Bazaar Istanbul: Music of Turkey

Performers include: Huseyin Turkmenler.
Personnel: Ahmet Dinleyen (kanun, cello); Naci Göçen (kanun); Sürkü Civan, Mehmet Dinleyen (oud); Hüseyin Türkmenler (saz, finger cymbals); Mustafa Gökyay, Senol Dinleyen, Hüseyin Bascambaz, Ismail Bascambaz, Yener Elmas, Ercüment Ibrahim (violin); Barboros Ünlü (accordion); Mustafa Sahin (zurna); Ahmet Kusgöz, Selahatin Kusgöz, Senol Kurt (clarinet); Ümit Tezcan, Ergin Dönder (keyboards); Bülent Kurtisoglu (drums, bass drum); Kaan Yilmaz (drums); Suat Güzeller (bendir, deff, percussion); Turgay Ozkiziltas (davul, percussion); Hakan Özserengil (davul); Salim Cicim (deff, zills); Hakan Günel (tambourine).
Liner Note Author: Diz Heller.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Sürku Kusgöz; Sener Akkaya.
Collecting items from their various other Turkish albums, Arc here has a nice, single-disc retrospective of previous work in the area. The music itself covers the spectrum, from timeless gypsy love songs to 20th century oud and saz pieces in a light classical form. Much of the work is excellent, with nods to tradition as well as the present, and inarguable skills on the part of the performers. At the same time, the Turkish horns can get somewhat grating to the unaccustomed ear, so tread with caution. Listen particularly for the saz of Huseyin Turkmenler, the vocals from Vivienne Dogan Corringham (also from Noor Shimal), and the shawm of Mustafa Sahin. As with many such compilations, digging for the sources of the music might be the more fruitful enterprise in the long run, but this is a nice sampler, and a starting point for any such exploration. ~ Adam Greenberg