Jazz In Turkey Script

Section 1 - Introduction

Hello! Welcome to my presentation on Jazz In Turkey. Just a quick note

before we start, I am aware of the name change of Turkey to Turkiye
recognised by the United Nations in May 2022. I will try my best to
acknowledge this throughout my presentation, however force of habit may
fail me. Apologies.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What a vague and broad subject to
choose for a presentation. Yeah, admittedly there have been a couple of
changes to my focus in this presentation from what I had previously
proposed.
Every time I opened a book or a webpage on this topic I was exposed to a
new layer of context that was difficult not to include. However it is largely
the same.
I will still be covering aspects of the jazz scene in Istanbul, about the global
interactions or influences the jazz music of Turkey has had and (here’s the
change) a little bit about how the identity of Turkish Jazz may have come
about.
I expect that what I will cover will be as new to a lot of people here as it was
to me, but I hope to raise some questions about the development of the
music and, maybe, even some that might challenge the way that we
approach jazz in our own playing and attitudes.

It’s important to note that the archives in Turkey are limited. Researchers
have made points about this before. Because of this, most of my research
has been using secondary sources and information I have found in
interviews, books and personal recollections from musicians and experts in
the area of Jazz in Turkey.

Section 2 - Previous Beginnings

As we begin, I think it’s important to touch on some of the beginnings of
jazz music in Turkiye.
Jazz was a term to describe most forms of western musical entertainment,
including tango, foxtrot and waltz. It’s only purpose was to entertain, and
was almost exclusively found in high-class hotels attended by wealthy
guests.
Because of the ottoman empire’s control over many parts of southeastern
Europe, north Africa and west Asia; there were many people living in
Istanbul that came from different religious backgrounds.
This included Armenian Apostolics, Greek Orthodox Christians and Jews.
The post-war world was jazzing and in the 1920’s many musicians and
enthusiasts from these backgrounds brought jazz music with them.
Finding copies of recordings and references was difficult due to strict import
restrictions put in place by the government. We will touch on the impact of
this a little more later.
On the 6th and 7th of September 1955, after the fall of the ottoman empire,
state-sponsored riots (or pogroms) took place in Istanbul specifically
targeting businesses owned by Greeks and non-muslims as a result of a
fascist policy implemented by then-president Adnan Menderes.
A horrific event that turned Istanbul into a desert for many years that
followed, made worse by a military coup d'etat in 1960 that put restrictions
on to foreign musicians altogether.
The pogrom saw the minorities eventually emigrate from Turkiye.
Orhan Tekelioglu, sociologist and doctor of philosophy, suggests that
“There were greater losses as a result of these riots that were unnoticed at
the time, the loss of non-muslim musicians was a huge thing”.
Sadettin Davran believes that “some of the most talented musicians (in
Turkey) were from minorities with ottoman citizenship”.
Greek saxophonist Hrant Lusigyan, regarded at the time as the best in
Turkiye (and by some, the best in the world), was affected by the attacks
when his shop was looted.
The musicians that stayed and continued to play jazz in Istanbul were not
of the same level, to put it frankly it was amateur and not as well put
together as had previously been seen.
However, also during the 50’s, Turkey had gained its NATO membership,
an entrance into the western alliance. A lot of wealth and capitalism from
the west came into Turkey after this.
In June of the same year as the pogroms, the first hotel to come from
overseas was opened in Istanbul. The Hilton, which had its own club called
the Sadirvan.
The opening ceremony, as you could imagine, was very colorful and gained
a lot of interest from the press and media. Jazz music was chosen to play
to the journalist crowds.
This was the first time that jazz musicians in Turkey placed themselves on
a higher tier than they had done previously. The understanding at the time
being that “This was the superior music of the west, so therefore we should
make this our music too”.
The club marked a beginning for higher quality jazz music in Turkey since
the pogroms.
If you think about it, there is no concrete way of knowing what the direction
of Turkish jazz would’ve been had these musicians of minorities stayed, but
is there a way we can make sense of the direction it took next because of
these events?

