Baba Zula featuring on the April issue of ASAHI
Category: Music

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Baba Zula featuring on the March issue of JAPAN TIMES
Category: Music

Baba Zula: from the belly of the beats

Underground music maniacs, the real hardcore otaku (obsessed fans), have long raved about the Turkish psychedelic music of the 1960s and '70s -- crazy reverb-drenched, twangy-guitar tracks that sounded like The Ventures if they'd been a belly-dancer backing band with a taste for hashish and quarter-tone tunings.

This stuff never traveled much, though, and only recently has this music started reappearing on cleverly packaged compilations wrapped in an aura of retro-chic, on albums like "Love, Peace, and Poetry: Turkish Psychedelic Music" and "Hava Narghile," which is the "Nuggets" of Anatolian psyche-pop.

A first glance at Istanbul-based band Baba Zula -- with their garish, baroque visual style and classic, shaggy boho looks -- might leave you thinking that one of these '70s hippie bands has aged particularly well. When you listen, though, you'll hear a stylistic pastiche that is thoroughly postmodern -- mixing traces of dub and improv-rock with traditional Turkish instrumentation.

This sort of blend is appreciated more overseas than at home -- though that's starting to change. Next month will see Baba Zula's live debut in Japan, and the band spoke with The Japan Times to discuss their evolution and influences.

Baba Zula formed in 1996 as an improv group doing music for avant-garde theater. But it quickly became a band in its own right, based around members Murat Ertel (electric saz and guitar), Levent Akman (percussion, drum machines, toy instruments) and Emre Onel (darbukka, sampler, keyboard, vocals). The band's lineup has expanded and contracted over the years but is again a trio. Says Ertel: "We came back to the beginning. I think it's the ultimate Baba Zula sound because simplicity and roots are important for us. Turkish traditional folk music also emphasizes simplicity and fewer instruments, but the music becomes more powerful because of it."

Baba Zula have released three albums on Doublemoon: "3 Oyundam 17 Muzik," a collection of their music for theater; "Ruhani Oyun Havalari," which saw them move more heavily into "Oriental Dub" mode with Mad Professor behind the mixing desk; and their latest "Duble Oryantal," which also saw Jamaican greats Sly & Robbie supply a few rhythm tracks. Ertel describes how the group hooked up with Mad Professor, the premiere U.K. dub mixer, who has worked with Massive Attack and Jamiroquai, among others: "We met him in Istanbul at a show, and he agreed to make mixes for three of our songs, but it went so well that he did the whole album. Mad Professor is crazy about electronics and effects . . . He brings a sense of clarity to our music. Also, he's a rootsman and he comes from the (African) Yoruba tribe, so we learned from each other the spirit behind our thinking."

A typical Mad Professor production for Baba Zula is something like "Kisaltmalar (Dub Mix)" on their second album. Guest musicians Husnu Senlendirici on Gypsy clarinet and Brenna MacCrimmon on vocals provide snakey, supple melodic lines that the Mad Prof. stretches and fractalizes with delays and dropouts; a decidedly Oriental bassline grooves along in that irresistible 9/8 Turkish rhythm, heavy with the anchor-weight of dub, and rolling darbukka percussion gets subtly shaded by veils of echo and filtering.

When Ertel is asked what "dub" -- a nebulous word at best when once removed from the shores of Jamaica -- meant to him in a Turkish context, he replied cryptically, "Dub means the power of simplicity and emptiness and beauty of echoes of time . . ." When pressed to elaborate, he'd say only "I think that says everything about dub." Period. Hard to argue, really.

The band is capable of strange and delicate beauty, on tracks like "Cecom," which mixes insects and garbled bits of found sound with a slow, trilling melody on saz, and a haunting, doubled vocal by MacCrimmon. They're equally capable of kicking out the jams, though, and Ertel says "it's important to have a groove: music that if you hear it, it will be moving you. We want to dance at our own concerts too! And of course, we have to make our bellydancers dance . . ."

Baba Zula are known, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as purveyors of "Psychebelly Dance Music," and the collaborations of free-minded dancers have become an integral part of their live act. Many dancers in Tokyo adore the band for its eccentric approach.

Nourah, a student of Tokyo legend Mishaal, and an accomplished dancer in her own right, toured Denmark and Turkey with the band last year and will dance with them in Tokyo. She tells how "dancing with Baba Zula is unlike with any other band; it's really improvised. You're never sure how the song is going to change or end. But they trust me and just want me to dance freely."

