Listen to the Cries: Siya Siyabend and "Hayyam"

Today's random tune is actually an except from a documentary about Istanbul, Turkey called Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. The group performing the song is Siya Siyabend, a project started in 1996 and now consisting of three musicians - Hakan Özboz, Memduh Özdemir and Murat Toktaş. They have apparently never released an album. However, this song, Hayyam, can be heard on the soundtrack to Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul, released in 2006, and there are various YouTube videos that include longer versions of the song like the one below. The song appears to address those in power who do not want to see or know or hear the cries of those in need.



Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://youtu.be/H0JTGAcACuk

Far from Seattle: Duman and "İstanbul"

Today's random tune is called İstanbul, and is by Turkish rock band Duman. The band was founded in 1999 and blends elements of Turkish folk music with rock and grunge as well as utilizing an Arabic vocal style. They have had a big influence on the rock scene in Turkey. İstanbul can be found on the soundtrack to the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul, released in 2006.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duman_(band)

Nobody's Perfect: Orhan Gencebay and "Hatasız Kul Olmaz"

Turkish artist Orhan Gencebay bring us the random tune for today, called Hatasız Kul Olmaz. A virtuoso of the bağlama, he is also a singer, composer, arranger, music producer, director and actor. He learned music at a young age, taking violin and mandolin lessons at the age of 6 but at 7 he started learning the bağlama, a stringed musical instrument, and created his first composition at age 10. He also studied the tambur to better learn Turkish classical music. During his teen years, he developed an interest in jazz and rock. His professional start came in radio and television where he was resident bağlama player for the Turkish Radio and Television Network (TRT). In the late 1960s, he began collaborations with a large number of Turkish musicians spanning a wide range of styles and genres, and he also served as music director for many Turkish films. He also helped develop a new genre of Turkish music that fused classical Turkish folk music with western styles and European styles. His releases in this style are often called arabesque, but he has rejected that label as too narrow for his style of music. He is also a prolific actor, having appeared in over 30 films, as well as a composer of over 1000 songs, and he has released 32 solo albums. You can find Hatasız Kul Olmaz on his 1976 album of the same name, and on the various artists compilation and soundtrack to the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2006). I believe the video is an excerpt from that film.

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Psyching Out Turkey: Baba Zula and "Tavus Havası"

Baba Zula brings us today's random tune called Tavus Havası. Founded in 1996, Baba Zula is a Turkish alternative group that creates a psychedelic sound combining traditional Turkish instruments, electronica, reggae and dub. At the core of their sound is the saz, a Turkish bouzouki-like stringed instrument with a bright, high-pitched sound. Baba Zula became well known outside of Turkey when they appeared in the 2005 documentary Crossing the Bridge, and have since performed in many high profile world music festivals. They have released eight albums. Tavus Havası can be found on the soundtrack to Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2006).

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

The Mountain: Replikas and "Şahar Dağı"

Today's random song is by Replikas, an experimental/psychedelic rock band from Istanbul. Featuring Gökçe Akçelik on guitar and vocals, Barkın Engin on guitar, Selçuk Artut on bass, Orçun Baştürk on drums and Burak Tamer on electronics, the band has released seven studio albums, one boxed set and one live performance album, as well as being featured on many compilations. The band has also made music for film as well as appearing in the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. This song, Şahar Dağı, can be found on the soundtrack to Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2006).

Listen to songs like this and more on the KUNM Global Music Show every Monday night from 10 pm - 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Live streaming, program information and the two-week digital archive can be found at http://www.kunm.org.

Funereal: Aynur Doğan and "Ehmedo"

Today's random tune is something that we've seen described as a Kurdish dirge. Ehmedo is performed by Aynur Doğan, a contemporary Kurdish singer and musician from Turkey. She has released six albums and was featured in the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. The version of this song that we have comes from the soundtrack to the documentary (Crossing the Bridge, 2006), though this video is a version I hadn't heard before.

Turkish Rock Never Sounded So Grungy: Duman and "Istanbul"

How about a minute and a half hard rock song from Turkey for the random tune of the day? Istanbul is by Duman, a Turkish rock band founded in 1999 and known for combining Turkish folk songs with modern Turkish rock and grunge. They have released 10 albums. Istanbul can be found on the 2006 soundtrack to the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul.

