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Kel Hamza - Mukim Tahir - Bekçi Bakir
Urfa'dan Uc Musiki Ustasi - Three Master Musicians of Urfa (Kalan)
$21.99

2 CDs and an accompanying hardcover book with extensive notes in Turkish and English.
For the first time on CD, the works of three master singers of Urfa, Mukim Tahir (Tahir Oturan), Kel Hazma (Hamza Senses) and Bekçi Bakir (Bakir Yurtsever). Al tracjs are from 78s recorded in 1928 and later recordings conducted in collection projects conductd in Urfa in 1938, digitally remasterewd for this collection.

From the liner notes:
Urfa is a city with an 11,000 year history, that has hosted several civilizations throughout history; and consequently a rich cultural heritage has arisen here. Among the cultural values, music holds a very important place. For this reason, the mention of Urfa brings two things to mind: its historical glory, and music.

With its rich folk songs that cut straight to the heart, intense hoyrats, outstanding gazels, famous singers and sra geces (formal musical gatherings), Urfa has left its mark on many people.

The rich and fruitful soil of Urfa has also nourished and raised up hundreds of musicians over the years. During the years between 1930 – 1970, a host of masters have carried Urfa’s traditional music to the present day. Some of these include Mehmet S,enses, Tahir Oturan (Mukim Tahir), Hamza S,enses (Kel Hamza), Bakr Yurtsever (Bekçi Bakr), Nafi Budak, Cemil Cankat, I.zzet Deliog(lu (Demir I.zzet), Mahmut Güzelgöz (Tenekeci Mahmut), S,ükrü Çadrc (S,ükrü Hafz), Bedirhan Krmz, Hamit Belli (Hamit Hafz), S,hmüslüm Görgün (Necim S,h), Ahmet Uzungöl (Ahmet Abe), Halil Uzungöl (Halil Hafz), Mahmut Akagün (Dellek Mahmut Hafz), Mehmet Gençkol (Kurrik Mahey), Karaköprülü I.smail, Bedih Yoluk (Kazanc Bedih), Yusuf Bilgin, Mustafa Kiris,çiog(lu (Fazoyun og(lu Mustafa), S,evki Altngöz (S,evki Hafz), Akif Baybostanc (Akif Hoca) and many more to mention them all here.

Just a few of the vocal artists who have come up within the traditional musical knowledge and culture of Urfa from the 1970s to the present include Ahmet Cankat, Mustafa S,ahin, Yavuz Tapucu, kadir Sema, Mahmut Cos,kunses, Seyfettin Sucu, Mustafa Savas,, Mehmet Güçlü, Abdullah Uyank, Mehmet Nacak, I.smail Badll, Mahmut Tuncer. Also included are Dr. Mehmet Özbek, who has made such a great contribution to Turkish Folk music both with his voice and his scholarly efforts; and I.brahim Tatlses, who has presented Urfa folk and made it popular both at home and abroad.

Questions such as “Why do so many musicians come out of Urfa” and “Is it the air or the water that is responsible for the beauty of the Urfalis’ voices” have been put to me, as well as to a number of Urfalis, and everyone has their own answer. Here is what I say:

Yes, it’s the air, because the soil of Urfa smells deliciously of music; in its gently blowing breezes, there is music. Yes, its the water, because the springs of Urfa pour forth babbling music. The reason for so many artists coming out of Urfa, and for the beauty of their voices, is its air, its water. To put it another way, it’s the musical atmosphere of Urfa, which has come to us through the centuries. If you enter this atmosphere and get to know Urfa, if you see its musical environments, if you understand the place and importance of music in Urfa’s social life, the question answers itself.

During the winter, the Urfal performs music at the traditional sra geces, formal musical gatherings that last all night; these function practically as a “folk conservatory.” In the spring, he goes to all-night musical celebrations in the mountains, and throughout the night from places like Merakefe, Dedeyin Serinci and Kanl Mag(ara, the sounds of hoyrat set hearts on fire. During the summer, he goes to the orchards, gardens, to the villages; from Cabur, Karaköprü and Tülmen, brilliant melodies rise up and float over the city of Urfa until the first light of dawn. These tunes, that flow out of the Urfa musicians’ hearts in this musical environment, are loved by the people and spread throughout the land. Fine Urfa folk songs like “Urfalyam Ezelden,” “Urfa’nn Etraf Dumanl Dag(lar,” “Urfa’nn Bedenleri” and “Ayag(nda Kundura” have become immortalized.

