The Istanbul Oriental Ensemble consists of the best gypsy musicians of Turkey: Burhan Öçal (leader, percussion), Fethi Tekyaygil (Turkish violin, speaking voice), Alaattin Coskuner (kanun = zither), Muzaffer Coskuner (ud = lute), Ferdi Nadaz (clarinet) , flute, singing voice) and Ekrem Bad -i (drums). The ensemble plays lively, virtuoso and completely authentic gypsy music from the Ottoman Empire.
After the very successful albums Gypsy Rum and The Sultan's Secret Door, the album Caravanserai has been released. The album is a musical sketch of a colorful caravan procession. Slow pieces depict the thirsty camels traveling through the seemingly endless desert. Festive and erotic music is played by the campfire. And at sunset we hear mystical singing. The excellent performance of the Istanbul Oriental Ensemble brings the listener into the atmosphere of a fairytale Arabia of a thousand and one nights. Shortly after the recordings, the clarinetist Ferdi Nadaz died, and this album is therefore dedicated to him. (SvdP)more
