In the first concert of the 2024 festival, the highly respected Turkish pianist, composer and arranger Ayşe Tütüncü presents her ‘Song Project’ at the Yeldeğirmeni Arts Centre in Kadıköy. Accompanied by Ezgi Daloğlu (background vocals, saxophone, flute), Baran Say (double bass) and Nihal Saruhanlı (drums, percussion), she will be performing some of the songs that she has written since 1985 but that have rarely been heard. She describes these songs – most of which will probably be in Turkish – as being a mixture of ‘theatrical’ and ‘jazzy’ numbers.
Ayşe Tütüncü has released a number of albums, four of which were recorded with her old group Mozaik; in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1995, having formed a new ensemble entitled the Piano Percussion Group, she released Çeşitlemeler (‘Variations’). Her best-known album, however, is Panayır (‘Country Fair’ –), released by Blue Note in 2006; this was the first time that Blue Note had created an album with a Turkish jazz musician. Ayşe Tütüncü has worked with a large number of jazz and pop musicians, and has written the music for a number of Turkish films. She is also a gifted improviser.
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
