Erkan Oğur & İsmail H. Demircioğlu

About

Erkan Oğur is widely credited as the inventor of the fretless guitar, and that alone sets the tone for what he does: music that sits between traditional Anatolian sounds and more contemporary territory, carried by a playing style that is subtle, improvisational and almost meditative in character. He pairs up with İsmail Hakkı Demircioğlu, a vocalist whose powerful, lived in voice is steeped in Anatolian folk repertoire and Alevi musical tradition. Demircioğlu brings a raw intensity and sincerity to his interpretations that cuts through immediately. Together the two work in a world fusion space where Oğur's refined instrumental touch and Demircioğlu's expressive singing feed off each other. Their music is rooted in the cultural and spiritual traditions of Turkey, and their performances have a reputation for being intimate and deeply absorbing.