Untitled - Asphalt Tango

T
hese are songs with histories. Not so
much the history of the characters featured in
the Greek and Turkish lyrics – the young woman
longing to escape from her veil, the cook Katarina,
whose barbecued köfte is the better than the rest, or
the Robin Hood figure Mehmet Efe fêted in the song
Çakıcı – but rather of those who sang them in the cafes
and wine houses, prisons and hash dens of Piraeus,
Thessaloniki, Istanbul and other urban centres during
the 1920s and ‘30s. It is music that harked back to
the time before the Greeks were expelled from the
elegant, relaxed port city called Smyrna in Greek and
Izmir in Turkish. Without a doubt the song­writers,
musicians, and those who joined in singing raucously
with them were dreaming of their forever-lost life on
the sparkling blue Aegean coast, where they got along
for better or worse with their Turkish-speaking
neighbours under the shadow of the fading Ottoman
Empire, and where they had comfortable homes and
a community that was as ancient as, well, the Anci­
ent Greeks. In the ‘motherland’ of mainland Greece,
they found themselves as refugees with a strange
accent, treated as outsiders and a shunned under­
class. This was music to lighten the load, to forget
your troubles, to laugh – and cry.
The extent to which the roots of the music that later
came to be called rebetiko are Turkish or Greek,
Anatolian or Mainland, is disputed. It is clear, how­
ever, that the so-called smyrneika style looked back
to the music that had been played not only by Turks
and Greeks, but also Armenians, Jews, Levantines
and others in that fated Aegean port town. In all, in the
early 1920s, well over a million Greeks were com­
pelled to move to mainland Greece and 100,000s
of ethnic Turks were resettled from Greece to the
new Turkish Republic. Taking few possessions, songs
were one thing no one could steal from them. Louis
de Bernière’s book Birds Without Wings recounts the
loves, lives and tragedies of ordinary Greek- and
Turkish-speaking residents of a small town in southwestern Anatolia affected by the distant events of
the First World War that led to the rift between their
communities. Says Iskander the Potter, one of the
Muslim characters, “Man is a bird without wings,
and a bird is a man without sorrows”. These are
songs that have survived and risen above the sorrow;
they are songs with wings.
The life of singer Roza Eskenazi (c.1890s–1980),
one of the most important stars of rebetiko, illustrates
well how the music travelled naturally between
communities. She was born in Istanbul to a poor
Jewish family, grew up in Thessaloniki, eloped with
a wealthy Greek from a central Anatolian family, and
was picked out by Armenian musicians in Athens
because she spoke Turkish. Roza Eskenazi also typi­
fied the mortissa character – who appears in the songs
Trava Vre Manga Kai Alani and Sto Kafe Aman and
who gives this album its title. Mortissa was a woman
who enjoyed drinking, smoking, singing, dancing and
the company of men, but who, even in those eco­
nomically harsh and socially restrictive times, was
also strong, free and independent enough to get up
and go.
Çiğdem Aslan (pronounced ‘Cheedem’), born in
Istanbul to Kurdish parents from Turkey’s Alevi
community, has always understood the ethnic mosaic
that makes up modern Turkey. It was a singing house­
hold, and through her university years studying Eng­
lish literature she performed folk songs in Turkey’s
different languages as part of a project to shine a
musical spotlight on Anatolia’s minority cultures.
Moving to London to study music, Çiğdem began
to sing with local Balkan band Dunav, established
in 1964 well ahead of the current trend, as well as
becoming an integral member of the award-winning
She’koyokh Klezmer Ensemble. As part of She’koyokh
she has won plaudits for the “clear, natural ease” with
which she sings (Songlines Magazine) and her “nononsense from the heart passion” (fRoots Magazine).
The latter is really the only thing that matters in a
singer.
With this album Çiğdem Aslan steps onto the
international stage as a bright young star.
