GEVENDE
İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey | MAJOR
Music
Press
We have to consider its importance. Such an original, creative and lyrical band either appears once in two years or does not appear at all. We should listen to that innocent music. - Milliyet Newspaper
If you have not listened to them in one of the festivals or in a venue performance how is Gevende�s music possibly described by the letters and words? - Radikal Newspaper
The album with nine songs goes with the wind and at the end you realize how short forty-three minute is� This band knows how to enjoy along with the audience.
In short, play the album, turn the volume on and enjoy first two songs, then relax and keep on listening. You would soon be affected by the songs sang in a strange language�
- Express Magazine
"Gevende's Music" it is the closest description of their music. Because they do not fit into any genre, and there are everything from everywhere.
For years, Gevende melt folk musics of different geographies, mainly Balkan, into an experimental approach. By their vocals without lyrics and wonderful stage performances Gevende has long been imprinted their names on our minds and created their own audience.
- Bant Magazine
They are different, emotional, and for me most important of all, they are sincere on their music. - Jazz Magazine
Un premier CD en forme de témoignage de leur voyage, Gevende offre une vision décompléxée des musiques traditionelles en y injectant des univers poutant éloignés comme le jazz ou le rock. La richesse de cette oeuvre impose une limite à cette chronique... celle de la conclure et de se remettre "Ev" dans les cages à miels... - http://undergroundturkey.blogspot.com
The band transports their audience to different lands with their music. - Turkish Daily News
In music, if you move into a direction that crowds are not familiar with, you have to keep a vital truth in your mind: like in the other arts the line between being avant-garde and being nonsense is very thin. As we usually do, let’s say the final word at the beginning: Gevende is ready. We understand this from strong melodic structures, the fluency of harmonics, from the richness of the composition, the mastership in instrument playing and reproduction of the traditional forms in a well approached manner. - Hurriyet Newspaper
Pour ma part, je me suis concentré sur la dernière soirée Turque – au Kulturbrauerei- avec Gevende, Pasha, Electric Migration et Ipek Ipecioglu, sans doutes les artistes les plus originaux et novateurs de tous ceux qu’on a pu voir durant le festival. - Voir (Canada)
It seemed to me at first that the band for this release was engaged by the many colourful images and rich experiences, because their first officially released recording is overloaded with ideas, which are arranged with compactness perfectionism, and professionalism. It almost give a feeling of something of the richness of the world, and this in a relaxed form, but in reality it was nothing else but the open vision and preparation on their own personal journey that led to these tracks. - http://progressive.homestead.com/
Discography
[Second Album] Sen Balik Degilsin Ki (You are no fish) - Baykus Music / 2011
[Compilation] Beyond Istanbul - Trikont Records - Germany / 2009
[First Album] Ev - Baykus Music / 2006
Photos
Bio
Established in 2000, Gevende is a distinguished music band from the recently evolving music scene of Turkey, also grabbing the attention of music lovers and professionals abroad. Their purely original works which transgresses all barriers can be defined as psychedelic folk or folk rock. Especially on stage, they are highlighting improvisations and let songs flowing the current mood : They build up a context, start playing around it and end up with an inconceivable performance constructed with simple musical elements, jubilant vocal inventions and an imaginary language coming from nowhere yet rooted everywhere.
Gevende collects pieces from every place they go, every music they listen, every culture they touched and make a fusion which can be loved by the people of all lands. Their first album Ev (Home) was released under Baykus Müzik label in 2006. Their first musical trip project was the 12.300 km Eskisehir-Katmandu road in the same year; they crossed Pakistan, Iran, India. Inspired by the surprising colors of these terriotories, Gevende continued to his musical trip in Amsterdam-Lyon-Istanbul line with acclaimed bass clarinet player Tobias Klein and French guitar player Damien Cluzel. In 2008, the band has started another project with Parisian soundpainting orchestra called Balbazar, based on the improvisation of large number of musicians on stage. The huge orchestra of 25 people has performed their Sound Painting Project in many cities. The band released their second album Sen Balik Degilsin ki ( You are No Fish) in the beginning of 2011. There was a special guest in the second album : Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset. In late 2011, Gevende has launched an exciting new collaboration with Spinifex Quintet from Netherlands and they performed together for the first time on stage in Istanbul.
Gevende continue to perform and to share their music among differents spots of the world. The following project is also exciting: Gevende will have a Scandinavia tour at September 2012, starting with Drammen Sacred Music Festival in Norway and go on with Danemark, Sweden and Finland.
Ahmet Kenan Bilgiç : vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, e-bow
Ömer Öztüyen : viola, back vocals
Okan Kaya : bass guitar, cümbüs, melodika, acoustic guitar, back vocals, haydar bass guitar
Gökçe Gürçay : drums, back vocals
Serkan Emre Çiftçi : Trumpet
Albums
- Sen Balik Degilsin ki, Baykus Müzik, 2011
- Ev, Baykus Müzik, 2006 (2nd edition in 2010)
Compilations
- A Turkish Season (Digital Compilation) , Mondomix MP3, France, 2010
- Beyond Istanbul Vol. II (compilation), Trikont Records, Germany, 2009
SELECTED FESTIVALS
- Music Meeting Festival, Nijmegen, Holland, May 2012
- Positive Vibrations Festivals, Erbil, Irak, April 2012
- Istanbul Express Festival, Belgium, December 2010
- 0090 Festival, Belgium, December 2010
- Earth Festival, Greece, July 2010
- Europa Festival Utrecht, Holland, 2010
- BABELMED Music Fair & Festival - SHOWCASE, France, 2010
- Les Nuit Européennes Festival, France, 2009
- MIMI Festival, France, 2009
- Sous La Plage Festival, France, 2009
- Aux Heures d été, France, 2009
- Viva Fiesta, Holland, 2008
- POPKOMM Music Fair - SHOWCASE, Berlin Germany, 2008
- Planicie Mediterranica Festival, Portugal, 2007
- Terschelling Oerol Festival, Holland, 2007
- Amsterdam Roots Festival, Holland, 2007
- London, Orient Express Sessions, UK, 2007
- London Pulse Music Festival, UK, 2007
- Beyond the Music, Athens-Greece, 2003
...
And many Festivals at Turkey:
- Pera Fest, November 2011
- Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Spring Festival, June 2010
- Istanbul Technical University Spring Festival, 2010
- Eskisehir Jazz Festival, opening concert, 2010
- Çanakkale Festival, Çanakkale, 2008
- Barisarock, Rock for Peace Festival, Istanbul, 2008
- Efes One Love Festival, Istanbul, 2008
....
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