Monday 29, April 2013
This month was a fantastic adventure reconnecting with Grace Vanilau and Lila Meleisea of SUGA. Suga performed at the first inaugural Melbourne Contemporary Pacific Arts Festival which was a beautiful and inspiring affair. We spent a week on the east coast of Tasmania rehearsing, recording (with Dan Cornelius at the top of a mountain overlooking only forest and sea - see the picture, courtesy of Lorraine Biggs) and sharing the island vibes with the lovely Beaumaris community! Other highlights included Seven Sisters Festival, and especially working with our sister dancer Fipe Keanu (aka Phoebe Preuss). Sisters for Sisters and Kala Box benefit concerts were special too - so great to be back in that positive Melbourne energy.
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Friday 01, March 2013
Space Harp No.1 - my first official installation, will be exhibited at Open Studio, Kumbaraci Sokak, Tophane, Istanbul on 5 March, 2013, 6-9pm. Utilising the chance composition techniques of John Cage, the room is strung in cosmic proportions. A silent work.
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Tuesday 19, February 2013
This month Izzet and I teamed up as a duo to explore some new approaches. February 5 saw us play at JeanSanat Sahne, a program of free improvisations, seeking Now. We had the great pleasure of being joined by Köln art trumpeter Matthias Mainz, during his very brief visit to Istanbul.
On February 14th, (the day when women in Istanbul gather in the main square to stand up for respectful treatment within relationships), Izzet and I performed Pasif.ist as a duo at Alt. to an intimate crowd of great listeners. It was an exciting evening and we had a lot of fun. Kerem - I think we're officially adding Kasimpaşa Cats to our program.
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Wednesday 19, December 2012
Izzet Kizil (percussion), Sercan Halili (klasik kemence), Ceyhun Kaya (uflemeler), Abdullah Shakar (bass). The pasif.ist ensemble together again, freely blending ideas from east and west folk, urban, classic, with the universal resonance of improvisation.
Cafe Mitanni - is a great little jazz cafe near Cihangir off Istiklal.
Katip Çelebi Mh. 34433 Beyoğlu/Istanbul
0212 244 8666
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cafe-Mitanni
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Thursday 15, November 2012
This week we went over to Deneyevi Studios and recorded new music for new albums. Dine Doneff, Izzet Kizil, Robert Reigle and myself ...
For me, playing with these musicians is a real thrill, they are so creative on their instruments, and very experienced players. I had a ball. In the studio we played with conceptual ideas and directions, but for me the essence of the session was about each musician doing what he/she felt at that very moment, catching art in real time - communing with 'now'. It wasn't exactly easy sometimes - preconceptions, judgements and habits crept in, and we would have to refocus. But you know when you hit 'now', because everything miraculously makes sense and it feels fresh as crunchy vegetables straight out of the ground.
Thanks to all the musicians and also to our able sound engineer Emre, and to Emrah and Ergin at Deneyevi.
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