Mostly recorded in North London, an area
to which both Turks and Greeks have gravi­
tated as if they couldn’t bear to be apart, pro­
duction was not rushed so as to get it ‘just
right’ with musical ideas springing up along
the way. We hope the long-awaited and scin­
tillating final result will introduce Çiğdem to
a wide audience, and the songs to many who
have not explored this fascinating, historicallycharged and socially-loaded musical genre. A
full translation of the lyrics is included, so that
the listener can enter into the pathos, the love­
lorn pain, the feisty comedy and day-to-day­
ness of the songs.
Çiğdem and friends do not take a purist
approach by slavishly trying to copy archive
recordings. Some tracks use double bass, steelstring guitar, Turkish bağlama, clarinet or Greek
laouto as well as the more usual instruments
of smyrniac rebetiko – which were santur,
violin and oud. Three of the tracks feature the
dynamic and sensitive playing of the She’koyokh
Klezmer Ensemble, and as a result Trava Vre
Manga Kai Alani has klezmer and even swing
influences. Under the guidance of musical di­
rector and kanun player Nikolaos Baimpas,
respect is paid to the original shellac 78s,
which were released from the 1920s onwards
on labels such as Berlin-based Odeon, later
taken over by Columbia. However, the arrange­
ments on this album are in a sense being
true to the makeshift, popular spirit of the
songs – open to all kinds of instruments and
musical ideas, whatever you could bring to the
party. It is an album that has come together
around the gorgeous and characterful voice
of Çiğdem Aslan, with dear friends who have
earned their musical stripes by living music
with a passion and whose playing as a result
communicates authenticity and joy. This album
is a work of love by all who have given of
themselves to it. We hope you’ll feel the love,
and love it too.
1. Aman Katerina Mou (Oh My Katerina) 4:26
2. Vale Me Stin Agalia Sou (Take Me In Your Arms) 3:44
3. To Dervisaki (Little Dervish) 4:53
4. Bir Allah (One God) 3:23
5. Pane Gia To Praso (Out For Leek) 2:47
6. Trava Vre Manga Kai Alani (Away With You, Manga) 3:29
7. Ferece (Veil) 3:35
8. Nenni (Lullaby) 5:20
9. Çakıcı 3:50
10.Sto Kafe Aman (At The Cafe Aman) 3:14
11.Uşaklı Kız (Girl from Uşak) 4:16
12.Kanarini (Canary) 4:28
13.S’agapo (I Love You) 5:16
Aman Katerina Mou – Αμάν Κατερίνα μου – Cevriye Hanım
Cıvıl cıvıl gelir sesi, köşedeki lokantanın
Bir işveli ki sahibi, Ah Cevriye,
güzel hanım
Çoktan beri sevdalıyım
Aman Cevriye Hanım,
Kuzum Cevriye Hanım
Güzel gözlerin aklımı başımdan aldı
Ah yok mu işvelerin şarkılı güzel sesin
Kestane gözlerin beni dertlere saldı
Oταν περνώ για να σε ιδώ
αχ πώς με βασανίζεις
έχεις κεφτέδες στη φωτιά
αχ, Κατερίνα μου γλυκιά
και γλυκοτηγανίζεις
Αμάν Κατερίνα μου
κούζουμ Κατερίνα μου
τα παραπονάκια μου θέλω να στα πω
μάτια σαν τα κάστανα
μ’ έβαλαν στα βάσανα
κι όλο από την πόρτα σου θέλω να περνώ
Her yaptığın olay olur, peşinde
bin sevdalı var
Mangaldaki köftelerin cız etmez
şu kalbim kadar
Umutsuz aşığınım ben
Aman Cevriye Hanım,
Kuzum Cevriye Hanım
Güzel gözlerin aklımı başımdan aldı
Ah yok mu işvelerin şarkılı güzel sesin
Kestane gözlerin beni dertlere saldı
Κάνεις ωραία σκορδαλιά
βάζεις περίσσιο λάδι
στην ταραμοσαλάτα σου
η σάλτσα η ντομάτα σου
που βάζεις στο πιλάφι
Αμάν Κατερίνα μου
κούζουμ Κατερίνα μου
τα παραπονάκια μου θέλω να στα πω
μάτια σαν τα κάστανα
μ’ έβαλαν στα βάσανα
κι όλο από την πόρτα σου θέλω να περνώ.