Section 3 - The last 50 odd years

Now, let's fast forward to the bit you’re waiting to hear about. The late 60’s
and 70’s. You could argue that jazz music in Turkey started twisted and
with false dynamics.
In America, it birthed through the struggles of african american slavery and
the civil rights movement. In Turkey it was entertainment for the
consumption of high society.
A fair argument, Murat Beser, music writer and radio presenter certainly
thinks so.
Expert (Dan Morgenstern, USA Consulate Craig Dicker) refer to Jazz as a
“Weapon Of Mass Inclusion”.
I mentioned that there were regimes against importing goods into Turkiye,
this made finding records from around the world very hard to get hold of.
Those in possession of records, and were of a sharing nature, certainly left
their imprint on Turkish Jazz. The most notable being drummer, composer
and radio presenter; Mr (Bayefendi) Erol Pekcan.

(Insert music here of Erol Pekcan’s Caz Semai Album)

Erol Pekcan hosted jazz programs on TRT radio and television, where he
would showcase jazz from Turkiye and around the world.
His impressively large record collection gained the interest and popularity
of many jazz lovers in Turkey.
You know, he’d be whipping out records with “SPANISH JAZZ” labeled over
the front, then follow it with another with “POLISH JAZZ” used to advertise
itself.
Inevitably, it wasn't long until people were questioning the presence of a
“TURKISH JAZZ” record. So in 1978, a record was released under the
name of “Caz Semai”. Featuring Erol Pekcan, Kudret Oztoproak and Tuna
Otenel (who played both saxophone and piano on the album).
This became considered the first “Turkish Jazz LP”.

Erol Pekcan, through his programs and his music, became the “Flag ship”,
or as you’d say in Turkey “Amiral Gemisi” of Turkish jazz at the time. He
was known and inspired by many.

During the 80’s, there was a movement of turkish musicians emigrating

over to america, most of which studying at berklee college of music.
Notably: Ates Tezer, Mahmut Yalay, Aydin Esen, Neset Ruacan, Ali Perret
and Nilufer Verdi. Mentored under George Garzone, these guys were
known as the second generation of Turkish Jazz musicians.
The third coming around 20 years later.
Aydin Esen, in particular was mentioned in an interview with Mikael
Ringquist, as being a blank page and a genius when it came to his diversity
in musical styles in soloing.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b51NbLFA-g)

Whtatcha think? Pretty cool? Maybe Not? I’d like to show you some more…
Section 5 - a touch on the global outreach of the “New Sound”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0F3tPWXSI4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj32BzYD3J4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op45uSokzok&t=6s

https://www.youtube2222.com/watch?v=KtHvEUAMfAY

As Turkish musicians continued to take to the world stages, there gained

an interest in some of the traditional sounds of Turkiye’s folk and art music
from musicians you may already be well aware of.
One of the more obvious being Dave Brubeck, who when visiting Istanbul
was inspired by turkish rhythms and time signatures that echo through the
streets of the city.
He later utilized these in his composition “Blue Ronda A La Turk”.
Drummer and composer Okay Temiz recalls introducing turkish music to
Don Cherry when they’d met in Stockholm, Mr Cherry was very impressed.
There came a new sound for jazz in Turkey, pioneered by the likes of Okay,
Ismet Siral and Ozdemir Erdogan.
It was a fusion of western jazz harmony, makams traditional turkish
instruments and the use of complex and mixed time signatures that are so
prominent in traditional turkish music.
Projects such as “Oriental Wind”, “Sevda Projesi” and later, Marcus Miller’s
“Istanbul Project” and Laco Tayfa would catch the attention of tourists and
musicians from around the world. I’d call it an exciting, fresh sound that
hadn’t been heard in Jazz before.
If we were to speculate for a moment however, the argument could be
made that this new sound dominated the timeline of jazz in Turkiye.
Some musicians in Turkiye felt as if it didn’t represent their interests, as
they wanted to continue playing music that was similar to the jazz in the
States. Okay Temiz again said that many musicians in Turkey hadn’t
“Realised the full potential of Traditional music”. The improvisation, the
rhythms, the freedom of expression and in a way the spirituality of the two
musics share a similarity in concept but with differences in application.

