With new CD releases of Melike (Belgium/Turkey), Marta Gómez (Columbia), DEM Ensemble (Turkey) and The Sound of Siam, Molam & Luk Thung (Thailand).
Melike.
The seed for ‘Inn of love’ was sown when Melike Tarhan, Flemish singer with Turkish roots, attended a performance of saxophonist John Snauwaert. The theme love is recurring in this musical web of ethnic and modern Western influences.
1. The Palm Tree, traditional
2. Dance with me, traditional
3. My Fadime, traditional
4. Together, John Snauwaert
Cd: ‘Inn of Love’ van Melike. Label: Home Records.be (2014), code: 4446120. Video
Marta Gómez has a beautiful clear voice, a fresh and endearing timbre and sings various styles. We hear from her homeland Colombia the cumbia ad bambuco; from Argentina the zamba; the Peruvian festejos and the Chilean cueca. She writes all the music herself, plays guitar and is accompanied by bass, flute, percussion and piano.
1. La Ronda, (M. Gomez)
2. Chicharra, (M. Gomez)
3. Almita Mia, (M. Gomez)
4. Carnavalliando (M. Gomez)
Cd: ‘Contigo’ van Maria Gómez. Label: Arc Music (2014), code: EOCD 2528.
Video
The DEM Ensemble plays the historical music of Istanbul with an interesting mixture of the Byzantine, Ottoman periods and also of the Turkish Republic. DEMs music wants you to hear a special polyphony, based on Anatolian maquam structures by means of the use of traditional instruments like the baglama and the tanbur.
1. Hantuman Zeybegi, traditional, (Izmir-Menemen)
2. Agur Al Yazma Zeybegi, traditional, (Burdur)
3. Jabdarma Zeybegi, traditional, (Izmir-Menemen)
4. Huseyni Taksim, improvised intro to Makam Huseeyni
5. Eskisehir, traditional, (Eskisehir)
Cd: ‘Erguvan’ van het DEM Ensemble. Label: Felmay (2014), code: fy 8211.
Video
‘The Sound of Siam’ contains tracks which represent the evolution of the music and production techniques in Bangkok, when rice labourers moved from the north east to the city. They were exposed early on to American popular sounds, as a consequence of military bases in the region. Local bands with Molam and Luk Thung singers were influenced by rock, soul and surf sounds.
1. Hantuman Zeybegi, traditional, (Izmir-Menemen)
2. Agur Al Yazma Zeybegi, traditional, (Burdur)
3. Jabdarma Zeybegi, traditional, (Izmir-Menemen)
4. Huseyni Taksim, improvised intro to Makam Huseeyni
5. Eskisehir, traditional, (Eskisehir)
Cd: ‘The Sounds of Siam (vol.2.)’ van Malam & Luk Thung from North-East Thailand 1970-1982. Label: Felmay (2014), code: fy 8211. Distributie: Xango Music.
