Both "Tell me Trabizon"(1998)**** and "Morceaux Choisis"(1995)**** are fine examples
of Jazz and World Fusing styles.
A few good style descriptions of Senem Diyici Quartet :
"The bop of the Bosporus of the cat-like woman Senem Diyici, who sails smoothly from sweet meanders to sparkling dances, a chamber world music, acoustic and playful" Telerama
"Their music is a combination of traditional and classic Turkish music and European Jazz. The lyrics are based upon the poems of Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian poets from the 16th and 17th century. The result that comes from this musical message combined with the Indian rhythms of Ravy Magnifique, the jazzy harmony from Alain Blessing and Philippe Botta and the voice of Senem Diyici is marvelous. " El diaro de Mallorca
BIOGRAPHY (taken from press journal) :
She came to this world in the year of 1953, in the Oriental metropole of Istanbul. Senem was raised by a Kurdish mother and a father of Armenian-Azeri origin. They lived in Sisli, the European quarter of Istanbul,populated by many cultures, like the Greek, Armenian,Hungarian, French, Turkish, Jewish and Italian. These cultures became her roots, influencing her, feeding her, making her understand and live life as a citizen of the world to let her voice be heard.
Already at an early age, her father discovered the quality of his daughter's voice. He began to teach her the classical Turkish songs and stimulated her to listen to records and to the popular and classical songs on the radio. At the age of six he enrolled her in the children's choir of Radio Istanbul, where she soon became soloist in the choir. In the mean time the bond between Senem and her father grew tight. To Senem he was her role-model, her example; a man with dreams, pains and joys, which he tried to express in his poems and paintings.
When Senem was ten years old, she was sent to the National Conservatory of Istanbul, where she studied the theory and particular characters of the traditional Ottoman music for more than six years. But, of course as any youth at any time, Senem discovered the popular and traditional Turkish music,and began to refuse the classical teachings. Also in this period young Turks came to learn about American and English music. To Senem this was a real shock, so much so, that it changed her musical conceptions altogether. Against the advise of her teacher at the Conservatory, she recorded her first record in 1969 ('Nar Hanim' Melodi Musik Prod.). After this, Senem began to work as a professional singer and quit the National Conservatory. In 1971 she started to explore different areas of Turkey. At that time she merely wished to collect the spirit of her peopie, through traditional songs and music. Travelling with her tape-recorder, she met many people, sailors, city folk, countrymen and women, who gladly shared their heritage. She ended up with more than 600 traditional songs and ancient poems that became the basis of her actual work. The gipsy in her awakened, the travelier being open to cultures surrounding her, came free. She expanded her mind in an amazing musical and spiritual meeting with people she met on her way. Back in Istanbul Senem recorded her second album (1973 'Ham Meyva' - Yanki Productions), but felt the strong need to explore the music of the world and decided to leave her country.
That's how she got to Europe. Having travelled a difficult road and full of both beautiful and painful memories, she knew she now had the chance to expand her musical meeting with musicians from all over the world. Jazz entered her life. Her music took her to Germany where Senem continued working with Jazz musicians. After some time she went to Paris where she would meet guitar virtuoso and future husband Alain Blesing. Their collaboration translated her spirit and inspiration. Senem finally found what she had been looking for all these years: a strong, spontaneous, emotional and sparkling encounter between her traditional Oriental music and her love for the music of the West. An encounter, that led to the Senem Diyici Sextet in 1989, producing Senem's third album ('Takalar' - featuring Okay Temiz - Label La Lichère).
The Senem Diyici Quartet was founded in 1991, and consists of Senem Diyici (Turkey), Aiäin Biesing (France/The Netherlands), Philippe Botta (France) and Ravy Magnifique (India/France). The Senem Diyici Quartet recorded 3 albums up to 1998 ('Geste/lest' Wad Productions/Artalent 1993 - 'Divan' Artalent 1995 - 'Tell me Trabizon' Buda Musique 1998). With their music they travel the worid, enchanting 'their audiences wherever they go.
To Senemn her music is like a bridge between cultures and peopie, fusing the old and new, always searching for the spirit and the story that is within every human being. ,It has become her own heritage, through which she transmits and shares universal love and nostalgia with her audiences all over the world.
A Live Concert :
I heard the latest version of the sextet live in Ghent,Belgium at 'De Centrale' at October 13th 2002, hearing more jazz improvisation, in a more free jazz without directing styled fusion in between more recognizable themes and structures. The new drummer was not that fusion styled as the former percussionist. I liked him most when the total group was enjoying itself with its outbreaks at the end of the concert, but in his quieter passages I did not find this so structurally and musically contributing as before. The for me interesting musically bridging World Fusion themes were less expressed, and the contributing layers of building sounds were too often left out for a free expression which still too chaotically willing than necessary constructive for a mood creation. Therefore I did not buy its latest product yet. But I am still very fond of the two releases I do have. A bit like Oregon at its best with a female singer with a beautiful voice expression.
"Morceaux Choisis" is most close to various folk roots, with a fusing ability, where "Tell me Trabizon" is a bit more with jazz fusion craft.
About the improvisation I asked Senem about it :
PvhF : "Is improvising important ? There was a lot at the live concert. About some of the live improvising : I did not know what direction this was heading, it seemed more an expression on its own ?"
Senem : "Yes, improvisation is really important. I don't want be only a traditional or any other style singer...most important is in which way I can give my emotions to the audience...style question is really secondary for me."
and
PvhF :
"How much your parents and the countries you were in were of influence ?"
