Musical interlude

Happy Republic Day. Turkey is 83 years old today. But that's besides the point - today is the day to express what it means to be Turkish. In other words, a day of confusion and uncertainty. Judging by the fireworks and laser-light displays, Turks know how to express their lack of identity, or at least they know how to drown out the cacophony of competing influences in their lives with a mad onslaught of explosions.

I will celebrate this day by offering up my own sights and and sounds of this enchanting land:

I went to the Baba Zula concert a few days ago at Pulp Bar - an intimate setting for what is, in my opinion, one of the best bands in Turkey. Their live show is a mind-blowing mix of traditional instruments and electronic effrontery, with a bellydancer thrown in for a little spice and a digital artist composing real-time pieces on her laptop projected onto a giant screen. This is not for those of you interested in Ottoman Turkey. This is...how do you say...subversive.

Unfortunately, I didn't record the show, but you can listen to sound clips from my favourite album - Psychebelly Dance Music - here.

Visualizations of Sound

From a distance

Gotta Dance

The best darbuka player I've ever heard, after Misirli Ahmet of course

Psychebellydancer

Now I'm in a musical mood. Suppose then its time for a ney update. Here's me playing my first Turkish song, Segah Pesrev. It's pathetic, but it's a start. Also picked up the guitar again recently. I'm rusty but it's still a relaxing past time. Here's a sample of me playing Running to Stand Still by U2, bearing in mind I'm singing for the first time in a long time and after a night of debauchery followed by too many morning cigarettes. For those with sensitive eardrums, here's me playing guitar only...