Oh My Katerina
A cheerful, chirpy voice drifts
from the corner eatery.
The flirtatious owner Cevriye,
what a beauty!
Long have I loved her!
Everything you do is a marvel,
You’ve thousands of lovers after you.
Those meatballs on your grill don’t
sizzle as much as my heart,
Ah, I’m your lover without hope.
Oh Miss Cevriye, dear Miss Cevriye,
your beautiful eyes have bewitched me.
Your coquettishness and sweet melodic voice,
your chestnut eyes have got me into
trouble.
Oh Miss Cevriye, dear Miss Cevriye,
your beautiful eyes have bewitched me.
Your coquettishness and sweet
melodic voice,
your chestnut eyes have got me into trouble.
You make a delicious garlic dip!
You put extra oil
in your taramosalata,
and what a tomato sauce
you put on the rice!
When I pass by to catch sight of you,
ah, how you torture me!
You have meatballs on the grill,
ah, my sweet Katerina,
you are sweet-frying!
Aman, my Katerina,
my beloved Katerina,
This is my complaint:
Your eyes like chestnuts
have got me into trouble!
Now I always want to pass by your door.
Aman, my Katerina
my beloved Katerina,
This is my complaint:
Your eyes like chestnuts
have got me into trouble!
And now I always want to pass
by your door.
composer / Greek lyrics: Panagiotis Toundas, Turkish lyrics: Cengiz Onural,
arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals / chorus, Guy Schalom: darbuka / riq, Meg Hamilton: violin, Nikolaos Baimpas: kanun / mandolins & mandolas / chorus, Paul Melas: guitar / vocals, Paul Tkachenko: double bass / mandolin, Sevtap Işık, Tahir Palalı: chorus
Vale Me Stin Agalia Sou –
Βάλε με στην αγκαλιά σου
Take Me In Your Arms
To Dervisaki – Το Δερβισάκι
Little Dervish
Βάλε με στην αγκαλιά σου
για να κοιμηθώ κοντά σου
Take me in your arms
so I can sleep near you.
Βάλε με, φως μου, βάλε με
και πριν να φέξει βγάλε με
Take me, my light, take me
and let me out before dawn.
Είμαι ένα δερβισάκι, αχ το λέγω
Που το διώξαν απ’ τη Σμύρνη κ’ όλο κλάιγω
Και το ρίχνω στο μεθύσι και φουμάρω και χασίσι
Στο καφέ αμάν, αχ γιαβρί μ’ αμαν
Μη φοβάσαι τη μαμά σου,
βάλε με στην κάμαρά σου
Don’t be scared of your mama,
take me into your room.
Βάλε με, φως μου, βάλε με
και πριν να φέξει βγάλε με
Take me, my light, take me
and let me out before dawn.
Βάλε μ από το πορτί σου
για να κοιμηθώ μαζί σου
Let me in through your little door
so I can sleep near you.
I’m a little dervish, ach, I tell you,
who was thrown out of Smyrna.
I can’t stop crying.
All I do is get drunk and smoke hash
at the Cafe Aman. Ach, my dear, aman!
When I play a little taximi I get
full of passion;
I remember my homeland and I melt.
Sometimes rich, at other times poor,
I play the oud with feeling
at the Cafe Aman.
Ach yavrum aman, ach I’m burning aman!
Βάλε με, φως μου, βάλε με
και πριν να φέξει βγάλε με
Take me, my light, take me
and let me out over the fence.
