Greatest Turkish Albums - Honorable Mention

  GREATEST ALBUMS FROM TURKEY
 HONORABLE MENTION

Kudsi Ergüner - Ferahfeza Mevlevi Ayini (2001) - 71/100
Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Instrumental
Key Part: Peşrev 

Dr. Skull - Rools 4 Fools (1992) - 71/100
Genres: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Key Song: Rule for Fools

Siddhartha - Trip to Innerself (2009) - 71/100
Genres: Progressive Rock, Space Rock
Key Song: Baroque

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Gypsy Music
Key Song: Roxela'nın Sesi

Barış Manço - Yeni Bir Gün (1979) - 71/100
Genres: Anatolian Rock
Key Song: Sarı Çizmeli Mehmed Ağa

Genre: Instrumental
Key Song: Les Baricades Misterieuses

Sezen Aksu - Sezen Aksu '88 (1988) - 71/100
Genres: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Kavaklar

Kudsi Ergüner - Taj Mahal (2001) - 71/100
Genre: World Music
Key Song: Mümtaz Mahal

Genres: Turkish Pop, World Music
Key Song: Son Sardunyalar

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Instrumental
Key Song: Uşşak Saz Semaisi

Genres: Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter
Key Song: Çoktular Ama Hiç Yoktular

Genres: Rock
Key Song: Sözlerimi Geri Alamam 

Derya Türkan and Murat Aydemir
 Ahenk: Turkish Classical Music (1998) - 71/100

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Instrumental
Key Song: Acemkürdi Saz Semaisi 

Yansımalar - Mahur (1998) - 71/100
Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Instrumental
Key Song: Çeçen Kızı
  
Osman Nuri Özpekel, Taner Sayacıoğlu
Reşat Aysu Saz semâileri (2001) - 71/100

Genres: Instrumental, Turkish Classical Music
Key Song: Reşat Aysu Saz semâileri

Edit Akbayram - Edip Akbayram (1974) - 71/100
Genres. Psychedelic Rock, Anatolian Rock
Key Song: Dağlar Dağladı Beni

Genres: Instrumental
Key Part: Ney Taksimi

Vega - Hafif Müzik (2005) 70/100
Genres: Alternative Rock, Rock
Key Song: Serzenişte 

3 Hür-El - 3 Hür-El (1972) - 70/100
Genres: Anatolian Rock, Anatolian Pop
Key Song: Kara Yazı 

Laço Tayfa - Hicaz Dolap (2002) - 70/100
Genres: Folk Jazz, World Music
Key Song: Uşşak

Bülent Ortaçgil - Bu Şarkılar Adam Olmaz (1994) - 71/100
Genres: Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Key Song: Sensiz Olmaz

Baba Zula - Kökler (2007) - 70/100
Genres: World Music, Psychedelic Folk, Experimental
Key Song: İskender

The Climb - The Climb (1998) - 70/100
Genre: Alternative Metal, Alternative Rock
Key Song: Perfectly Nothing

Genres: Acoustic Rock, Experimental, Singer/Songwriter, World Music
Key Song: Japon Balıkçısı

Genres: World Music, Sufi Music, New Age
Key Song: Journeys of a Dervish 

Zülfü Livaneli - Ada (1983) - 70/100

Genres: Folk Music, Protest Music, World Music
Key Song: Gözlerin

 Mavi Sakal - Kan Kokusu (1998) - 70/100
Genres: Hard Rock, Rock
Key Song: İki Yol

MFÖ - Peki Peki Anladık (1985) - 70/100
Genre: Pop Rock
Key Song: Peki Peki Anladık

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Gypsy Music
Key Song: Mahur Oriental

Zen - Derya (1996) - 70/100
Genre: Anatolian Rock
Key Song: Köyün Kızı Derya

Turgut Berkes - Kara Kutu (2000) - 70/100
Genres: Rock, Pop Rock
Key Song: Miranda

Gevende - Ev ( 2006) - 70/100
Genres: Psychedelic Folk
Key Song: Nayu

Telvin -  Telvin (2006) - 70/100
Genre: Instrumental, Jazz
Key Song: Kervan

Sertab Erener - Sertab Gibi (1997) - 69/100
Genre: Turkish Pop
Key Song: İncelikler Yüzünden

Fatih Erdemci - Yaşamak Zor (1999) - 69/100
Genres: Rock
Key Song: Ben Ölmeden Önce

Timur Selçuk - Babamın Şarkıları (2003) - 69/100
Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Western Classical Music
Key Song: Beni Kör Kuyularda Merdivensiz Bıraktın

 Timuçin Şahin - Slack Road (2003) - 69/100
Genre: Jazz
Key Song: Slick Road
With the world becoming a smaller place, jazz is finding its way into unexpected places. Slovenia has a burgeoning jazz scene with artists like Samo Salamon and Jure Pukl; from India artists include the genre-bending Prasanna and the improvisationally rich U. Srinivas; and now, from Turkey comes Timucin Sahin with Slick Road , an album that shows how far away from the American tradition jazz has drifted, all the while remaining vibrant and true to its essence.

