, uzun bir aradan sonra, Baba ZuLa’nin 10.yilinda Aysen Aydemir ve Dursun’un aziz hatiralarina adanarak tekrar dagitima girdi.dursun tabutta r...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:29:00 PST

Baba Zula featuring on the April issue of ASAHI


Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:49:00 PST

Baba Zula featuring on the March issue of JAPAN TIMES

Baba Zula: from the belly of the beats Underground music maniacs, the real hardcore otaku (obsessed fans), have long raved about the Turkish psychedelic music of the 1960s and '70s -- crazy reverb-dre...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:44:00 PST

Baba Zula @ Time Out - Turning Japanese

­Turning Japanese   After their trip to Tokyo Baba Zula return to Turkey and their roots with a surprising new CD. James Snow investigates.   The new CD released by Baba Zula marks a re...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:47:00 PST

Gokhan Akcura & Baba Zula Presents: Killing in Istanbul!

Gokhan Akcura & Baba Zula Presents: Killing in Istanbul!!After a busy summer spent playing at important European festivals like Wenn, Arezzo Wave, Klinkende Munt and a string of dates in Denmark, Baba...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Mon, 06 Nov 2006 01:15:00 PST

Denmark Summer Tour!! ( with the belly dancer "Nourah" from Tokyo

That's right... Babazula is headed back on the road in Denmark starting 30th Aug in Magasinet and they are not quitting until the middle of September. The Japanenese belly dancer "Nourah" will also ac...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Fri, 04 Aug 2006 05:07:00 PST

Baba Zula featuring on the last issue of RYTHM magazine

and so on... also, the soundtrack of Crossing The Bridge ( featuring Baba Zula ) has scored as the "album of the month" in the same magazine... ***************************************** Bab...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Thu, 03 Aug 2006 09:25:00 PST

Pictures from Carling Academy show with Mad Professor

Remember the show w/ Mad Professor at Carling Academy, London on the last April?? Well, here are a few pics from there... at least, we have some:) ********* Geçtiðimiz Nisan ayinda Londra Carling Ac...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Thu, 03 Aug 2006 08:57:00 PST

Baba Zula in UK's Venn Festival ...

New show dates has just announced and Baba Zula will be performing in UK's Venn Festival besides Belgium and Turkey ... For more information, please click the picture below and check out the offical s...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Mon, 15 May 2006 09:13:00 PST

Free Spirit

5 of the the songs from the latest album of Baba Zula called "duble oryantal" were banned by the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT). The song called "galiba hamileyim (i think i'm pregnant)" was banne...
Posted by BaBa ZuLa on Thu, 06 Apr 2006 12:20:00 PST