Βάλε μ από το ντουβάρι,
μη μάς πάρουνε χαμπάρι
Get me in over the wall,
so they don’t notice us.
Βάλε με, φως μου, βάλε με
κι από τη μάντρα βγάλε με
Take me, my light, take me
and let me out over the fence.
composer / lyrics: Vangelis Papazoglou, arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Cahit Baylav: violin, Nikolaos Baimpas: kanun, Paul Melas: guitar, Paul Tkachenko: double bass,
Philippos Demetriou: spoons / riq, Tahir Palali: oud
Όταν παίζω ταξιμάκι μερακλώνω
Την πατρίδα μου θυμάμαι κ’ όλο λιώνω
Πότε φτώχεια, πότε πλούτη,
Παίζω με μεράκι ούτι
Στο καφέ αμάν, αχ γιαβρί μ’ αμαν
traditional from Smyrna, arrangement She’koyokh,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Matt Bacon: guitar, Meg Hamilton: violin, Susi Evans: clarinet, Pavlos Carvalho: bouzouki
Bir Allah – μπιρ Αλλάχ
One God
Pane Gia To Praso
Out For Leek
Σαν βγαίνει ο Χότζας στο τζαμί
Αργά σαν σουρουπώνει
Κι όταν θα πει το μπιρ Αλλάχ
μπιρ Αλλάχ το στήθος μου ματώνει
When hodja goes out to the mosque,
late, when night falls,
and when he chants the Bir Allah
Bir Allah, my heart bleeds.
That’s the moment I met you,
far away in a foreign land,
and when I hear the Bir Allah
Bir Allah my thoughts turn to you.
In the deepness of Anatolia,
in the dark desert,
When I hear the Bir Allah
Bir Allah, my heart bleeds.
Ρε συ Νότη πρασατζή
πάμε τσάρκα ρε μαζί
μες στην αγορά θα πάμε
εκεί (έξυπνα) θα τα κονομάμε
Hey Noti, leek seller,
let’s go for a walk together.
We’ll go to the market
and make some sweet money.
Εγώ πρώτος θα φερμάρω
Νώτη να σε αβαντάρω
μηχανή εγώ θα φτιάσω
για να φας εσύ το πράσο
I’ll first suss things out,
to prepare the ground, Noti.
I’ll set up a diversion
so you can grab the leek.
Κι αν μας πάρει κανείς πρέφα
δίνομε κι αυτού τη ρέφα
για να μην μας την καρφώσει
στα λαγωνικά μας δώσει
And if someone rumbles us
we’ll give him a share
so he doesn’t grass on us
and hand us over to the dogs.
Γιατί μες την αγορά
είναι τα λαγωνικά
που στ’ αμίλητα σ’ αρπάνε
και στην τούφα σε πετάνε
Because in the market
that’s where the dogs are
who pick you up without a word
and throw you into jail.
Τέτοια στιγμή σε γνώρισα
στα μακρινά τα ξένα
Κι όταν ακούω μπιρ Αλλάχ
μπιρ Αλλάχ ο νους μου πάει σε σένα
Στα βάθη της Ανατολής
στη μαύρη ερημιά μου
Όταν ακούω μπιρ Αλλάχ
μπιρ Αλλάχ ραγίζεται η καρδιά μου
Bir Allah means ‘One God’ in Turkish.
The song was such a success that it
became composer Stamoulis’ nickname.
Although Bir Allah belongs to the laïkó
tradition, a commercialised version of
rebetiko, it retains the feeling of old rebetiko
songs with timbres from Asia Minor.
composer: Ioannis Stamoulis,
lyrics: Charalambos Vasileiadis,
arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Nikolaos Baimpas: baglama,
Odysseas Elia: bouzouki, Paul Melas: guitar,
Paul Tkachenko: double bass,
Philippos Demetriou: beads
composer / lyrics: Manolis (Dimitris) Chrysafakis,
arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Paul Melas: guitar,
Pavlos Carvalho: bouzouki, Philippos Demetriou: spoons,
NIkolaos Baimpas: santouri
Trava Vre Manga Kai Alani –
Τράβα βρε μάγκα και αλάνι
Away With You, Manga!