Asked why Baba Zula incorporate bellydance into their shows, Ertel says, "I think it's a very erotic and a very revolutionary ancient ritual from matriarchal times." Asked about its popularity in Japan, he replies "I think women all around the world are becoming more powerful to express themselves. But Japanese bellydancing has a very high aesthetic side to it. We performed with Nourah the most and she is fantastic . . . if she only pretended to dance like a Turkish bellydancer it wouldn't be influential for us."

Baba Zula often talk about how important improvisation is to their sound, but their songs also seem quite structured. "When we play live, some part comes from the soul, and some from the mind," explains Ertel. "Just like yin and yang, we have to keep a balance. It's different always, and that's why it's exciting. We are jamming composers."

The band's most striking aspect may be its ability to bridge Turkish folk styles like taksim or gazel with imported styles like dub or electronica, but as Onel has said previously, "We are not concerned with an East-West synthesis whatsoever. As long as sounds are in harmony, it doesn't matter if they come from a cooking pot or a drum." Ertel notes that "the great division in music is between the West and the rest, not just the East."

In the end, Baba Zula are a very hard band to pin down, full of contradictions that they somehow resolve musically. One thing that you can be sure of is that their show will be quite an experience; "Our concerts are rituals," says Ertel. "We are trying to reach a point of catharsis, trying to feel an energy which comes from the ancient times." (G.F.)

Baba Zula perform with Double Famous and bellydancers Nourah and Akiko Takada on April 4, 7:30 p.m., Club Quattro, Shibuya; advance tickets: 5,000 yen, same day 5,500 yen (both include one drink). Tickets available from Ticket Pia, Lawson Ticket and Club Quattro. For more information, contact Conversation at (03) 5280-9996. www.conversation.co.jp

See related story:
Sounds that bridge two continents

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Baba Zula @ Time Out - Turning Japanese
Category: Music

­Turning Japanese

After their trip to Tokyo Baba Zula return to Turkey and their roots with a surprising new CD. James Snow investigates.  

The new CD released by Baba Zula marks a return to their original sound, and is fittingly called "Kökler", or "origins". The title can also be translated as "roots". After viewing band member Ceren Oykut's artwork for the CD, which is dominated by large limbed trees with massive roots, perhaps this is a better translation to go with. After releasing two albums, which featured a typically eclectic, east-meets-west, coterie of guests, from Sly and Robbie to Alexander Hacke, the group decided to strip down their lineup, getting back to the core members: frontman and visionary, Murat Ertel, effects and electronics maestro, Levent Akman, and the virtuoso, percussionist, Çosar Kamçi. The only guest is their frequent collaborator and friend, the Canadian singer, Brenna MacCrimmon.

Significantly, the album is also produced by the legendary Mehmet Ate--, rather than Mad Professor (of Massive Attack fame), who produced their last two CDs*. The group chose to work with him to get back to the "authentic", analog sound of late 60s Turkish psych-rock songs they were enamored with in their youth, much of it produced by Ate--. The difference in sound is very apparent. Levent's effects, electronic beats and samples are still there, but the rest is raw and retro. After a long odyssey characterized by 'oriental dub', 'psychedelic belly dance' and musique concrete, in other words, a radical reconfiguration of Turkish folk, here the group gets back to basics.

Most of the 29 tracks are instrumentals. Guest, Brenna MacCrimmon, sings the only straightforward song. The other folk song comes courtesy of a sampled and manipulated Ne--et Erta-- 45". The snap, crackles and pops of old-fashioned vinyl are audible on the latter. Fans of Baba Zula's forays into dub will be glad to know they are still playing around with that genre. However, overall, this CD ia more of a Turkish folk collection, BZ style. Expect odd instruments like the Japanese gas heater, which Murat rescued from the rubbish bin because he loved the illustration of a geisha on it, which is drummed on ("japon halay--") and other oddities, but be ready for a more traditional approach than usual. The album will most definitely appeal to listeners who liked their debut album, the soundtrack to the film, "Somersault in the Coffin", and to fans of their live shows.