Senem : "All my background...but it's only a background!!!"
I described the style of the musicians as being more typical French in the way of improvising within a certain mood than for instance Ottoman in style.
Senem :
"What do you mean by "more typical French"?? For me music don't have specific country, especially now because improvisation is the main stream of my projects...in a same concert, you can listen to Indian music, Turkish music, jazz, songs,.. A French contemporary composer found a very nice expression for this : "global musical fact"...
LINKS :
Production Turkey : Kalan Music
Turkish label entry :
MP3 soundfiles (links will updated soon) "Ay beri bah" and "Dolama dolamayi",
"Ahbaric" Another Audio file "here" ; "Tell me Trabizon" soundfile here, "Morceaux
Choisis"-soundfile here
* "Takalar" (1989/re.2001) : Senem Diyici, Okay Temiz, Alain Blesing, Frank Tortiller, Eric Seva, Yves Rousseau, David Pouradier La Lichère - Night & Day
Label : La Lichère ; reissue : Kalan Musik
Turkish reissue (with audio) :
* "Geste/Jest" (1993) : Senem Diyici, Alain Blesing, Philippe Botta, Ravy Magnifique
Label Wad - Night & Day
= "Jest"
Reissue label Other, Trikont
Info (with audio of each track) :
* "Divân" (1995) : Senem Diyici, Alain Blesing, Philippe Botta, Ravy Magnifique
Label Artalent - Night & Day
* "Tell me Trabizon" (1998) : Senem Diyici, Alain Blesing, Philippe Botta, Ravy Magnifique
with guests Vincent Courtois, Philippe Talet, Bruce Brunetto, Eric Pisani
Label Kalan Müzik / Buda Musique
(« Disque d'Emoi » Jazz Magazine ; 4 étoiles Jazzman ; Sélection FIP ; Classement World European Charts 1998) audio 1, audio 2
* "Morceaux Choisis" (2000) : Senem Diyici, Alain Blesing, Philippe Botta, Ravy Magnifique.
* "Yörük"(2002) by Alain Blesing Octet
Label Buda Musique/MFA 2002
* on "Feleque" (2003) by Techno Roman Project
Label Elec-Trip Records 2003 ; audio
* "Zip Cikti" (Senem Diyici / Lari Dilmen Duo) (2003)
* Side-project CD : Turquie "Un moment de Keif " :
This is just a compilation on turkish music produced by the belgium record MDC..in 95/96. All the pieces are extracted from Gest (1993) and Divan (1995).
See below for detailed review.
* "live" (Senem Diyici 4tet) (2005) :
Label Buda Musique (Choc du Monde de la Musique, 4 étoiles Jazzman) audio 1, audio 2
Articles about concerts at
Live pictures :
MDC Rec.
Gilles Andrieux & Vincent Courtois / Senem Diyici Quartet :
Turquie, moment de Këif (F/TÜ,1993)****
In a series of cd's introducing a country this CD is a fifty fifty compilation of 2 talented groups, both associated with France, but with musical interests in Turkish music.
The first group is Gilles Andrieux (saz) and Vincent Courtois on violincello, fretless bass, Peruvian sabots (shoes ?), voice, with guest musicians Benoit Dunoyer on electric bass and double bass, Nicolas Krasik on violin, Julien Lourau, tenor sax, and Youval Micenmacher, on percussions and zarb.
The second group is the Senem Diyici Quartet led by Alain Blesing, guitar, ud, çura,saz, with Senem Diyici, voice, davul, jew's harp, Philippe Botta, sax and flute, Ravy Magnifique, tablas and percussion.
The music of both groups express perfect blends of Oriental jazz, and both with attention given to one or more Turkish element like with saz (on one track with definite exposure of the zarb) or ud mixed with a jazz element like sax, or double bass. Senem Diyici here sounds at its best. I heard from the group, that the tracks were compiled from their albums 'Gest' (1993) and 'Divan' (1995). The tabla also fits perfectly the colour of sax,ud and voice.
The idea of presenting this as something to present Turkey might not be too apropriate, but the music itself provides a perfect listen and a great example of a very good blend between Turkey and beyond. Also the combination of both groups on one compilation works really fine, giving the album lots of enjoyable variation. Two quiet tracks from both groups in the middle almost seem to have been made to be placed next to one another or are mixed perfectly to complement each other.
Audio : "Karanfil" (Senem Diyici Quartet), "Chez Jamet" (Gilles Andrieux & Vincent Courtois),
Another side-project of Senem, Ottoman style was called Ottoman Trio.
This trio existed until 2002 since Nicolas Krassik now lives in Brazil.
Buda MusiqueSenem Diyici Quartet : live ! (F/TÜ,2005)****
Senem Diyici Quartet now consists of Senem Diyici on vocals, zils, davul, Alain Blesing, acoustic and electric guitars, cura, Philippe Botta, tenor and soprano sax, flutes and sipsi, François Verly, drums, tabla, bender, with Frédéric Roudet, trumpet and buggle on three tracks.
The live recording is a splendid quality and also the performance is really very good. Senem Diyici's group clearly developed their style from improvising, which can be heard in most tracks. Also the interpretations of the Turkish traditionals are even more jazzy way than before. These developments can be seen as a small change and a further refinement of the quartet’s style. Very unusual also I think is the composition/song "Sen" which hangs around the vibration of a specific note.
