The first CD from this extraordinary musician, Gazi Yalcin, was released on 1st May 2002!!
zurna, davul; Gazi Yalcin
davul, darabuka; Fuat Sazimanoski
bass; Rob Bester
guitar; Philip Griffin
LISTEN to a TRACKin RealAudio;
"Popuri",
11 mins or;
"Uzun Hava / Agir Halay" 5:28
mins
Here is a review of Gazi's CD from fRoots magazine, UK.
71 fROOTS
GAZI YALÇIN
Davul Zurna ile Anadolu Gezisi Xenos Music XM 3336
The zurna is a dynamic, rasping shawm that is traditionally accompanied
by the large doubleheaded drum known as davul. From the first blast its
raucous sound is never forgotten, and visitors to Turkey (and certain
parts of Greece) are sure to meet it at some point, at a wedding or some
other ceremony. This CD is one of the latest manifestations of the excellent
Greek and Turkish musical culture that has taken root in Australia, especially
in Melbourne. (Has anyone written anything on how these two communities
so often share the same spaces outside the 'home' countries?)
The zurna is too often regarded as what musicologists term a 'low status'
instrument, a fact which belies the high technical standards needed to
play it well. Gazi Yalçin is an accomplished musician who performs
with both power and imaginative delicacy. His playing is offset by an
accompaniment on davul and fretless bass that is taken at a more restrained
pace than is usual, allowing the listener to savour the well-constructed
melodic lines and ornamentations. There are in particular two extended
sequences of folk tunes, which, in Yalçin's hands, develop into
fine, powerful pieces of music much more than the sum of their parts.
This is real musicianship as well as great fun, and Yalçin may
well be on the way to recreating the zurna repertoire.
Chris Williams
