ANADOLU POP This is a sincere call we haven’t encountered recently. Bittersweet epic of a lonesome beautiful land, ever since the day civilized man is born to her loving arms. On Turkey's quest between long closed doors of east and west, Anadolu Pop is an all embracing cosmic response to dilemmas derived from a disoriented state of mind. Baris K, İstanbul, 2009
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Anadolu Pop: Anadolu pop is an indigenised version of psychedelic folk-rock coming to existence as a witness of 15 thousand years of migration. A unique breed of diverse traditions and ethnicities once these land have hosted via first states and colossal empires shaped the history.
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Whilst the likes of Gokcen Kaynatan and Murat Ses experimented on the first electronic instrumentals, others like Baris Manco, Fikret Kizilok, Ersen, Erkin Koray and Uc Hurel, followed a lyrical path and attracted wider audience such as epic folk legend Asik Veysel and followers of Selda, Mogollar, Cem Karaca, Timur Selcuk and Edip Akbayram adopted a protest style heavily influenced by Asik Ihsani and Asik Mahzuni. All became icons of leftist movement and led crowds to streets. Until the last and the most supppressive coup's mass destruction of socio-cultural life in 1980 which was a product of 30 years social engineering. Then everything was silent.... |
Eurasia comes as a relief in chaotism of the present day and offers revival of this cosmic sound evoking a sensuous love and philosophy. This provocatively poetic language combined with intriguing folk sounds in forms of psychedelic jazz improvisations, guitar riffs, burning synthesizers and spaced out beats creates a magnetic field… Get ready to embark on a cosmic odyssey! |
Dictionary ANATOLIA / ANADOLU Also known as Asia Minor, comprising 97% of modern Turkey that is situated on the Asia continent. Anatolia is the peninsula bordering the Black Sea, the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The name Anatolia comes from the ancient Greek Anatolí, “rise” or Anatolía, “(land) of the sunrise” or simply the “East”. Byzantines called the region Anatolicon, meaning Eastern whereas, Hellenia referred to the Western lands, where the sun sets. The word morphed into “Anadolu” over time and Turkish folk etymology further breaks down the geographical term into two words: "full of (dolu) mother (ana)" referring to the matriarchal traditions of Asia Minor and steppes of Asia. |
ASIK A minstrel, mystic troubadour or travelling bard continuing the oral tradition originating from shamanistic roots of nomadic Turkic tribes, which later became an element of folk culture in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Iran. Asiks sing and play the saz, a form of lute. Their epic verses are semi-improvised around common issues, love and philosophy. The word “asik” also means "in love". Asik is of the people; he is part of them. He sings about the positive and negative aspects of society. He dares to mention social problems and offers advices, questions the unknown and reveals an ancient mystery philosophy. Love is the essence, respect all living and non-living in this creation. |
Istanbul, the only megapolis that physically locates on two continents and bridges them over the infamous Bosphorus strait, neither occidental nor oriental once was the hybrid port for musicians and artists on the mystic route to the East in the 60's and the 70's. Despite a Cuban style poverty as a result of exclusion from world trade agreements untill 80's, besides local mainsteam and a limited selection of import billboard music, record stores saw the legend of Turkish Avant-Jazz and Anadolu Pop. The original works of local "Beat Generation" musicians grown up in folk arrangement bands in the late 50's could be considered as the beginning of modern Anatolian folk or as they termed in the early 60's; "Anadolu Pop". Later spiced up with new beats and styles from others who returned from abroad. |
