Description

Derya Türkan and Sokratis Sinopoulos have been the most influential Istanbul kemençesi or Politiki lyra performers for almost three decades now. Together, they have recorded two albums as part of their Letter from Istanbul project and individually, they have performed significant concerts and recordings as leaders or in collaboration with prominent international musicians in a variety of musical styles from classical to contemporary improvisation.

They share a longtime friendship which started when they met in their late teens and they have since become pioneers in collaborations between Greek and Turkish musicians exploring the common ground between these two cultures.

“Creating this album has been the dream of a lifetime. After many years of friendship and collaboration, we have finally been able to record our duet. As a piece of work, Soundplaces is a confessional and creative dialogue in which we virtually explore the sounds of the musical traditions we love and the sounds of the places that we visit. In this album, we create an interactive narrative of our geographical, historical and personal inner journeys.

Starting from Istanbul, mother of our instrument and breeding ground to the supreme art music of makam, we travel to the Island of Mytilini and Izmir, city of Rebetiko. From there we go to the Cyclades Islands and Konya – the home of the Mevlevi Dervishes – and then back to the Sea of Marmara in Erdek. We eventually return to Istanbul, this time for its taverna dances, before heading to the place where this album was recorded – the Church of Saint-Remi in Fernelmont, Belgium.” Sokratis Sinopolous

Press

BALKAN WORLD MUSIC CHARTS TOP 20 #1
TRANSGLOBAL WORLD MUSIC CHARTS TOP 20, 2020 #1
WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE #7 (DEC 2020)
WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE TOP 150 (2020)

**** “Intimate and intelligent music with history behind it.” Songlines – Top of the World (UK)

“Technically brilliant musicians, with the ability to above all bring out the beautiful sounds in the instruments.” Lyra (Sweden)

“On the CD there are eight subtle, quiet pieces that not only prove the instrumental perfection of the two, but also testify to their profound cultural affinity.” WOXX Magazine, January 2021.

“Derya Turkan & Sokratis Sinopoulos work from a shared musical memory. Their instruments, the kemanche and the lyra respectively, come from the same family and in addition have musical traditions influenced them both. Because one musician is Turkish and the other Greek, ‘Sounplaces’ immediately becomes a political statement: it is precisely here that the connection between cultures is sought. These virtuosos show how music from centuries ago is still alive and kicking.” Klassieke Zaken, #1 2021

“With subtle phrases, counter rhythms and polyphonic melodies, complemented by alternating bourdons, Türkan and Sinopoulos manage to captivate the entire CD.” New Folk Sounds

“This has turned out to be an absolutely fantastic record by two gentlemen, who really need no further comment.” Rootstime (Dani Heyvaert).

“Moving or majestic, but always gracious, the melody lines spiral around and through each other.” Mixed World Music (Ton Maas).

“A wonderful musical journey based on a masterful dialogue between the most important representatives of kementze or political lyre, not only in Greece and Turkey, but worldwide. Soundplaces is released by Seyir Muzik Label and is distributed by the Dutch Xango Music, whose productions are one of the most important and meticulous in the field of world music.” Music Paper (GR)

“The pieces on Soundplaces are sober and intense played on two instruments that lovingly support each other. Beautiful are the improvisations in which one plays an obligatory rhythm and the other improvises over the melody. Subtle, virtuoso and stimulating to continue in a duo improvisation. In a musical knowledge both musicians developed a resilience and respect for each other’s background. You can hear it, feel it and it creates goosebumps.” Music Frames (Mattie Poels)

“A beautiful journey that produces breathtakingly beautiful, melancholy music through which you can hear a warm friendship. Sit down and let yourself be carried away by these two master musicians.” Moorsmagazine