From earth to sky, going with the flow
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Çetin Cem Yılmaz
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 01, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Acclaimed Turkish jazz pianist Ayşe Tütüncü explores new ground, combining influences from Brahms to Hacı Taşan on ’Yedi Yer Yedi Gök,’ her follow up to 2005's album ’Panayır,’ which garnered many positive reviews from international critics.
After about 25 years in music, Turkish jazz pianist Ayşe Tütüncü’s working methods remain full of surprises; as does her music.
The writing and production process to her self-titled trio’s latest release "Yedi Yer Yedi Gök," (Seven Lands, Seven Skies) evolved in a similar process. The first ideas for the record came about even before her previous work "Panayır," (Carnivalesque) which was released in 2005 to widespread critical acclaim, attracting the attention of international music press and jazz listeners.
She started giving thought to the concept, which may be roughly explained as "various percussions and a piano" and despite being halted during the "Panayır" era, continued developing it. "In every record I find some themes, try to something new, and that was the case with ’Yedi Yer Yedi Gök,’ too," Tütüncü said to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "The concept was to make songs for many percussions, piano and wind instruments." But working on music is not something precise, as Tütüncü explains it with metaphors. "Musical pieces take come into life gradually, they did not just emerge in a day," she said. "Making music is not something like telling a shoemaker to make a specific kind of shoe. You don’t go and say, I want a black, high-heeled and size 42 shoe. First a question comes along, then the thought enslaves you and you process it slowly, over a long, long time."
’Music should carry the artist’
Tütüncü added that the important thing was to let the music carry the artist somewhere, instead of dictating the songs. She recalls an example that she experienced during the creative process.
"There is one specific rhythm called Lenk Fahte in Turkish music, and after I learned it, I definitely wanted to use it," she recalled. "I planned to make three short songs with that rhythm initially, but some things changed on the way. That ended up being one 13-minute song eventually. You just can’t insist on something if it is not working. You can’t force hegemony on the music." "It is just like architecture, say, you plan to build a 30-story construction, but if the area is not suitable for that, you can’t insist on doing so," she explained. "There is always a distance between your dream and the reality."
Of course, working with some of the most prolific musicians helps the creation process as well. From clarinettist Oğuz Büyükberber to drummers Ümit Kıvanç and Cengiz Baysal, percussionist Serdar Gönenç, and saxophonist Yahya Dai, Tütüncü collaborates with a group of virtuosos for this record.
For the pianist, a group like that is always a benefit, but she admits that knowing which ideas to use and which ones to leave out is a key in music. "Sometimes an instrumentalist makes a great thing, but it just doesn’t fit well with the song. Sometimes five great ideas may not work well together, but two may be perfect," she explains. "Sometimes it is really important to give up something good for the sake of the song."
Tütüncü says she is influenced by many various musicians before making the record.
"I don’t know if those influences can be felt by the listener," she says. "But I love Brahms’s symphonies, which are constructed like novels or architecture, but I love (Turkish folk music artist) Hacı Taşan as well, because I feel that his wise words relate to me.
"Living in Turkey, you are very open to distinct influences, it may be confusing sometimes, but is definitely enriching," she said. Maybe those influences are among the reasons for the international interest in her music. "Our music gets similar reaction from Turkey, Europe or Syria, where we played once, but maybe for different reasons," Tütüncü said. "Speaking roughly, maybe Syrian listeners are impressed with the parts influenced by Brahms, and the Dutch like the parts influenced by Hacı Taşan."
But on top of everything, it is Tütüncü and her band’s unique style that impresses listeners. "Our music always has surprises, with unexpected chords, or interesting parts. And people find our performances cheerful and full of humor. Having fun is contagious, and when we have a good time on stage, the listeners feel it, too."
The writing and production process to her self-titled trio’s latest release "Yedi Yer Yedi Gök," (Seven Lands, Seven Skies) evolved in a similar process. The first ideas for the record came about even before her previous work "Panayır," (Carnivalesque) which was released in 2005 to widespread critical acclaim, attracting the attention of international music press and jazz listeners.
She started giving thought to the concept, which may be roughly explained as "various percussions and a piano" and despite being halted during the "Panayır" era, continued developing it. "In every record I find some themes, try to something new, and that was the case with ’Yedi Yer Yedi Gök,’ too," Tütüncü said to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "The concept was to make songs for many percussions, piano and wind instruments." But working on music is not something precise, as Tütüncü explains it with metaphors. "Musical pieces take come into life gradually, they did not just emerge in a day," she said. "Making music is not something like telling a shoemaker to make a specific kind of shoe. You don’t go and say, I want a black, high-heeled and size 42 shoe. First a question comes along, then the thought enslaves you and you process it slowly, over a long, long time."
’Music should carry the artist’
Tütüncü added that the important thing was to let the music carry the artist somewhere, instead of dictating the songs. She recalls an example that she experienced during the creative process.
"There is one specific rhythm called Lenk Fahte in Turkish music, and after I learned it, I definitely wanted to use it," she recalled. "I planned to make three short songs with that rhythm initially, but some things changed on the way. That ended up being one 13-minute song eventually. You just can’t insist on something if it is not working. You can’t force hegemony on the music." "It is just like architecture, say, you plan to build a 30-story construction, but if the area is not suitable for that, you can’t insist on doing so," she explained. "There is always a distance between your dream and the reality."
Of course, working with some of the most prolific musicians helps the creation process as well. From clarinettist Oğuz Büyükberber to drummers Ümit Kıvanç and Cengiz Baysal, percussionist Serdar Gönenç, and saxophonist Yahya Dai, Tütüncü collaborates with a group of virtuosos for this record.
For the pianist, a group like that is always a benefit, but she admits that knowing which ideas to use and which ones to leave out is a key in music. "Sometimes an instrumentalist makes a great thing, but it just doesn’t fit well with the song. Sometimes five great ideas may not work well together, but two may be perfect," she explains. "Sometimes it is really important to give up something good for the sake of the song."
Tütüncü says she is influenced by many various musicians before making the record.
"I don’t know if those influences can be felt by the listener," she says. "But I love Brahms’s symphonies, which are constructed like novels or architecture, but I love (Turkish folk music artist) Hacı Taşan as well, because I feel that his wise words relate to me.
"Living in Turkey, you are very open to distinct influences, it may be confusing sometimes, but is definitely enriching," she said. Maybe those influences are among the reasons for the international interest in her music. "Our music gets similar reaction from Turkey, Europe or Syria, where we played once, but maybe for different reasons," Tütüncü said. "Speaking roughly, maybe Syrian listeners are impressed with the parts influenced by Brahms, and the Dutch like the parts influenced by Hacı Taşan."
But on top of everything, it is Tütüncü and her band’s unique style that impresses listeners. "Our music always has surprises, with unexpected chords, or interesting parts. And people find our performances cheerful and full of humor. Having fun is contagious, and when we have a good time on stage, the listeners feel it, too."