Namaz

Singer and saz player Emre Gültekin was born in Belgium and learned music from his father, Lütfü Gültekin. His technique, fine play and deep voice have been recorded in many projects. His repertoire focuses on the songs of the asik, bards of Anatolia who travel from village to village carrying their songs. Emre presents himself as a troubadour of modern times, equipped with his saz, the long-handled lute emblematic of Turkey. A year ago, Emre met the Indianduo BrahmaKhyapa, an outstanding couple of traditional musicians, who perpetuates the tradition of Baul music. Malabika Brahma (vocals) and Sanjay Khyapa (dubki, dotara) fell immediately the possible connections between saz and Baul music. They are both musical and spiritual : repertoires, similarities between the communities to which they belong, nomadic way of life, and echoes they found in their poetry. Thus was born this album, which is a tribute to the values shared by these two cultures.