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
