Traditional Turkish Breakfast with Ceylan!
8th of october
After three flights at night time, we arrive at Kars in Turkey, near the border of Georgia and Armenia. Because of the heavy flights and Behsat being ill before we left, we decided that he would stay behind in Ankara, to save energy for the remaining eight concerts of our Akbank Caz (say ‘jazz’) University tour.
When we get out of the airplane, it feels like we arrived in Mongolia. There is nothing around, only brown plains and some hilles… I try to take a picture, but the security is alert and prevents me. At the hotel we meet Ceylan Ertem, who came to Kars by car, because she does not fly. It is very nice to meet her again, and her younger brother, and we have a great traditional breakfast together with delicious honey and many cheese varieties. Kars feels more like a city in Azerbeidjan than in Turkey. Not beautiful, but with a special atmosphere nonetheless.
We go to the university where we will play tonight. In this tour the technical equipment travels with us, so the soundcheck is a bit late because everything has to be built up first. We did not play with Ceylan for almost a year, Meinrad and Erman never played with her before, and Behsat is not here. So an extensive rehearsal would have been wellcome. We try to rehearse the tunes very quickly, but then time is over already. But like I expected, Ceylan is strong as ever on stage, and the band is concentrated during the concert. We have a really nice show, and I invite people on stage to dance, big fun.
We have a nice dinner but return early to the hotel to catch up some sleep!
9th of october
We’re back at Kars airport again to get our flight to Ankara. There is a lot of equipment, so there is a serious overweight problem. But we have a very relaxed check-in, because our tour managers Melodi (great name!) and Tugberk take care of everything. They do a great job, and are very nice moreover.
In Ankara we meet with Behsat again, who recovered from his virus. Before going to the stage, bassplayer Meinrad Kneer and I have to buy some stuff at a music shop. We have a big walk together, following people’s directions, but nobody really knows where there is a music shop. Then we end up at a shop at the third floor, where they sell only baglama’s and traditional Turkish percussion instruments. Certainly no volume pedal for Meinrad, nor reeds for saxophone. But they are very nice, and call another shop. Five shops later, we finally have what we were looking for, and have seen quite some parts ofAnkara. Melodi takes us to the stage, and again we have a stressfull soundcheck: this gig Ceylan is not playing with us, so we have to rehearse again quickly material for tonight’s show. Luckily everybody stays cool, and the show is inspired. The great part is that Ankara is Behsat’s native city, so there are a lot of friends. When arriving, there already was a big flower statue, as a welcome for Behsat, from the old members of the Turkish State Ensemble, in which Behsat played for years. They are all there. Also, the members of Behsat’s former music-dance group Tüfem are all present. So the atmosphere is really warm, and there are photo’s to be taken after the concert! With all these dancers, ofcourse the last Halay turns into a big dancing row, in which I have quickly to master the steps. Ridiculous: I know the Halay dance, the rhythm, I have written halays myself, but up till now I never danced one!!!!! But it is really easy, so I get it after a few steps. So now I can say I danced with Tüfem too!
Ceylan Ertem
Kars
on the way from Kars to Ankara
Reunions with Behsat in Ankara
From Ankara to Kayseri: Anatolia!