Μη περάσεις απ’τη γειτονιά μου
μάγκα μη σε ξάναδω μπροστά μου,
έμαθα μεσ’το Πασαλιμάνι
π’αγαπάς μια μόρτισσα βρ’αλάνι
Don’t come by my neighbourhood,
You rogue, I want you out of my sight!
I learned that in Pashalimani
you fancy a mortissa, you layabout!
Τράβα βρε μάγκα και αλάνι,
τράβα για το Πασαλιμάνι
Away with you, you rascal!
Get lost and go to Pashalimani!
Απ’τη μόρτισσα γλυκά φιλάκια
κάθε βράδυ γλέντι και χαδάκια,
και έτσι την περνάς μαζί της φίνα
και ξεχνάς ν’ανέβεις στην Αθήνα
Τώρα πια βρε μάγκα για να ξέρεις
μ’έχασες για πάντα δε θα μ’έβρεις,
θα γλεντάω μεσ’το Καλαμάκι
κάθε βράδυ μ’ένα χασαπάκι.
Sweet kisses with the mortissa,
every night fun and cuddles,
having a fine time with her,
you forget to come back to Athens.
Away with you, good-for-nothing manga!
Get lost and go to Pashalimani!
From now on, you scoundrel,
so that you know,
You’ve lost me forever, you won’t find me.
I’m going to have fun in Kalamaki –
every night with a young butcher!
Ferece – Φερετζέ
Veil
Φερετζέ φορώ, γιαβρί μου
να τον βγάλω λαχταρώ,
θέλω τη θερμή σου αγκάλη, αμάν, αχ, μερακλή,
για να γείρω το κεφάλι, αχ σεβνταλή.
I wear a veil, my lover,
but dream to take it off.
I want your warm embrace,
aman, ah my passionate one.
so I can rest my head, ah my love.
Τώρα θα γελώ, γιαβρί μου,
που `βγαλα το φερετζέ,
θα γλεντήσω στις ταβέρνες αχ, μάγια μου `κανες,
θα γλεντήσω με λατέρνες, αμάν, συ με τρέλανες.
Χρόνια λαχταρώ, γιαβρί μου,
το χαρέμι για να βγω,
που με κλείσαν οι αγάδες αμάν, αχ, μερακλή,
οι αγάδες κι οι πασάδες, αχ, σεβνταλή.
I’ll laugh with joy, my lover,
now I‘ve taken off my veil.
I’ll have fun at the tavernas,
ah you put a spell on me,
I’ll have fun to the sound of the laterna*,
aman, you’ve made me crazy.
For years I’ve been longing, my love,
to leave the harem,
where the agas have closed me away,
my passionate one,
the agas and the pashas, ah my lover.
Away with you, you jinx!
Get lost and go to Pashalimani!
No one word translates the colourful Greek word
‘manga’, which meant a proud, wheeling and dealing
type with plenty of attitude, a swagger to his step,
and usually sporting a carefully groomed moustache.
composer / lyrics: Kostas Skarvelis,
arrangement: She’koyokh,
performed by She’koyokh, Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Matt Bacon: guitar, Meg Hamilton: violin,
Paul Tkachenko: double bass, Susi Evans: clarinet
* a kind of mechanical piano similar to a
barrel organ, typical in Greece and invented
in Constantinople.
traditional, arrangement: She’koyokh,
performed by She’koyokh, Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Matt Bacon: guitar, Meg Hamilton: violin,
Paul Tkachenko: double bass, Susi Evans: clarinet, Vasilis Sarikis – darbuka, finger cymbals
Nenni
Lullaby
Çakıcı (İzmir’in Kavakları)
Çakıcı
Güzel kızım Evdokiam
Ipek saçlarına altın tokalar takayım
Nenni
My beautiful daughter, my Evdoksia, golden
hairpins have I for your silken hair. Hush.