Section 5 - Nardis Jazz Club - The Scene In Istanbul Today

In Istanbul today, jazz is still very much rife. The IKSV Istanbul Caz
Festival, a member of The International Jazz Festivals Organisation (IJFO),
has hosted names such as Marcus Miller, John McAughlin, Tony Bennet,
Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret and Miles Davis (to name a few).
There are an array of clubs in Istanbul that actually play jazz.
The heartbeat of the city’s jazz community is Nardis; a small 120-cap venue
with food, cocktails and high quality jazz.
Started in 2002, as what was essentially a living room jam session, it has
now grown into an important landmark in Istanbul.
The tickets I found online were cheap. Very cheap.
Depending on the ever fluctuating exchange rate, you can be admitted for
the whole night for around 9 quid.
The club, alongside the local names and student bands, have hosted
Terrence Blanchard, Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Ron Carter, Dianne
Reeves and Dee Dee Bridgwater. For 9 quid!
The club survives on the bar intake and sponsorships from beer
companies, which is how they somehow afford to book the huge names
that they have. Simon Cook (who used to run Ronnie Scott’s in London up
until the pandemic) compared Nardis’ genuine and honest business to that
of the 606 in Chelsea, and is deserving of the support of jazz lovers around
the world. And, just in case you didn’t hear, for less than a tenner a ticket,
what's there to say no to.
Other festivals include the Akbank and Garanti Caz Festivals, which too
have held an impressive lineup of local and international jazz music. Other
clubs on the scene are the Bova Sahne, Kerem Gorsev Caz Bar, The
Badau, Touche and Living Room.
I got in contact with Pelin Opcin, currently one of the programmers for EFG
London Caz Festival and previously worked on the Istanbul Caz Festival,
who has been focused on making jazz music accessible and interesting to
wider audiences of young people. In her words “Less chin-stroking, sat
down concerts”. This is visible in Istanbul’s Jazz Scene, the audiences
consist much more of young people in their 20’s/30’s than jazz lovers of
older generations.
Simon Cook argues: “Istanbul is more of a jazz town than anywhere in the
UK apart from London, maybe even more than some towns in the United
States”.
It’s an interesting and somewhat bold point to make. Especially of a city
that most people in the west wouldn’t immediately associate with jazz
music, right?

Final Section - Conclusion

(Insert clips of interviews with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and

Terrence Blanchard here. Courtesy of “Turkiye’de Caz” documentary by
Batu Akyol, Lokya Productions)

You’d be forgiven for not instantly mentioning Istanbul when asked about
Jazz music around the world. Historically, through culture, religion, foreign
affairs and music; Istanbul has been the bridge connecting the Eastern and
Western worlds.
You heard a few words there from Terrence Blanchard and Herbie Hancock
about the similarities between Traditional Turkish Music and American Jazz
and the depth of the cultures in Istanbul that allow musicians in the city to
explore the music.
In the last 40 years, Turkish musicians and promoters have begun to put
their stamp on jazz music internationally.
Specifically through studies in America, Networking in Sweden and
organizing prestigious jazz festivals in the United Kingdom.
Looking to the future, I think this is a really exciting time for Jazz music in
Turkey.
The popularity of fusing World and Ethnic music with Jazz is ever growing
and, in my opinion, broadens the palette for what we as jazz musicians can
utilize in our playing and compositions.
Jazz music would not have existed in Istanbul without the Ottoman
Empire’s control over south-eastern europe and western asia. But also,
Jazz music would not have been as prominent or successful in Istanbul had
it not been so strongly influenced by the west. Istanbul, arguably, is the
perfect place for people around the world to make jazz.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues, Friends and Tutors. There’s a lot to

unpack here, it’s not been possible for me to include everything that I could
have in my presentation today as every aspect could be a dissertation on
its own. But I hope it’s been informative and interesting for you all. Thank
you, I am now open to any questions you might have.