The place of music in the Urfal’s life

From birth to death, there is music to accompany nearly every stage of the Urfali’s life. In Urfa, this passion starts on the night he is named, with the sound of the ezan that his grandfather sings, in the mode rast. He grows up with his mothers sweet lullabies and manis. From the street peddlers he hears melodious voices; he learns the makams from the tinsmith, he hears the usuls from the sound of the kettlemaker’s hammer. Young men go with their fathers to musical programs, and there he hears the masters and takes in musical knowledge. Later on he goes out with his peers to the sra geces (special musical gatherings), to the mountains, the orchards, and stays all night. In the end, every Urfali is either a singer, or an instrumentalist, or a good listener. This musical adventure continues throughout his life. On his last last journey from this world, carried on the backs of his loved ones, he is sent off with with ululation. They turn their tears to türkü, mani and hoyrat to mourn his passing. One could say that “the Urfali’s life begins and ends with music.”

Being nourished with a musical culture a thousand years old, Urfals love any excuse to celebrate. More or less every Urfali has some knowledge of and an ear for music, and for this reason he is choosy in musical matters, He doesn’t like just any singer, musician or piece; he doesn’t call just anyone a “master.”

In Urfa, young people with talent seeking to work seriously with music serve the masters for years and thus develop their knowledge and repertoire. Because one known as a “master of music” has come up through this sort of long and difficult training, the Urfalis greatly value them; at parties they are given the head seats, they pay them compliments. Being a master of music in Urfa earns one a new status, a new career and identity. There is a saying, “Skills are connected to compliments,” and accordingly, in Urfa, the respect given to musicians has resulted in a great number of competent musicians. Continuing in the sira geces, which can be considered a “folk conservatory,” these skilled young people receive their education within a master/apprentice tradition, and many of them over time bring themselves to the level of master. Traditional Urfa music itself has survived to our day by being passed down through the generation by the masters; and as these masters pass from among us one by one, the young people of Urfa will pass it on to generations to come.

Three master musicians of Urfa

In 1997, within its “Archive Series,” Kalan Music published a CD of works by the important Urfa master Tenekeci Mahmut Güzelgöz (1919-1988).

In this album and the accompanying booklet, we present for the first time on CD, the immortal works of three master singers of Urfa, Mukim Tahir (Tahir Oturan), Kel Hazma (Hamza S,enses) ve Bekçi Bakr (Bakr Yurtsever). In this work, which will carry pieces that were about to be forgotten to coming generations, you will experience the joy of listening to these artists’ unrivaled voices and beautiful interpretation; and read their interesting life stories.

The three artists, with the depth of their knowledge, the beautiy of their voices and each one’s unique interpretation, pour their thoughts, love and torments into türkü, hoyrat, and gazel, and with their beautiful voices, have entered the hearts of their listeners. The beauty of their voices have deeply moved their audience, and their vocal styles, each one a school in itself, have earned these masters a place in Urfa musical history.

The three artists included on this CD came up participating in musical gatherings with and learning from such Urfa masters as Cürre Mehmet (1840-1927), Kiris,çi Halil (1868-1933) Kekeç Muhittin(1885-1924), Damburac Dervis,(1877-1957), Hac I.bis, Efendi (1864-1926) and Hac Nuri Hafz (1886-1971). It was in these gatherings that they gained knowledge of makam and usul, and enriched their repertoires. Over time, with the beauty of their voices and the originality of their interpretations, they attained the position of master, and became sought-after personalities in Urfa musical gatherings.

These masters performed what they had learned at musical gatherings, recorded on record and tape, taught young people, and thus were instrumental in the survival of these pieces to the present day. With their voices, they served as valuable sources, adding many pieces to and enriching the Radio archives.

Here we present these artists’ first 78s, recorded in 1928, and later recordings conducted within collection projects conductd in Urfa in 1938, as well as later recordings, digitally cleaned up using today’s technology.

We hope that this CD and booklet, the result of years of collection efforts and months of studio work will, first and foremost, serve as a readily available source for every lover and researcher of folk music.

We remember these irreplacable artists with respect and mourn their loss.