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  MERCAN DEDE (TURKEY) Mercan Dede's summer 2005 visit to London found him packing The Forum in Kentish Town, his wild mix of electronica and Turkish Sufi music making the audience dance until they too became whirling dervishes - Mercan tours with his own whirling dervishes!
Dede's had a profile on the North American dance music scene for several years now, primarily DJing techno as Arkin Allen, but more recently he's been noticed by the world music market as a man who can help connect a Western audience with the ancient musical culture of Sufism. Dede's profile is rising with his appearances in the Channel 4 documentary on Sufi Soul: The Mystic Music Of Islam (director Simon Broughton) and the German-Turkish film Crossing The Bridge: The Sound Of Istanbul (director Fatih Akin).
What makes Dede unique is his pioneering attempts at building musical bridges between Turkish Sufism and contemporary Western electronic music. Sufism is Islam's most mystical and musical sect and one Dede believes can help create harmony in this time of violence and fear.听
Dede, born Akin Alical, is Turkish born and trained as a photographer but has resided for some time in Montreal. Dede is an accomplished musician, playing the ney (reed flute), bendir, frame drum, zarp and udu drum, and has produced several CDs: Sufi Dreams (1997), Journey of a Dervish (1999), Seyahatname (2001), NAR (2002), Sufi Traveller (2004), SU (2004).
Dede believes the traditional Sufi understanding of music as a means to uplift and harmonize the soul is reflected in the rave/nightclub scenes of Europe and North America . 'I don't like the separation,' says Dede. 'The Sufi poet Rumi has a very good saying: 'If you are everywhere, you are nowhere. If you are somewhere, you are everywhere.' My somewhere is my heart. I try to figure it out. The rest, the hype, the trends, they are not important. Instead of talking about war in Iraq , if you can make a sound of a small instrument from an Iraqi village, you can tell people more about what is going on there. For me, the future is electronic and folkloric.'
Garth Cartwright听
A4WM 2005 profile
YOUR COMMENTS
koray zaim
Big artist, great sound great music. I think he s very good. Best musician of the world
Ray Walter
Best ever soul and electro music maker; a good neyzen( ney player)
Timothy Denton
he needs to win something i think that he is a wonderful artist and e deserves it
Rafael, Argentina
The first time that folk and electronic music is interesting...
sevgin taner
amazing...
Bulut Nesimoglu - Madison WI, USA
About 6 years ago, I had a stopover in Istanbul on my way to Cyprus. I met a friend and we went to a shop to buy a "Ney Flute". Then I went to a music store and asked for a new music CD. I told them I wanted electronic style music featuring Ney. They could have laughed at me and I was prepared for that. But they did not laugh. They gave me Mercan's Seyehatname CD. This was his second release but I did not know that. I liked the CD. I took that as a good sign. It took me almost 4 years to get a sound out of my own Ney. I am so happy. Now I am trying to play a melody with my Ney! Recently I learned to play hand drums and clarinet but I concluded Ney is definitely a tough instrument to play. Though there are many better Ney players out there, Mercan Dede is a true pioneer in this new musical field that he created single handed. He is a musical alchemist. He is getting better and better at bringing various sounds together. His roots and soul are "alternative". He does opposite of pop music if you know what I mean. This is a good thing since pop music can suck and too much of it can kill our creativity and therefore free thinking. I wish him more success. Those of you out there with a musical soul will find Sufi music (or any other type of meditation music) rewarding to play. If you are inspired and don't play anything, I encourage you to take action like I did. Most peole do not realize this but it is very easy to start with a hand drum. Get a Djembe, Conga, Darbuka/Doumbek, Bongos or anything else you can find. Find a rhythm that comes from inside. You can hear good rhythm samples in Mercan's music so use that as a key to unlock your mind. I hope that others follow in Mercan's footsteps successfully so that "Sufi Elctronica" gets established as a genre helping human race on this though journey for enlightenment.
Miguel, Spain
Mer莽an Dede makes beautiful, transcendental, deeply moving music. It is not only his seamless mix of the newest and the oldest of instruments and sounds in creating wonderful compositions of the highest musical quality, but also the feeling of peace and meditation he entices. Moreover, his live act is simply stunning. He is a modern ambassador for his traditional music; all cultures should encourage this updating of traditions.
Calud Efraim/ Israel
Big artist, big people and soul of a musician...
Sherosha, Toronto
Great rhythm! He's got my vote!
john
truly amazing music!
Ahmet Dirican, New Bedford Massachusetts, USA
I am torn apart between Mercan Dede and Yasmin Levy; Ms. Levy's voice pierced through me, it was superb; yet, the music of Dede moved my soul like an ocean,wave after wave, irresistibly pulling me in it.
billie driehoek
high level of future music
Onur S枚眉t
Mercan Dede is keen to bring his extraordinary music and stagecraft everywhere in the world because he feels its inclusive spirit carries a profound message of understanding and reconciliation. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like the separation,鈥 says Dede. 鈥淭he Sufi poet Rumi has a very good saying: 鈥業f you are everywhere, you are nowhere. If you are somewhere, you are everywhere.鈥 My somewhere is my heart. I try to figure it out. The rest鈥攖he hype, the trends鈥攖hey are not important. Instead of talking about war in Iraq, if you can make a sound of a small instrument from an Iraqi village, you can tell people more about what is going on there. For me, the future is electronic and folkloric." |
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