Born in Istanbul in 1996, Baba ZuLa features founding members Levent Akman (spoons, percussions, machines, toys), Murat Ertel (electric saz and other stringed instruments, vocals, oscillators, theremin), as well as darbuka and percussion player Özgür Çakırlar, Periklis Tsoukalas (electric ud and vocal), Melike Şahin on vocals. Baba ZuLa go to great lengths to provide their fans with a unique live show experience. Their ritual like performances are a mixture of disciplines of art, often featuring belly dancers, elaborate costumes, poetry, theatre and live drawing, delivering viewers a tantalizing audio-visual feast. By mixing oriental instruments such as the darbuka, electric saz, and spoons with electronics and modern sounds, BaBa ZuLa creates a sound all their own called istanbul psychedelia. While a ney can represent the past Sufi-Islamic tradition, and a clarinet is the symbol of the music of the Turkish gypsies-an electric saz together with a wooden spoon can serve as musical compass to Turkish musical roots going as far back as pre-Islamic, shamanic times, through Anatolia reaches all the way up to present-day Istanbul. Despite sounds that might initially come to mind when one hears a phrase like “Oriental Dub”.
Questions
1.What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Life and being alive. Soothing the troubles and embracing hope and unity
2.How and when did you get into making music?
Born into a family of artists heard great music and started making music as a child using xylophone and mamas harmonica founded my first group when I was 5 with two girls did my first album 9 years later
3.What are your 5 favorite albums of all time?
Though one
For now
1.Electric ladyland by Jimi Hendrix experience
2.Erkin Koray – Elektronik Türküler
3.Selda -1
4.Baris Manco – 2023 – 2023
5.Okay Temiz – Drummer of two world album
4.What do you associate with Berlin?
Alexand er Hacke and Einstuerze Neubauten Dead Chickens Haus Schwarztzenberg early Nick Cave David Bowie living in an ambulance eno
5.What’s your favorite place in your town?
Studio my home and bosphorus
6.If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Draw comics about sex drugs and rock and roll
7.What was the last record you bought?
Cem Karaca Mogollar live 1978
8.Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I wanted Görkem şen The amazing Yaybahar player.
Recorded what will be his first album want to mix and fix it soon
9.What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Two days ago we performed at Babylon Istanbul
10.How important is technology to your creative process?
Very.I am a tech freak on certain dimensions
11.Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career?
We are performing and playing and learning together everyday. We get inspired by each other.
We record and perform at studio soundcheck home and live
Our favorite:
İtaat Etme
https://youtu.be/d9HG48GRnM0
Sinek Koca
Baska Bir Alem
Link: Website
