Mehmet Ali Sanlikol & Whatsnext? – The Rise Up: Stories of Strife, Struggle and Inspiration (Dünya, 2020)
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol brings together jazz and Middle Eastern music in The Rise Up: Stories of Strife, Struggle and Inspiration. The album is an epic three-part work that intertwines traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation and classical Turkish music with jazz forms.
In 2017, jazz saxophonist Dave Liebman asked Sanlıkol to compose a protracted programmatic musical work for jazz orchestra featuring himself as soloist. Principally, Liebman requested that the piece derive from Turkish and Sephardic Jewish musical elements as well as cultural and historical backgrounds.
Disappointed and personally affected by the present political climate and offensive stereotyping of Muslims in the United States, Sanlıkol chose to assemble the piece around three episodes from Middle Eastern history that chronicle traumatic events followed by inspiring creation and/or human stimulus. This uplifting message expresses Sanlıkol’s confidence that humanity will rise up above these challenging times.
The first narrative focuses on the influential 13th century Sufi poet Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi. The second story comes from the traditions of the Sephardim, Jews expelled from Spain who migrated to territories occupied by Ottomans. The third storyline tells the account of Mimar Sinan, forcibly taken by the Ottomans as a young Orthodox Christian boy and ascended to great heights in mid-16th century as the master architect of some of the greatest mosques in the world.
The lineup includes Mehmet Ali Sanlikol on vocals, ney, zurna, ud; Dave Liebman on soprano saxophone; Mary Cisconetti on French horn; Rick Stone on alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Mark Zaleski on alto saxophone; Rick DiMuzio on tenor saxophone, clarinet; Aaron Henry on DiMuzio on tenor saxophone, clarinet; Melanie Howell Brooks on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet; Rebekah Lorenz on French horn; Mike Peipman on trumpet and flugelhorn; Jeff Claassen on trumpet and flugelhorn; Sam Dechenne on trumpet and flugelhorn; Jerry Sabatini on trumpet and flugelhorn; Bulut Gulen on trombone; Chris Gagne on trombone; Bob Pilkington trombone; Angel Subero on bass trombone; Bill Lowe on tuba; Utar Artun on piano; Phil Sargent on acoustic and electric guitars; Fernando Huergo on bass; Bertramm Lehmann on drums and tam tam; and George Lernis on darbuka, tef, nekkare, kös, tambourine, castanets, triangle, cymbal and tubular bells.
The album also features a Byzantine choir led by Spyridon Antonopoulos featuring Spyridon Antonopoulos, George Fitopolulos, Haralambos Hamos, Ridvan Aydinli and Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.