By Michael Huebner, *Latif Bolat vividly depicts Sufi music, poetry in Birmingham concert* - The Birmingham News - Birmingham, AL, USASunday, October 24, 2010
Birmingham International Center's "Spotlight on Turkey" shone brightly on the mystic culture of the Sufis Saturday night with a concert by Turkish musician Latif Bolat.
A virtuoso on the saz, a long-necked lute with a pear-shaped body and 1,000-year-old history, Bolat sang and played a two-hour set that mesmerized with its repetition and simplicity, and revealed the heartfelt emotions of centuries-old texts.
Bolat likens himself to an ashik, or troubadour, in the tradition of the mountain dervishes who roamed about looking for beauty. His program, from which he departed on several occasions, was peppered with enlightening stories and histories -- on subjects such as ancient Robin Hoods known as "efes," the plight of being exiled from one's homeland, and a 7-year-old victim of Hiroshima (inspired by Pete Seeger lyrics).
Much of the beauty of this concert could be found in the saz itself, its "just intonation" giving it its Middle Eastern flavor, Bolat performing the fretted instrument's three multiple courses of strings with fullness and clarity.
Songs about watching the universe, and a city where the only currency is the rose, unfolded through Bolat's bright, pure voice.
The exquisite poetry of Islamic Sufi writers Ummi Sinan, Yunus Emre and Niyazi Misri took on universal significance.
At Bolat's request, applause was withheld until the end of the concert, allowing the words and music to settle in.
On two numbers, Bolat switched to piano, but the instrument's conventional tuning was too jarring to be appreciated. Slides from modern Turkey shown during one of the final numbers drew too much attention away from Bolat's performance.
But Bolat's exhaustive research of this ancient poetry had already reaped its reward.
Birmingham International Center's "Spotlight on Turkey" shone brightly on the mystic culture of the Sufis Saturday night with a concert by Turkish musician Latif Bolat.
A virtuoso on the saz, a long-necked lute with a pear-shaped body and 1,000-year-old history, Bolat sang and played a two-hour set that mesmerized with its repetition and simplicity, and revealed the heartfelt emotions of centuries-old texts.
Bolat likens himself to an ashik, or troubadour, in the tradition of the mountain dervishes who roamed about looking for beauty. His program, from which he departed on several occasions, was peppered with enlightening stories and histories -- on subjects such as ancient Robin Hoods known as "efes," the plight of being exiled from one's homeland, and a 7-year-old victim of Hiroshima (inspired by Pete Seeger lyrics).
Much of the beauty of this concert could be found in the saz itself, its "just intonation" giving it its Middle Eastern flavor, Bolat performing the fretted instrument's three multiple courses of strings with fullness and clarity.
Songs about watching the universe, and a city where the only currency is the rose, unfolded through Bolat's bright, pure voice.
The exquisite poetry of Islamic Sufi writers Ummi Sinan, Yunus Emre and Niyazi Misri took on universal significance.
At Bolat's request, applause was withheld until the end of the concert, allowing the words and music to settle in.
On two numbers, Bolat switched to piano, but the instrument's conventional tuning was too jarring to be appreciated. Slides from modern Turkey shown during one of the final numbers drew too much attention away from Bolat's performance.
But Bolat's exhaustive research of this ancient poetry had already reaped its reward.
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