What are the things you call “the best” and “only if” when music is concerned?
I don’t have anything I call “the best”. I “fortunately” played with Red Hot Chili Peppers, the concert I played with Nils Petter Molvaer here in Cappadox was great as well. The one I played with Erik Truffaz in Istanbul was also great. There are many moments like these…
You play with many different musicians, you play an eclectic range of music. However, your Istanbul Sessions are still going strong with the same team at the same time. How does this work out?
It is foremost a business decision. Then, we always keep pushing each other forward. We give and we take.
So there is a constant and ongoing trade, an interaction?
For example, the best concert for me has always been the last concert. This applies to Istanbul Sessions as well. Every next concert has something new. We sweat. It is a sweaty band.
Did the political developments in Turkey ever worry you? What are your thoughts about music’s progression? About jazz and other genres?..
Hopefully everyone will be happy someday. These are trying times but such periods give birth to new things as well. People say that venues are dying out but there are many emerging bands at the same time. It might be the best period for music after the 1970s. When different genres are concerned.
Did the conjuncture limit your music? How did it effect the musicians around you?
It didn’t affect me much since I am not here most of the time. I am actually surprised when I look around me. It looks like it is going well. It became more Turkish. I used to collect the records of Barış Manço etc. in a way that was different than the others. Now you can’t find them, DJs snatched them up.
So you are saying it’s back to the roots?
Yes, I think so.
Are there any musicians you wish to play with or work on a project with?
There isn’t anyone specific. For example, it was great to play with Red Hot Chili Peppers. There isn’t someone specific but I am sure I will think of some people if I think hard enough.
How is Cappadox going?
It is rainy. Gorgeous. This is such a different place. There could be an even bigger festival in the future.
New projects?
There is an upcoming Istanbul Sessions album, it will be released in October. An album with the new Brazilion band Praia Futuro will be released soon. We will do some new things with Şafak’la (Oceanvs Orientalis). That’s all for now.