Sahin's influences are as rich as his own heritage, which involves being raised in Turkey and then moving to Amsterdam at the age of nineteen to study at the Hilversum and Amsterdam Conservatories; in addition he spent time studying classical composition at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. With a voracious musical appetite that includes African, Indian and more traditional western jazz and contemporary classical music, Sahin has fashioned a sound that is an intriguing blend. With the exception of "Sanki Funky," which features Indian vocalization by percussionist B.C. Manjunath, the roots of Sahin's style are completely hidden in a sound that, while a challenge to grab onto at times, is worth the effort.

It is intriguing to find trombonist Robin Eubanks as a guest on the recording, as there are elements of Eubanks' brother, guitarist Kevin, in Sahin's playing—especially in the rapid fire lines of the title track. Elsewhere the influences on Sahin are less obvious; nowhere to be found are the usual cast of characters like Abercrombie, Hall, Frisell, Metheny and Scofield. Sahin's approach seems to be more about the absorption of ethnic influences. Rhythm also plays a large part in his work, sometimes establishing dark grooves, other times moving with time shifts that, in the hands of those less capable, would sound clumsy but here are completely seamless.

Another of Sahin's defining characteristics is his use, along with the more traditional fretted electric guitar, of a fretless electric guitar that allows him to bend notes and play microtonally, tying him further into the South Indian, Eastern European and Asian traditions. There are few guitarists today who work with fretless instruments, and intonation is almost always an issue, but Sahin is confident and capable on the instrument, and with it brings a whole other texture to the polyrhythmic "Rare Falcon."

All that being said, at the core of Sahin's music is a devotion to collective improvisation, and his band, the Rare Falcons, work extremely well together. Bassist Hein van de Geyn and percussionists Afra Mussawaisade and B.C. Manjunath create a multi-layered texture that is sometimes a backdrop, and other times the dominant force of a composition.

Sahin writes abstruse melodies and oblique passages that harmonically challenge the ear of a listener more used to traditional western concepts. But for those with an interest in expanding their musical boundaries and hearing how other traditions can expand the musical palette of improvisation, Timucin Sahin's Slick Road is well worth the listen.

(John Kelman, All About Jazz)

Genres: Western Classical Music
Key Part: Allegro

Genres: Instrumental, Gypsy Music, Turkish Classical Music, Folk Music
Key Song: Dağlar Kızı Reyhan
Genre: Western Classical Music

Genres: Blues
Key Song: Black Coffee Blues
 
Şebnem Ferah - Perdeler (2001) - 69/100
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock
Key Song: Sil Baştan

Omar Faruk Tekbilek - One Truth (1999) - 68/100
Genres: Instrumental, Arabesque, World Music
Key Song: I Love You

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Gypsy Music
Key Song: Rast Balat

Tarkan - Ölürüm Sana (1997) - 68/100
Genres: Turkish Pop, Electronic Pop
Key Song: Ölürüm Sana

Bayram Bilge Tokel 
Turkish Folk Songs and Sufi Melodies (1994-1998) - 68/100
Genre: Anatolian Folk Music
Key Song: Açış, Deniz Dalmayınca

Tanju Duru - Duru Zamanlar (2007) - 68/100
Genre: Turkish Pop, World Music
Key Song: Aklım Hep Sende

Pinhani - İnandığın Masallar (2006) - 68/100
Genres: Pop Rock, Soft Rock, Indie Pop
Key Song: Dön Bak Dünyaya

Arif Sağ - Halaylar (1988) - 68/100
Genre: Anatolian Folk Music
Key Song: Ağ Gül 

Cihat Aşkın - İstanbulin (2007) - 68/100

Genre: Instrumental
Key Song: Hicaz Sirto

İlhan İrem - Bezgin (1981) - 67/100
Genres: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Bezgin

