christmas joy

counting the time for a little church service for a change. but that is no christmas mood. my readers who are used to the tone and style of this blog may be disappointed, disappointed for a good cause though! I decided (!?!) to be merry for a few days. Take all air in, feel blessed and enjoy, make a few resolutions of my own, and share this sentiment with you, my belowed readers in the form of a little christmas trivia.

many of you enjoy christmas music, I hope. in reality, I do not hope,but I know. since the broad genre we call 'holiday music' comes in many forms and styles, I know there is a christmas song or melody that catches the heart of each.

here I provide my readers a free piece very suitable (in my opinion and taste of course) for the christmas mood. please download and enjoy it using the link provided below. consider it my little christmas gift for all of you. now here's the deal; using the comments link below, tell me the name and the composer of this piece. there will be a random selection on January 2nd, 2007, and the winner will obtain the rights to download the whole album officially.

now be marry, and happy christmas and a healty new year to all my readers.

Download the trivia mp3 here.

hall of famer ertegün dies

saturday night another turkish star of international fame passed away. Mr. Ahmet Ertegün (1923-2006) founder of atlantic records and maker of fame died in the united states where he lived since his graduation from university.
he and few friends founded atlantic records in 1947 to promote jazz and blues that he loved. it started as a hobby but soon became one of the giants of production business. he was also founder and ex-president of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

his death was due to a slip and hit of his head at a Rolling Stones gig in New York back in October. he never recovered. we wish his family and friends the best, may he rest in peace. he will be interred in istanbul today.

this unhappy event broght back memories. memories of new york in the 90's, where blue note and alike were filled with jazz enthusiast from every corner of the world. it was pre 9/11 and clinton era. I remember a particular night when an artist (his name escapes my memory) performed a set he called mozart blues, based on the andante movement of composer's piano concerto no:20. what a performance to remember. the music so unlike mozart (the movement itself is so unlike mozart), so dark, so full of the turns and turbulances wolfgang went through late 1780's, so sublime, so perfect. and the mozart blues payed due homage to this perfection. I later learned that the musician was produced by Mr. Ertegün, and later performed in Bodrum, Turkey, where also a very young Norah Jones (another find of Mr. Ertedgün) performed later on. At Bodrum he spent his summers. The little summer town near Aegean cost of Turkey is now reknown as a jazz spot because of his efforts.

little homage will be paid in his memory in this country. because he was very successful, because he promoted non mainstream art, because he was an outsider.but here at turkish diaries, he will be remembered as a great man of music.