Melancholy Longing: Omar Faruk Tekbilek and "Hasret"

Today's random song is called Hasret and is performed by Omar Faruk Tekbilek. A Turkish composer and musician who is multi-faceted, playing wind, percussion and stringed instruments, he add electronic ambient sounds to traditional Sufi music. As a teenager in the mid-1960s, he considered devoting his life to Sufism but at 15 decided to pursue music as his profession. He toured the United States with a Turkish folk ensemble in 1971. On the tour he met his future wife, and returned to the US after compulsory military service. He worked in an apparel factory in Rochester, New York while honing his craft in a pop and fusion band called The Sultans, but opportunities were few and far between until he met composer, musician and guitarist Briane Keane in 1988. Keane engaged him for a soundtrack he was working on for the movie Suleyman the Magnificent, and eventually became Tekbilek's producer. You can find Hasret on Omar Faruk Tekbilek's 2011 album Mystical Garden, and on numerous compilation albums such as Pera Lounge (2011).

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/Omar_Faruk_Tekbilek

Beautiful Turkish Strings: Can Atilla and "Hamamda Ilk Gösyaşlari"

Can Atilla brings us the random tune today, entitled Hamamda Ilk Gösyaşlari (Cello Version). Can Atilla is a Turkish composer and musician who is best known for Diriliş (Resurrection), the official music for the 90th anniversary of the Turkish parliament. He has scored movies and television dramas and documentaries where he pioneered the first use of multi-track orchestral dubbing in Turkey. He has also published many essays in arts periodicals. You'll find Hamamda Ilk Gösyaşlari (Cello Version) on Can Atilla's 2009 album Cariyeler Ve Geceler and on the compilation album Pera Lounge.

Constructing Turkey: Can Atilla and "Rumeli Hisarinin Yapilişi"

The random song for today is from Turkish composer Can Atilla, who is most noted for composing the official music for the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish parliament. Rumeli Hisarinin Yapilişi (The Building of Rumelian Castle) can be found on the compilation CD Pera Lounge (2011).

It Must be Beautiful: Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay and "Morning In Ortaköy"

Today's random tune has a Turkish smooth jazz feel. Morning In Ortaköy is performed by Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay. Yeşilçay is a Turkish oud player and composer who was a co-founder, along with psaltery player Mehmet İhsan Özer, of the Pera Ensemble of Istanbul. He has performed more than 200 concerts worldwide. The name Ortaköy refers to a neighborhood in Istanbul on the European side of the city known for its cosmopolitan flavor. Morning In Ortaköy can be found on the 2010 compilation album Pera Lounge.