Güher and Suher Pekinel
Brahms: S. For 2 Pianos; Waltzes and Hun. D.; S. Saëns: V. On A Th. Of Beethoven (2006) 67/100
Key Part: IV. G Sharp Minor

Fikret Kızılok - Yana Yana (1990) - 67/100
Genres: Singer-Songwriter
Key Song: Gecenin Üçünde

Kurban - İnsanlar ( 2005 ) - 67/100
Genres: Hard Rock
Key Song: Uyut Beni

İncesaz - Üç - İstanbul'a Dair (2004) - 67/100
Genre: Turkish Classical Music
Key Song: Kanarya Plajı

Fuat Saka - Lazutlar (1997) - 67/100
Genre: Folk Music, World Music
Key Song: Kurbani

Mercan Dede - Nar (2002) - 67/100
Genres: World Music, Sufi Music, New Age
Key Song: Nar-ı Şems

Orhan Gencebay - Aşkı Ben Yaratmadım (1980) - 67/100
Genres: Arabesque, World Music
Key Song: Vazgeç Gönül

Athena - Athena (2005) - 67/100
Genres: Ska Punk
Key Song: Kime Ne

Replikas - Zerre (2008) - 67/100
Genres: Experimental Rock
Key Song: Bugün Varım Yarın Yokum

Genres: Instrumental
Key Song: Oyun Havası

Ajda Pekkan - Süperstar 83 (1983) - 67/100
Genres: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Uykusuz Her Gece

Candan Erçetin - Elbette (2000) - 66/100
Genres: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Elbette

Kargo - Yalnızlık Mevsimi ( 1998 ) - 66/100
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
Key Song: Arabic Fahişe

Tarkan - Aacayipsin (1994) - 66/100
Genre: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Dön Bebeğim

Kurban - Kurban (1999) - 66/100
Genres: Punk Rock, Rock, Pop Rock
Key Song: Son Söz

Moğollar - Düm-Tek (1975) - 66/100
Genre: Anatolian Pop, Progressive Pop
Key Song: Alageyik Destanı

Almora - Shehrâzad (2004) - 66/100
Genres: Symphonic Metal
Key Song: Shehrâzad

Yasemin Mori - Hayvanlar (2008) - 65/100
Genres: Alternative, Rock, Alternative Rock
Key Song: Aslında Bir Konu Var

Redd - Kirli Suyunda Parıltılar (2006) - 65/100
Genre: Rock; Alternative Rock
Key Song: Kirli Suyunda Parıltılar 

Genre: Anatolian Rock, Turkish Pop
Key Song: Can Bedenden Çıkmayınca

Genres: Anatolian Rock
Key Song: Adımız Miskindir Bizim

Genres: Psychedelic Rock, Anatolian Rock
Key Song: Saykodelikzade Mahmut Paşa

Aşkın Nur Yengi - Sevgiliye (1990) - 65/100
Genre: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Susma

Genre: Ambient
Key Song: Frozen Resophonic

Jülide Özçelik - Jazz İstanbul, Volume 1 (2008) - 65/100
Genres: Vocal Jazz, Bossa Nova
Key Song: Bugün Neden Gelmedin?

Sumru Ağıryürüyen - Issız (2009) - 65/100
Genres: Turkish Pop, World Music, Indie
Key Song: Gece Sefası

Çilekeş - Y.O.K ( 2005 ) - 65/100
Genres: Alternative Metal
Key Song: Körpe

Birsen Tezer - Cihan (2009) - 65/100
Genres: Turkish Pop, Vocal Jazz
Key Song: Çığlık Çığlığa

Karakan - Al Sana Karakan (1997) - 65/100
Genre: Turkish Hip Hop
Key Song: Yağmur

Hayvanlar Alemi - Guarana Superpower (2010) - 65/100
Genres: Surf Rock, Psychedelic Pop
Key Song: Karpuzkafa 777

Kesmeşeker - İnsülin (1998) - 65/100
Genres: Soft Rock, Pop Rock
Key Song: İşte Güneş

Muhlis Akarsu - Seher Yeli (1976) - 65/100
Genre: Anatolian Folk Music
Key Song: Yakma Beni Öldürürsün

Ayten Alpman - Bir Başkadır Ayten Alpman (2007) - 65/100
Genre: Pop Jazz
Key Song: Pencere

Dahlia's Tear - Under Seven Skies (2007) - 65/100
Genre: Dark Ambient
Key Song: 4th Sky

Yavuz Bingöl - Baharım Sensin (1997) - 65/100
Genre: Turkish Folk
Key Song: Baharım Sensin