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  | ONUR AYMERGEN QUINTET ~ LUNAR
LOSEN 265 (Barcode: 7090025832659) ~ TURKEY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2023
This is an album by Turkish Jazz guitarist / composer Onur AymergenFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with pianist Can CankayaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tolga BilginFind albums by this artist, bassist Apostolos SiderisFind albums by this artist and drummer Turgut Alp BekogluFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader.
The music is wonderful modern European Jazz, which splendidly documents the incredibly high level of Turkish Jazz, which for some strange reason is one of the country’s best kept secrets, as it is relatively rarely heard outside of the country’s borders. The music is all based on melodic themes, all solid and elegantly weaved, but offers a lot of open space for improvisation and on one track even touches upon Free. Personally I’d prefer the music to reflect more Turkish folkloristic elements than it does, but that is of course the choice of the musicians and especially the leader.
Aymergen is a very skilled guitar player, who eschews Fusiony doodling and plays wonderful phrases while improvising, excellently supported by the quintet members, all of which are also excellent musicians, easily comparable to their European colleagues. Cankaya plays some superb piano lines throughout, Bilgin keep relatively to the background, Sideris adds elegant and constructive bass pulsations and Bekoglu ornaments the music with very imaginative percussive work.
Overall, this is quite a revelation to Jazz lovers not familiar with Turkish Jazz scene and a heaven on earth for guitar lovers, who can discover some highly unusual approach to the instrument, influenced by the Middle Eastern tradition of plucked string instruments like the saz and oud. Kudos to my Norwegian friend Odd GjelsnesFind albums by this artist, who manages to carry on with his wonderful LosenFind albums on this label Records label, continuously releasing a lot of exciting Jazz music from all over the world.
| | Updated: 05/04/2023Posted: 05/04/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
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