İzmir’in kavakları
Dökülür yaprakları
Bize de derler Çakıcı
Yakarız konakları
Poplar trees of Izmir
with leaves falling down,
they call us Çakıcı.
Ah, my dear sapling,
we burn mansions to the ground.
Aslan oğlum Haris’im
Büyüsün de binsin atına,
Atının yelelerine altın sırmalar takayım
Nenni
Vasili’m Vasili’m yiğit Vasili’m
Gözlerim yolda sen gurbettesin
Ύπνε που παίρνεις τα παιδιά
έλα πάρε και τούτο
Να μου το πας στον γκιουλ-μπαξέ
και πάλι φέρε μου το
Νάνι, νάνι, νάνι, νάνι
το μωράκι μου να κάνει
Έλα ύπνε, πάρε μού το
και γλυκά αποκοίμισέ το
My lion son, my Haris, grow up,
ride your horse;
golden braids have I for your horse’s mane.
Hush.
Vasilis, my Vasilis, my valiant Vasilis,
my eyes
are gazing at the road and you are far away.
Selvim senden uzun yok
Yaprağında düzüm yok
Kamalı da Zeybek vurulmuş
Çakıcı’ya sözüm yok
My willow, there is none taller
than you,
your leaves are smooth.
Kamali the Zeybek is shot dead
I have no words for Çakıcı.
You, Hypnos, who takes children to sleep,
come take this one too, take it
to Gülbahçe, and bring it back to me after.
Sleep child; come Hypnos take it,
send it gently to sleep.
The Turkish lyrics are taken from ‘Evdoksia’ by Ismail Keskin, a novel about a little girl (Keskin’s grandmother),
orphaned during the population exchange and adopted by a Muslim family who changed her name to ‘Hediye’ which
means ‘gift’.
music and Greek lyrics: traditional, Turkish lyrics: Ismail Keskin, arrangement: Cigdem Aslan & Tahir Palalı,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Tahir Palalı: fretless guitar / kopuz
This is the most famous song about an outlaw
known as Çakıcı Mehmet Efe, who fled to
the mountains after his father was killed by
Ottoman troops. Such outlaws were known
as zeybek or efe, and, like Robin Hood, were
seen as protecting common people against
over­bearing authority. Çakıcı is pronounced
‘Chuckehjeh’.
traditional, arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Nikolaos Baimpas: kanun,
Paul Melas: guitar / vocals, Paul Tkachenko: double bass,
Cahit Baylav: violin;
Tahir Palali: Anatolian baglama / davul
Sto Kafe Aman – στο καφέ αμάν
At The Cafe Aman
Uşakli Kız
Girl from Uşak
Είμαι μια μόρτισσα, μικρή, καμωματού,
τσαχπίνα,
που τραγουδάω στο καφέ αμάν και
την περνάω φίνα,
χορεύω τσίφτι τσέφτελι κι όμορφο
ζεϊμπεκάκι,
με βλέπουν όλοι πίνουν και μεθούν
και σπάνουν νταλκαδάκι.
I’m a little mortissa, playful and fickle.
I sing in the Cafe Aman and have fun,
I dance tsifteteli and a beautiful little
zeibekiko.
Everyone watches me, they drink,
they get drunk and let their pain out.
Uşaklı kız, Uşaklı kız
Kiraz gibi dudaklı kız
Artık gelin oluyorsun
Başı telli duvaklı kız
Girl from Uşak, girl from Uşak,
girl with lips like cherries,
you’ll soon be a bride
in an embroidered lace veil.
Değerli kız, değerli kız
On parmağı hünerli kız
Artık gelin oluyorsun
Başı telli duvaklı kız
Precious girl, precious girl,
girl with countless talents,
you’ll soon be a bride
in an embroidered lace veil.
