Turkish music
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Elektro Hafiz
A musical maverick
His sound may be a mix of psychedelic, arabesque and rock but, behind the anarchic facade, all "Elektro Hafiz" wants to do is touch people with his music. Ceyda Nurtsch on a musical maverick who constantly reinvents himself while remaining true to his Turkish roots
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The "Anatolian Jazz Orchestra"
"More feeling than form"
The Anatolian Jazz Orchestra jazzes up the haunting airs of traditional Anatolian folk songs to give them an authentic big band makeover. Ceyda Nurtsch on an unconventional orchestra with its own distinctive fusion sound
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Male belly dancers in Turkey
Shimmying, swaying and gyrating to the beat
In Turkey, men are conquering the stage in the world of belly dance. The increasing popularity of male dancers is based on more than just the apparent novelty of their performances. In Istanbul, Cigdem Akyol met two belly dancers and spoke to them about their profession
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Musica Sequenza and Burak Ozdemir: "Rameau a la Turque"
Orientalising Orientalism
This is a man with a passion for fusion. In his project "Rameau a la Turque", the internationally celebrated Turkish bassoonist Burak Ozdemir builds a bridge between French Baroque and Ottoman seraglio music, creating a modern "Baroque groove". Ceyda Nurtsch attended the CD launch concert in Berlin's legendary Berghain club
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Interview with Michael Dreyer of the Osnabruck Morgenland Festival
A hub connecting the Orient and the Occident
The Osnabruck Morgenland Festival has acquired a reputation for top-class Oriental music. Marian Brehmer spoke to the festival's founder, Michael Dreyer, about the challenges of organising the annual festival, and how un-political a festival of the Orient can be
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Interview with Turkish composer Tolga Yayalar
Inspired by the sound of Gezi
Turkish composer Tolga Yayalar was inspired by the sounds of the 2013 Gezi Park protests when composing his work "Tableaux Vivants d'une Résistance", which was performed recently for the first time by the Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra at the Beethovenfest in Bonn. Adelheid Feilcke spoke to the composer
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Mercan Dede's album "Dunya"
Earth as an acoustic notebook
One man has changed the face of the Turkish music scene for good: Arkin Ilicali alias Mercan Dede. His new album, "Dunya", completes his cycle on the elements. Stefan Franzen introduces an exceptional musician and his latest work
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World music from Istanbul: Light in Babylon
Ambassadors of peace
The band Light in Babylon plays world music from Istanbul. They came to fame on the streets of the megacity and are now playing at international festivals. Ceyda Nurtsch talked to singer Michal about the Istanbul vibe
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Portrait: the singer Cigdem Aslan
Songs of the outcasts
Rebetiko is a musical genre that describes the emotionally charged songs of Greeks who were expelled from Turkey in the wake of the population exchange of 1923. Cigdem Aslan, a young Kurd from London, lends her powerful voice to the stories behind these songs. By Marian Brehmer
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Interview with the composer Marc Sinan
A modern-day Bartók of Turkic music
Dede Korkut, the best-known of the epic stories of the Oghuz Turks, and the music that goes with it form the basis of Marc Sinan's new docu-fictional musical theatre production, "Dede Korkut – The Story of Tepegoz". Astrid Kaminski spoke to the composer
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Art and protest in Turkey
Poking fun at the sultan
For about a year now, Turkey has been experiencing one of its worst ever political crises. It is a situation that has given the country's art scene a chance to flourish and to exercise its creativity in protest. However, such activity often entails the risk of serious consequences. By Senada Sokollu in Istanbul
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The Turkish music collective Bandista
"Every resistance movement has its own voice"
The music collective Bandista combines ska, dub and ethno sounds with a left-wing political message. With their catchy melodies and rhythms, they have become an essential part of street protests in Turkey. By Ceyda Nurtsch