Gettin' Hitched: The Wedding Sound System and "Wedding Song"

Off to Turkey for today's random song. I don't know much about this band nor this song. The context that might explain it is the movie that it's in - Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. But I haven't seen that movie either. It has a cool soundtrack which was released in 2006, and this song, Wedding Song by The Wedding Sound System, is on it.

Pop Legend: Sezen Aksu and "İstanbul Hatırası"

The random song of the day is from a Turkish legend. Sezen Aksu is a pop singer who has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. She has been a tremendous influence on Turkish pop and on world music in general. She has also been a patron and collaborator of many other famous Turkish musicians, and has also collaborated with Tarkan and Goran Bregović, which further broadened her worldwide appeal. Aksu is largely credited, along with her close friend Ajda Pekkan, with laying the groundwork for Turkish pop in the 1970s, as well as spreading the popularity of Turkish music across Greece and the Balkans. She has also been an outspoken champion of rights and reforms in Turkey. She is considered a gay icon by the Turkish LGBT community and often has a rainbow flag onstage during her performances. This song, İstanbul Hatırası, can be found on the soundtrack to the film Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. The video is from the movie.

Psyching You Out, Turkish Style: Replikas and "Şahar Dağı"

Just as Turkey is a crossroads between West and East, it is also a crossroads of musical styles. You can find music inspired from east of Turkey such as Persia/Iran and farther, or music from the south in Syria, Lebanon and Egypt, to music inspired by the Balkans and the Romani populations there. The genres cover ancient to modern, classical to pop. It's a melange of music worthy of a country that has seen a plethora of cultures pass through it, each putting their indelible stamp on Turkish culture and society. In particular, Istanbul, which literally straddles the East-West divide, is home to all kinds of artists, musical and otherwise.

Today's random song is by Replikas, an experimental/psychedelic rock band from Istanbul. Featuring Gökçe Akçelik on guitar and vocals, Barkın Engin on guitar, Selçuk Artut on bass, Orçun Baştürk on drums and Burak Tamer on electronics, the band has released seven studio albums, one boxed set and one live performance album, as well as being featured on many compilations. The band has also made music for film as well as appearing in the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. This song, Şahar Dağı, can be found on the soundtrack to Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2006).

The Unknown Turkish Musician: Nur Ceylan and "Böyle Olur Mu"

For those of you who actually read this blog, I want you to know that posts are going to be short and sweet for the next week. I am currently traveling, and will be in Texas until next weekend. That means that you will notice a lack of my wit, wisdom, bon mots, humor and other sundry items that make this blog the powerhouse of the global music world. I will be back with all of that by December 1st, but never fear, I have posts scheduled to take you through this week, with all the wonderful randomness out of my world music library that you could hope for.

Today's random tune is by Nur Ceylan. Unfortunately, I can't find any real information on Nur Ceylan for you, other than that the individual is a Turkish musician. This song, Böyle Olur Mu, was one of the featured songs on the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2005), a film tapestry of the sounds of Turkish music in Istanbul. The film was narrated by German musician Alexander Hacke and songs were recorded using a portable recording studio. Böyle Olur Mu can be heard on the soundtrack to the documentary (2005).

Homage: Selim Sesler and "Kurdili Hicazkar Longa"

The random tune for today is also an homage to a man called by The Guardian "the Coltrane of the clarinet." Selim Sesler was a Turkish clarinetist of Romani descent. He originally learned how to play the zurna, a simple woodwind instrumentthat accompanies a drum in Turkish folk music, but later switched over to the clarinet. At 14 he began to play for weddings and other social gatherings, and only learned to read music when he was conscripted into the Turkish military. Moving to Istanbul in the 1980s, he played for social gatherings and in restaurants, improving his skills and joining up with other Romani musicians. After meeting him in an Istanbul nightclub after a performance, Brenna MacCrimmon offered to do an album with him. The resulting tour brought him international exposure in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, yet he was still relatively unknown in Turkey. His improvisations of Romani wedding and dance music gained him acknowledgment as the main interpreter of Romani music. Turkish audiences finally were introduced to him in two movies, Head On and the documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. Sesler died in May, 2014 waiting for a new heart after a long battle with coronary artery disease. This song, Kurdili Hicazkar Longa, is from the soundtrack to Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2006).