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a r t i s t :: Mehmet Polat Trio
t i t l e :: Next Spring
d a t e :: 2014-00-00
l a b e l :: Homerecords
g e n r e :: Fusion
s o u r c e :: CD
b i t r a t e :: 772 kbps avg
e n c o d e r :: FLAC 1.2.1 -8 -V
t r a c k s :: 10
p l a y t i m e :: 57:50
s i z e :: 320.1MB
tracklist
1 One Drop In The Ocean 4:32
2 There Life Begins Again 6:20
3 Summer Dream 5:33
4 Next Spring 7:06
5 Mehtab 3:59
6 You Are Not Alone 4:45
7 Whirling In The Jungle 8:48
8 The Day Will Come 9:57
9 Missing You 3:13
10 Amarula 3:37
releasenotes
The Mehmet Polat Trio is a spiritual yet adventurous meeting of three
virtuosos of magical instruments: ney, kora and ud. With roots in the Ottoman,
ancient Anatolian, Balkan and West African music traditions, the trio welcomes
listeners with its musical authenticity. The original compositions are colored
by daring improvisations and grooves, presented in an atmosphere of chamber
music.
The Mehmet Polat Trio invites its audiences on a sincere musical journey from
the traditional past to an innovative present.The music of the Mehmet Polat
Trio was a cure for the soul with the sincerity and pure emotions of their
songs. - Jazzkaar Festival, EE (LIVE)
Introspective music that needed no flashy fanfare and which brought the
audience into a world of peace, spaciousness, serenity, pleasure and beauty. -
Jazzenzo, NL (LIVE)
The Mehmet Polat Trio's debut album Next Spring was released in Autumn 2014
with Homerecords.be. This album has received many good reviews in the US,
Canada, Netherlands, Germany, France and other European countries.
+++
Collaborations between musicians of different traditions are a peculiarly
modern phenomenon. Sometimes this produces nothing more than a contradictory
hybrid. Yet, many times, the masterful and insightful blending of different
cultures produces a balanced and complete aggregate greater than the sum of
its parts that enriches all culture and the traditions and spiritual vision
that emerges from it. The later is exemplified by the work in the Mehmet Polat
TrioÆs CD Next Spring.
Mehmet Polat is a master of the oud. HeÆd studied Ottoman music in Istanbul,
and after having mastered Turkish Maqam, he moved to Amsterdam in 2007, and
soon after, met Malian kora master Zoumana Diarra (who also plays the guitar,
balafon, and ngoni). In 2012, Polat and Diarra attended an Alevi ceremony (a
ritual from the mystical traditions of the Turkish branch of ShiÆi Islam)
where they met Turkish ney master and spiritual visionary Sinan Arat. This was
the beginning of the Mehmet Polat Trio. Polat and Diarra made modifications of
their instruments (Polat added two bass strings to his oud. Diarra added
special clips to his kora to facilitate the half-tones found in maqam).
The CD opens with öOne Drop in the Ocean,ö an absolutely captivating unison
melody between the oud and kora, with the ney supporting the structure in the
background. Then the ney steps forward ever so slightly to bring out an
unexpected dimension of beauty within the melody. The melody is never
abandoned, and they never go ôout.ö But they never repeat themselves; the
melody is explored again and again, like religious scholars and seers
examining an ancient text and finding new truths within its words with each
reading.
ôThere Life Begins Againö starts with the oud taking the song into an
exploration of the maqam its based on over an insistent bass note pulse. The
kora and ney come in and the trio explores all manner of peregrinations within
the song. The oud takes a solo with sparse rhythmic accompaniment by the kora;
an evocation of longing and a sweet sadness are brought to a climax, before
they move into a new realm of the song, led by the ney, which introduces a
very different mood; one of happiness, refreshed optimism, and playfulness.
The piece ends with three simple notes that seem to acknowledge a submission
to the inevitable forces of change in life itself.
The mood of the collection is led into another dimension by DiarraÆs kora at
the beginning of ôSummer Dream.ö After this, the oud and ney answer with maqam
elements. They come together in mutual agreement, and hold a musical evocation
of a very summer-like mood. The kora and ney have a beautiful and poetic
conversation.
The title track, ôNext Spring,ö opens with an uptempo oud solo. The music is
propelled into a statement of strength and determination, which the ney
answers in agreement. With the oud providing a bass ostinato under it, the
kora takes over and makes a statement of its own. The ney takes over.The solo
Arat plays here is sparse, but possesses a vocal quality that often has one
wondering who they brought in as a vocalist. It becomes impassioned, as the
oud assumes an almost jazz-like bass role, and the kora shimmering in the
background like sunlight reflecting off a river.
The remaining tracks of the CD are all as masterful as they are beautiful.
ôMehtabö begins with a melancholic oud solo, and suddenly becomes cheerful and
optimistic with the entrance of the others. ôYou are not Aloneö comes across
as support and a gift of strength through a loving admonishment. The trio
displays impressive chops in the joyous ôWhirling in the Jungle.ö The
foreboding mood of ôThe Day Will Comeö gives way to impassioned entreaties
before returning to its former somberness. This seems to extend into ôMissing
You.ö ôAmarulaö employs the only percussion on the CD in a lively display of
passion and life.
The music the trio presents on this recording does not overwhelm the senses
with power or an ostentatious display of virtuosity (although they have plenty
of that); it doses so with beauty and sincerity.This music is much more than a
meeting of Turkish and West African musical styles. There is a poetic
eloquence here that compels the listener to respond in a visceral and
emotional manner. It is music that gently demands deep listening, and inspires
introspection and the unveiling of new insights.
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Mehmet_Polat_Trio-Next_Spring-(5425015551180)-CD-FLAC-2014-k4