Μα ένας απ’ την αγορά, όμορφο χασαπάκι,
μου λέει μ’ έκαψες, μανούλα μου,
με το τσιφτετελάκι,
θέλω να γίνεις ταίρι μου, βρε όμορφο
κουκλάκι
και πάντοτε να ξεύρεις θα μασάς
αρνίσιο κεφαλάκι.
Κι άλλος μου λέγει με καημό,
βρε, είμαι ψαραδάκι,
έλα με μένα, πάντα να μασάς μπαρμπούνι
με μουστάκι,
δε θέλω εγώ ρε σεβνταλή,
θέλω να ’μαι τσαχπίνα,
να τραγουδάω στο καφέ αμάν
και να περνάω φίνα
One of them in the market,
a handsome little butcher,
says to me, “You burnt me with
your tsifteteli.
Be mine you little doll, and you’ll always
have a tasty lamb’s head to chew.”
And a young one tells me, in anguish,
“Hey, I’m a fisherman;
come with me and you’ll always
feast on red mullet with its moustache.”
But I don’t want any man hooked up to me,
I want to play, to sing
in the Cafe Aman and have fun.
composer / lyrics: Kostas Skarvelis, arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Guy Schalom: darbuka / riq, Makis Baklatzis: violin, Nikolaos Baimpas: kanun,
Nikos Angousis-Doitsidis: clarinet, Paul Melas: guitar, Paul Tkachenko: double bass, Vasilis Lemonias: cello, Vasilis Sarikis: riq
This song is dedicated to my beautiful and
talented nieces Zeynep, Íklim, Dünya and
Kader
traditional, arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Guy Schalom: darbuka / riq, Makis Baklatzis: violin, Nikolaos Baimpas: kanun / baglama,
Nikos Angousis-Doitsidis: clarinet, Paul Melas: guitar, Paul Tkachenko: double bass
Kanarini – Καναρίνι –
Sıra sıra siniler
Canary
Sıra sıra siniler
Hasta olan iniler
Aldı gitti yarimi
Denizdeki gemiler
Row on row of table-trays,
brothers ailing away,
they took my love and left,
those ships at sea.
Sana hic kıyamam
Yar seni severim candan
Bakışların pek yaman
Benim cilveli kanaryam
From you I can’t part,
Oh, I love you with all my heart.
Your gazes, they pierce me,
my coquette canary.
Καναρίνι μου γλυκό
συ μου πήρες το μυαλό,
το πρωί που με ξυπνάς
όταν γλυκοκελαηδάς.
My sweet canary,
my mind you’ve seized,
waking me every day
with your sweet singing.
Έλα κοντά μου στην κάμαρα μου
αχ ένα βράδυ στη αγκαλιά μου
Come close to my room,
in my arms you’ll be soon.
Suya giderim suya
Elmayı soya soya
Kaldır yarim peçeni
Göreyim doya doya
I go to the sea,
an apple I peel.
Love, lift your veil,
your face I desire to see.
traditional, arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Guy Schalom: darbuka / riq, Meg Hamilton: violin, Nikolaos Baimpas: kanun,
Paul Melas: guitar / vocals, Paul Tkachenko: double bass
S’agapo – Σ’αγαπώ
I Love You
Σ’αγαπώ γιατί ‘σαι ωραία
σ’αγαπώ γιατί ‘σαι ωραία
σ’αγαπώ γιατί ‘σαι εσύ
I love you,
I love you because you are beautiful;
I love you because you are you.
Κι αγαπώ κι αγαπώ κι όλο τον κόσμο
κι αγαπώ κι όλο τον κόσμο
γιατί ζείς κι εσύ μαζί
I love,
I love the whole world
because you live in it.
Το παρά
το παράθυρο κλεισμένο
το παράθυρο κλεισμένο
το παράθυρο κλειστό
Your window,
your window is closed;
your window is shut.
