Baba Zula
Baba Zula is an Turkish alternative musical group, founded in Istanbul in 1996.[1] With a wide variety of influences and a wide range of instruments, they create a unique psychedelic sound.
Contents |
[edit] History
Founded in 1996, the band features founding members Levent Akman and Murat Ertel as well as Coşar Kamçı, who replaced original member Emre Onel in 2005. BaBa Zula added live drawing artist Ceren Oykut into the mix in 2004. She left the band in 2010. Her presence onstage had added an important visual aspect to BaBa Zula's live performances. Akman, Ertel, and Onel originally formed Baba Zula as a side project of now disbanded Anatolian rock group Zen.[2]
In 2005 Baba Zulu was exposed to a wider international audience when they were featured in a documentary, Crossing the Bridge by Fatih Akin, which took an in-depth look at Istanbul's contemporary and avant-garde music scene.[3][1]
[edit] Musical style
Described as "Turkey’s most beloved alternative music purveyors"[3] Baba Zulu create a unique psychedelic sound, combining Traditional Turkish instruments, electronica, reggae and dub. The core of their sound is the saz, a Turkish bouzouki like stringed instrument with a bright, high-pitched sound.[3]
Baba Zula have performed at festivals such as the Roskilde Festival (Denmark), Sofia Film Festival (Bulgaria), Klinkende Munt Festival] (Belgium), Arezzo Wave Festival (Italy), Images of Middle East (multi-city Denmark tour), Cologne Triennale (Germany), Printemps de Bourges (France), Şimdi/Now Festival (Germany), Era Nowe Horyzonty (Wrocław, Poland), the Boost Festival (Netherlands) and the Venice Biennial.
[edit] Members
- Murat Ertel – lead vocals, saz, other strings, theremin (1996- )
- Levent Akman – percussion, drum machine (1996- )
- Çoşar Kamçı – goblet drum (2003- )
[edit] Former members
- Emre Onel– goblet drum, sampler (1996–2003)
- Ceren Oykut – live video (2004-2010)
[edit] Guest musicians
International guests:
- Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare
- Alexander Hacke, bass guitarist of Einstürzende Neubauten
- Canadian vocalist Brenna MacCrimmon
Turkish guests:
- clarinetist Hüsnü Şenlendirici from Laço Tayfa
- Turkish rock and pop Özkan Uğur from MFÖ
- writer-painter-musician Mehmet Güreli
[edit] Discography
- 1996 - Tabutta Rövaşata - soundtrack for Tabutta Rövaşata ("Somersault in the Coffin") by Derviş Zaim (Ada Music)
- 1999 - Üç Oyundan Onyedi Müzik (Doublemoon)
- 2003 - Psychebelly Dance Music (Ruhani Oyun Havaları)(Doublemoon, mixed by Mad Professor)
- 2005 - Duble Oryantal (Doublemoon, mixed by Mad Professor)
- 2006 - Dondurmam Gaymak - soundtrack for Dondurmam Gaymak ("Ice Cream, I Scream") by Yüksel Aksu (Rh Pozitif)
- 2007 - Kökler (Doublemoon)
- 2010 - Gecekondu (Doublemoon)
[edit] Performances
- Performed before Manu Chao 2002 Efes Pilsen Summer Festival.
- Mediterranean Film Festival Cologne
- Cologne Triennale (Germany)
- Printemps de Bourges (France)
- Şimdi/Now Festival (Germany)
- Boost Festival (Netherlands)
- Roskilde Festival (Denmark) (3 July 2004)
- Venn Festival on 3 June 2006
- Ariano Folk Festival on 26 August 2006
The band also appeared in the film Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (2005) by Fatih Akın. It is a documentary on the music of Istanbul, played and recorded with Einstürzende Neubauten's Alexander Hacke. The band performs the song "Tavus Havası".
[edit] References
- ^ a b Erich Kocina Psychedelische Klänge aus Istanbul in Wien, Die Presse, 1 July 2007. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
- ^ Nick Hobbs, "Istanbul Grooves", fRoots June 2008, pp. 59-61
- ^ a b c Reinvigorating roots, Innerviews, 2008. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
