Bashka

 

“ – a heady Aussie Eurasian ride and a true international collaboration. Surprisingly, it just might please both Middle Eastern traditionalists and dancefloor fans alike, and that’s quite an impressive accomplishment’ – Seth Jordan, Songlines Magazine UK

“ there’s definite method in Bashka’s musical madness, with well considered arrangements, permutation of instruments and vocal interludes creating breathing space and dynamics, thus allowing the music to slip between East and West with relative ease”
‘ – Tony Hillier, The Australian “Exotic and infectiously danceable” -PBS Radio
“…blur the arbitrary borders between ancient and modern musical forms.”

Christopher H James – The Music

Drawing their inspiration from the vast ocean of Turkish music, Melbourne based group Bashka are creating a new genre which slips between east and west with natural ease.
Musically spanning two continents and many centuries Bashka explore the contrast between east and west, composed and improvised, original and traditional, acoustic and digital. The group was created in late 2014 by Murat Yucel and Alisha Brooks (Unified Gecko, Baro Banda) both of whom have toured extensively throughout Turkey, Europe and Australia. They joined forces with ELFTranzporter 2016 and their live

performances are energised with a truly new sound combined with the delicacy of traditional Turkish instruments and master players. Live samples and loops merge seamlessly with ancient acoustic and modern western instruments to create music which brings to life old folk songs, gypsy ballads and dance music from the dirt streets of old Turkey.

The Band…

Murat Yucel – Electronic soundscapes, beats, loops, vocals, guitars

Alisha Brooks – Saxophones, flute, percussion, keyboard, electronic soundscapes

Elf Tranzporter – Emcee, vocals, beatboxing

Iskender Ozan Toprak – Bağlama, √ocals, Yaylı Tambur

Highlights:

WOMADelaide 2018
Globe to Globe 2018
Brunswick Music Festival 2017
Bohemia World Music Festival 2017
The Age and Music Victoria Best World Music Award Nomination 2016 Melbourne Turkish Festival 2016
Multicultural Festival 2016
Year of Australia in Turkey Opening Ceremony 2014
Troopfest Turkey tour 2014

Debut album “Fihi Ma Fihi”

The difficulty of categorising this album is reflected in its title ‘Fihi ma Fihi’ which means ‘It is what it is’. It is anything and everything between very traditional Turkish sufi sounds to gypsy electronica and beyond.
‘Fihi ma Fihi’ is a journey stretching from Turkey to Australia. Produced in Melbourne and mixed in Paris it features over 30 outstanding musicians from Australia, Turkey, France and the UK. The thread of ancient music weaves throughout a distinctly modern and original sound and conjures images of far-flung places and the bands’ local stomping ground of Melbourne.

REVIEWS

“More than 30 musicians contributed to Fihi Ma Fihi, an odyssean enterprise masterminded by Melbourne-based producers and players Murat Yucel and Alisha Brooks under their collective alias.
Predicated on extensive travels, primarily in Turkey, Bashka’s tilt is Eurasian, with exotic stringed instruments such as baglama (long-necked bowl lute), cumbus (banjo-esque lute), oud and bouzouki supplying a melange of microtonal notes above robust rhythmic platforms provided by a plethora of percussion (darbuka goblet drum, rek tambourine, tabla and various frame drums), three-string fiddles (kabak kemanes) augmented by Western violin, viola and cello, and electric guitar and keyboard washes.

In between mesmerising plucked lead instrumental breaks and atmospheric fills, the voices of no fewer than 10 singers (male and female) vie for attention with kaval (end-blown flute), G clarinet, trumpet, trombone and soprano saxophone.

While on paper it might sound chaotic, even cacophonous, there’s definite method in Bashka’s musical madness, with well-considered arrangements, permutation of instruments and vocal interludes creating breathing space and dynamics, thus allowing the music to slip between East and West with relative ease.

Turkish sufi, atmospheric arabesque, caravanserai romps, Balkan gypsy and Western rock and jazz are neatly intertwined in a journey album that finishes with an impressive flourish via Canakkale, Kervan, Hep Bes, Barbar Conan and Transparan. Bashka punch above their weight with an ambitious long-player that goes the distance.”

Tony Hillier – The Australian

 

Links:

http://bashka.com.au

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7bBOEij0pom1HyOb2HCPUj

https://www.facebook.com/bashkamusic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NasDksilPCM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XywfTXxzt70

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5PvhJA10FtcZqvPY84dQQ