Turkish folk group provide sweet treats for musical palates in Jeddah

A whirlwind of emotions were on display this weekend, as musicians deftly stirred memories with their evocative instrumental melodies. Their harmonies provided a tasteful representation of their motherland. (AN photo by Mohammed Almanea)

JEDDAH: A weekend of Turkish musical culture was presented at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), as prominent Turkish artists collaborated in a two-day event that ended on Friday.
Hüsnü Senlendirici, along with bandmates Ismael Tunçbilek and Aytaç Doğan, are the members of the Turkish musical group known as Taksim Trio. In demand in their native Turkey, they are now touring Europe and the Middle East, showcasing their unique and creative twist on traditional Turkish folk music.
Performing with instruments dating back to the Ottoman era, such as the baglama and qanun, these classical solo instruments fused in a triad of synchronizing sounds that reverberated throughout KAEC.
Also performing was Cafer Nazlibas, who plays a traditional Turkish wooden three-stringed violin known as the kabak kemane. This instrument, when amplified, creates a melodic fusion of classic Turkish folk, influenced with elements of Jazz, which produces intriguing songs with an unparallelled sound. His music blends familiar and new sounds that evoke feelings of happiness and sadness, consistently projecting a dichotomy of contradictory emotions.
One concertgoer Alia Sulaiman told Arab News: “I love attending concerts, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I attended with my friends out of curiosity and we all found it very enjoyable. Turkish music resonates with our culture. The songs were a nice reflection of several individual musical identities rolled into one.”
Another concertgoer, Mehmet Sahin, told Arab News: “I’m here visiting family from Turkey; they’ve been living in Jeddah for more than 20 years. This is the first time that I have found many different fun events to enjoy. I never thought I would go to a Turkish concert in Jeddah. It was a beautiful show.”
Sahin was referring to the new entertainment options in the Kingdom made possible by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), a government body established to develop and grow the entertainment sector in Saudi Arabia.
Coinciding with Vision 2030, the GEA works to offer concerts and other fun activities to the public in a professional, well-organized, and high-quality manner.