Traveling around town with this album on the i-pod, gave this writer a sense of place. Though the sound of the saz is often melancholy, the effect is balanced by the upbeat energy provided by the Turkish percussion, and BZ's playfulness when it comes to lyrics, samples and effects. Somehow it all seemed to fit the cityscape in a way all the trendy east-meets-west albums coming out…don't. For example, Turkish pop groups who play ska and sound like The Specials are alright on their own terms, but create a kind of cognitive dissonance, as they don't seem to really come from anywhere but the much-hyped global village, which often is no more than a non-place alla Starbucks – rootless, in short. Songs like "iskender", which recounts the apocryphal encounter in Anatolia between Alexander the Great and Diogenes the Cynic, also place the listener historically. According to legend, Alexander offered Diogenes anything he wanted and his only response was to ask Alexander, who was overshadowing him, to step out of his sunlight.

The paradox is BZ's return to their own Anatolian roots came out of a trip to Japan. How you might ask? TOIST caught up with Murat and Levent at the café-restaurant, Misket, to find out:

Murat Ertel: There was this Japanese dub engineer we met in Tokyo…"Uchi" (Naouyuki Uchida)…and we worked with him at the concert in Tokyo and we were very, very pleased. It was the shortest soundcheck of our whole career. It finished in 15 minutes.

Levent Akman: Everything was ready.

ME: The frequency he got with the bass and effects was perfect so we said we want to work with you, so we sent three songs to them. He produced them in Tokyo and sent them back.

TOIST: The last three songs, right?

LA: Yes, the last three.

ME: Our trip to Japan was very important for this album. It really affected this album very much. It really changed our conception of the oriental or the Far East…because the Japanese are living in a kind of science fiction world. They are living ahead of all the other civilizations that we know…and also they are linked to their old traditions at the same time, so they are very futuristic, but also traditional. That approach really suited us very much. We are kind of like that. We have a link with tradition but we are kind of futuristic.

LA: And also in Japan they are very enthusiastic about belly dancing. We heard there are around 200 belly dance schools in Tokyo and our belly dancer from Tokyo…She has 25 students and her teacher has 60 students…and also they wanted to dance to our slow songs.

TOIST: How did the dub stuff go over there? What did they react to the most?

ME: They reacted to the Turkish folk songs, and the slow style the most, which was a very strange thing for us…We have a theory about Turkish culture and Japanese culture having a link and this link was destroyed by China's interference. Just a theory (laughs)…

TOIST: It's all getting homogenized and polished?

LA: Yes…Germany, Belgium, France, it all looks the same, but Japan and Tokyo are very different.

TOIST: One last question: You've had songs banned before. Do you think any of the songs on this album will suffer the same fate.

ME: Yes, (laughs) all of them.

Kökler is out now on the Doublemoon label. Most decent shops now devote a whole section to Doublemoon's output, but you should find it easy to find this one. Not only is the music stripped down, but the album's artwork departs from the usual digitally manipulated images that characterize today's CD covers, and stands out on the shelf with its simple black and white drawing by Ceren Oykut.

*The group also released a film soundtrack. Go to www.babazula.com for details for a complete discography.

http://www.timeout.com.tr/yazi_goster.php?artID=785

Currently listening : Kökler By Baba Zula

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"Tabutta Rovasata" Tekrar dagitimda...
Category: Music

Tabutta Rovasata orjinal film muzikleri albumu, uzun bir aradan sonra, Baba ZuLa’nin 10.yilinda Aysen Aydemir ve Dursun’un aziz hatiralarina adanarak tekrar dagitima girdi.

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The album Sommersault in the coffin, at the 10th anniversary of baba zula, is dedicated to the beloved memories of Aysen Aydemir and Dursun.

Currently listening : Tabutta Rövasata - Orjinal Film Müzikleri By Baba Zula

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Gokhan Akcura & Baba Zula Presents: Killing in Istanbul!

Gokhan Akcura & Baba Zula Presents: Killing in Istanbul!!

Gökhan Akçura & Baba Zula Sunar : Kilink Istanbul'da!

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Denmark Summer Tour!! ( with the belly dancer "Nourah" from Tokyo
Category: Food and Restaurants

That's right... Babazula is headed back on the road in Denmark starting 30th Aug in Magasinet and they are not quitting until the middle of September. The Japanenese belly dancer "Nourah" will also accompany all shows in Denmark ...

Denmark Tour guest: Nourah from Tokio
30.08 Odense @ Magasinet
31.08 Rodovre @ Viflen
01.09 Roskilde @ Hestetorvet
02.09 Ringsted @ Torvet
03.09 Copenhagen @ Vega
04.09 Vordingborg @ Stars
05.09 Helsingborg @ Dunkers

Plus, the group will perform with Alexander Hacke and Nourah at Balance Concert Hall , 6th September, Istanbul/ Turkey...

