mor ve ötesi

Turkey's primary rock group mor ve ötesi was established in Istanbul in 1995. The band had already released three albums before the band redefined Turkish rock music with its groundbreaking, quarter-million-selling 4th album "Dünya Yalan Söylüyor." The past seven years following this success saw the band in heavy creative, live and promotional activity. On the live scene, some remarkable moments arose when mor ve ötesi headlined or played numerous major open-air festivals and gigs alongside acts such as R.E.M, Travis, Morrissey, Interpol, Marilyn Manson, James, Groove Armada, Placebo, in addition to about 500 concerts, 5 domestic nationwide tours, 3 European tours (w/ 25 sold-out shows in Germany) under their belt. mor ve ötesi also represented Turkey in Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade, Serbia. Today, with 6 studio and 1 compilation albums, 22 singles / music videos, more than half a million albums sold and millions of fans around the world, the band continues to be one of the most distinguished international ambassadors of Turkish rock music. The band’s 7th studio album "Güneşi Beklerken" was released at the end of 2012 to great critical and commercial acclaim.

maNga

Turkish alternative rock giant maNga formed in 2001 when frontman Yağmur Sarıgül broke from his regular gig in a local cover band to experiment with his own fusion of rock and electronic music. When his style attracted Özgür Can Öney (Drums), Efe Yılmaz (Turntables), Ferman Akgül (Vocals) and Cem Bahtiyar (Bass Guitar) maNga was born. The reason they chose the word for the traditional Japanese graphic novels was because the band brought five different characters, five different music styles and five different world views together.

maNga came into the public spotlight in 2004 after the release of their first self-titled album with Sony Music Turkey, which became an instant success. With sales over 180,000 copies, the band earned a Gold Record award and their album was released in Japan to great acclaim. The first single, “Bir Kadın Çizeceksin,” was included in the EA Sports FIFA 2006 computer game soundtrack. The band toured all over Turkey performing at more than 250 concerts. Additionally, the band headlined several important music festivals including Rock’n Coke in Istanbul and has taken the stage at the world famous Wembley Arena and the O2 Academy in London. 

Since the release of their debut album, maNga’s style has become increasingly melodic. Their changing worldviews and increasing taste of music brought an influx of stylistic changes to their music. This is evident in their sophomore album Şehr-i Hüzün released in 2009. One can hear traditional instruments like the nay (reed flute), tambour (circular drum) and baglama (lute with neck) on the album that create an organic blend of Western and Oriental sounds with minor melodies that portray love, solitude, death and melancholy.

Recently maNga was awarded the Best European Act award at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards, while with their pan-European hit “We Could Be the Same” the band came in second at the Eurovision Song in 2010. maNga continues to grow in popularity as their fusion of Anatolian melodies, rock, electronic and hip-hop reaches new audiences around the world.
 
http://www.manga.web.tr

https://www.facebook.com/mangafan

Gripin

Formed in 2000, Gripin is a 4-member pop/rock band. During the last 2 years, GRIPIN performed over 200 concerts in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Cyprus, Turkey, and Switzerland) and Azerbaijan with internationally known acts such as Cake, Evanescence, Franz Ferdinand, and many more. The band released its first album "Hikayeler Anlatildi" in 2004, the second edition of the first album in 2005, a self-titled album in 2007, and its latest album "M.S.05.03.2010" in 2010. The band has won numerous awards, landed commercial deals, and licensed its songs to several television sitcoms.
 

http://www.gripin.org

https://www.facebook.com/gripinfan
 
 

NY Gypsy All-Stars

"Adventurous, mondern-minded... a varied terrain of Balkan, Turkish, and Romany selections, spiked with jazz and Western styles."—Time Out New York

The exciting and virtuosic New York Gypsy All-Stars blend traditional Gypsy and Turkish melodies with a supercharged jazz and funk sensibility, creating an exhilarating sound that is just delightful. The band exemplifies New York in the most eclectic sense possible, with members hailing from Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, and Brooklyn, and have played internationally prestigious venues both formal and casual, from Carnegie Hall to Central Park’s SummerStage. Musicians include the kanun (Turkish zither) virtuoso Tamer Pinarbasi; percussionist extraordinaire Engin Gunaydin; hyperkinetic electric bassist Panagiotis Andreou; keyboardist Jason Lindner; and are led by clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski, a Macedonian/Turkish virtuoso.
 

http://www.nygypsyallstars.com

https://www.facebook.com/NYGypsyAllStars