Άνοιξε
άνοιξε το ένα φύλλο
άνοιξε το ένα φύλλο
την εικόνα σου να δώ
Open,
open one panel of it,
so I can see your image.
traditional, arrangement: Nikolaos Baimpas,
Çiğdem Aslan: vocals, Guy Schalom: bendir, Nikolaos Baimpas: santouri, Paul Melas: guitar,
Paul Tkachenko: double bass, Philippos Demetriou: bells, finger cymbals
‘Mortissa’ is a testament to the idea that songs are the best storytellers. It is
ingrained in me through my roots that songs are the most powerful way to
keep a story alive and for it to transcend itself to tell a different story for every
listener; thus making them timeless. The songs in this album not only tell the
story of a poignant place and time, but also trace a journey through my own life
and mark the significant times at which these songs made their way into my
heart and made an eternal place there. I hope that they will continue to call forth
new stories and make places in new hearts.
I am deeply grateful to all the musicians who performed on this album for
their hard work and friendship; especially Nikos Baimpas and Pavlos Melas for
their commitment, great spirit and enthusiasm; to Tahir Palali for everything he
has done for the album and me; to She’koyokh for everything they are and for
re-recording the songs at nine in the morning(!); to Sebastian Merrick for
believing in me and initiating this recording and for his help throughout; to
Helmut Neumann for waiting patiently for me to finish things; to Ismail Keskin
for the lovely lullaby and for his help with lyrics; to Pavlos Carvalho for being
part of this project from the beginning; to Cahit Baylav for being in my life and
for opening new doors for me in London; to Brenna MacCrimmon and Erol
Mutlu for sharing their experiences with me; to Sudden Exit, to my family; to
Istanbul and London; and to my close friends in London, Greece and Turkey for
their constant love, support and encouragement.
produced by Çiğdem Aslan & Nikolaos Baimpas
management: info@kazum.co.uk
booking contact: asphalt tango production, Berlin, Germany
phone: +49 (30) 2858528 · e-mail: booking@asphalt-tango.de
www.asphalt-tango.de
liner notes by Sebastian Merrick
translations by Çigdem Aslan, Paul Melas, Sebastian Merrick and Zeynep Rosa Cavcav
photos by Tahir Palalı
cover by Tahir Palalı
artwork by Claudia Bachmann
executive production by Helmut Neumann & Henry Ernst
Made in Germany
& © 2013
Asphalt Tango Records GmbH, Berlin, Germany
e-mail: records@asphalt-tango.de
www.asphalt-tango.de
More outstanding music on www.asphalt-tango.de and in all fine record stores.
Love
Cigdem
While writing the notes for Mortissa in June 2013, Turkey experienced demonstrations
that started over the redevelopment of Gezi Park in Taksim Square in Istanbul but became
an impassioned stand for personal and democratic freedoms. Brave, but ordinary, young
women stood out as an important part of the demonstrators. This album is dedicated with
great respect to all of those strong, independent-minded mortissas, and particularly to
Lobna Al Lamii, who has worked tirelessly to promote Turkey’s folk music, and who, whilst
peacefully protesting, suffered critical head injuries from a gas canister fired by police.
Recorded in London by Joe Leach and Tim Burns (Cowshed Studio),
Muharrem Karaer (Playground Studio), and Chris Morphitis (Limehouse Studio),
and mixed by Jason Emberton, Westbourne Studios, London;
except Nenni, recorded and mixed by Tahir Palalı
and To Dervisaki, recorded and mixed by Davide Salvietti (Hijaz Studio).
mastered by Jason Emberton, Westbourne Studios, London, 2013
liner notes by Sebastian Merrick
translations by Çiğdem Aslan, Paul Melas, Sebastian Merrick and Zeynep Rosa Cavcav
photos by Tahir Palalı, photo p.4 by Sevil Kotan
artwork by Claudia Bachmann