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Baba Zula featuring on the last issue of RYTHM magazine
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

and so on... also, the soundtrack of Crossing The Bridge ( featuring Baba Zula ) has scored as the "album of the month" in the same magazine...

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Baba Zula, RYTHM dergisinin son sayýsýnda yer alýyor. Ayrica Crossing the Bridge dergide "Ayýn Albümü" seçilmiþ bulunuyor. Ýlisikte makalenin Turkce cevirisini bulabilirsiniz....

- FATIH AKININ ISTANBUL MUZÝK ANSIKLOPEDISI AVRUPAYI FETHETTI

Fatih Akin'in filmini ve soundtrackini birbirlerinden bagimsiz 

olarak incelemek dogal olarak mümkün degil.  Haliyle bu yazidaki  

sinematografik anlara olan göndermeler de kacinilmaz. Keza bir sekilde filmin 

tarzi bunu gerektiriyor. "The Sound of Istanbul"da Baba Zula sadece 

Baba Zula degil, bir tekne ile Bogaziçi'nde yolculuk yapan, canli çalan 

bir Baba Zula ve filme de bu sekilde "giriyorlar". Kürt sarkici Aynur 

Dogan sadece karizmatik bir sekilde Kece Kurdan albümünden Ehmedo'yu 

Fatih Akin'in kamerasi ve Alexander Hacke'nin kayit cihazlarinin önünde 

söyleyen Aynur degil; Kirmanca söylemeye cesaret edenlerin çileli 

anlarini yeniden yasayan Aynur'dur. Efsanevi aktör ve sarkici Orhan Gencebay, 

önünde bir kaç nesil hayranin egildigi ekranda görülen bir silüet degil, 

o an gerçeklesen sanatin bir parçasi. Bu filmde yer alan isimler sadece 

senaryo geregi  özel kilinmistir demek istemiyorum. Orient 

Expressions ve Mercan Dede'nin ayni (Doublemoon) plak sirketinden çikan 

albümleri de sicagi sicagina piyasa sürüldü ve her ikisini de siddetle 

tavsiye ediyorum. Yoksa 70 dakikalik bir müzikal ürünün Istanbul 

denilen labirenti gezmek için son derece yetersiz oldugu gerçegine 

gözlerimizi ( ya da kulaklarimizi)hafifçe kapatirsak, sadece tanidigimizi 

sandigimiz (ve bizden aslinda çok uzak olmayan gerek kültürel, gerek cografik) 

bir dünyanin mükemmel bir mozagini sunuyor filmin soundtrack'i. Son 

olarak anmamamiz gereken bir sey de su: Hey! Bu soundtrack ayni zamanda 

Eisturzende Neubauten bascisinin eseri. Kendisi filmde rehber rolunde ve 

kesinlikle Buena Vista Social Club'taki Ry Cooder veya Moro No 

Brazil'deki Mika Kaurismaki'den asagi kalmiyor!

Tzvetan Tzvetanov

4/5

Rhythm Magazine July 2006

www.rhythm.bg

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Pictures from Carling Academy show with Mad Professor

Remember the show w/ Mad Professor at Carling Academy, London on the last April??

Well, here are a few pics from there... at least, we have some:)

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Geçtiðimiz Nisan ayinda Londra Carling Academy'de vuku bulan Baba Zula - Mad Professor konserini animsayan var mi?

Buyrun buradan yakin. Az ve öz :)

Thanx to Zeynep Tulin Dogen for the pictures...

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Baba Zula in UK's Venn Festival ...

New show dates has just announced and Baba Zula will be performing in UK's Venn Festival besides Belgium and Turkey ... For more information, please click the picture below and check out the offical site of the festival ...


Just to remind you all... Between 18-25 May, Baba Zula's long time collaborator singer, who is also performing vocals in "Cecom", Brenna MacCrimmon will accompany all events and shows...

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Free Spirit
Category: Life

5 of the the songs from the latest album of Baba Zula called "duble oryantal" were banned by the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT). The song called "galiba hamileyim (i think i'm pregnant)" was banned because of it's title, the others including "Ozgur ruh (free spirit)" were banned because of their lyrics.

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