It`s tradition from a new generation. A dream debut!

“It’s tradition from a new generation. A dream debut!”
Folk World
BIOGRAPHY
Variously described by reviewers as “trippy”, “dreamy”, “cinematic”, “stylishly hip” and “deeply exotic,”
award-winning Canadian-Turkish world music group Minor Empire has racked up a lengthy list of plaudits for
its seamless blend of Turkish traditional music and modern sounds.
Its debut album, Second Nature, earned it a Canadian Folk Music Award for World Group of the Year, an
Indie Music Award for Favourite World Artist of the Year and a nomination for the About.com World Music
Readers Choice Award; also topped the Canadian national world music chart.
The band has showcased its captivating blend of ethereal vocals and trancey, trip-hop-inspired arrangements
at prominent venues such as Yoshi’s in San Francisco, Drom NYC, Chopin Theatre in Chicago, Banff Arts
Centre, National Arts Center, Luminato, Sunfest in London, Harbourfront Arts Centre, the Vancouver Folk
Music Festival, the Calgary Folk Music Festival, the Hillside Festival and the Arab World Music Festival in
Montreal.
REVIEWS & QUOTES
“A perfect symbiosis between the Turkish traditional elements and the contemporary jazz and electronic sounds. It’s tradition
from a new generation, perfectly arranged, highest quality. A dream debut!”
EELCO SCHILDER, Folk World
“A delicious dance that is both fresh and stylishly hip. Deeply exotic, Second Nature moves effortlessly through 14 evocative
tracks fashioned out of ripe Turkish hues and moody Western atmospheric landscapes. Bold, expertly worked and voluptuous, Second Nature will surely have world music fans clamoring”
TJ NELSON, World Music Central
“Contemporising traditions has become commonplace; less frequent are results as unselfconscious and cohesive as this.
This group of talented musicians have a deep understanding of what is takes to create dreamy and cinematic textures that
unfold with a seeming simplicity. Pure and sinuous vocals and percussion that simmers with delicious intensity”
LI ROBBINS, Songlines UK (#82)
“De Toronto, la chanteuse Ozgu Ozman tisse l’une des plus belles musiques à partir de ses racines turques: tout en
élégance, l’interprétation est raffinée dès le départ. Et Ozman marie sa voix aux splendides croisements de guitares
électriques et atmosphériques. Il s’agit bien de cela: le disque propose un équilibre quasi parfait entre les climats d’intimité
et les claques percussives, entre la nuit des temps et l’urbanité qui s’y fond.”
YVES BERNARD, Le Devoir
“...among the best I’ve heard lately. Ozan Boz touches no world music soup, he creates a dynamic virtuosity and masters
the balance between electronic and acoustic instruments. Be sure to listen!”
HOLGER BRANDSTAEDT, Folk World
“Careful combinations of Western pop sounds, jazz improvisations, and Turkish traditional music and superb arrangements.
The result is a smart band creating intriguing sounds and melodies set to a backdrop of funky beats. Ozman’s sultry vocals
weave effortlessly through a tapestry of musical influences.“
TIINA KIIK, The WholeNote
“The captivating voice you hear on the CD “Second Nature” belongs to Ozgu Ozman, the lead singer with Minor Empire. I
love how their sound blurs the lines between electronic and traditional Turkish music. I like how textured and trippy it is, and I
especially like the guitars on this album – ominous and psychedelic.”
ERROL NAZARETH, CBC Radio One
“A slinky, dub-y Turkish soup of knotty rhythms, largely unsweetened. Ozgu Ozman is front and centre with effective vocals,
both sexy and serpentine, but never outlandishly so. The atmosphere is successfully dreamy without being wan and its
sunny moods aren’t cloying.”
DAVID DACKS, Exclaim!
AWARDS
World Artist/Group of the Year award, 2012 Independent Music Awards
World Group of the Year award, 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards
SELECTED PERFORMANCES
Yoshi’s San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 2013
WNYC Soundcheck, New York, NY, 2013
Drom NYC, New York, NY, 2013
Chopin Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2013
Calgary Folk Music Festival, Calgary, AB, 2013
Hillside Festival, Guelph, ON, 2012
Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, ON, 2012
Banff Centre, Banff, AB, 2012
Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Vancouver, BC, 2012
The National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON, 2011
Festival du Monde Arabe de Montreal, Montreal, QC, 2011
Sunfest Festival, London, 2011
Luminato Festival, Toronto, 2011
MANAGEMENT:
Josh Keller, Global Arts Management
Tel: 250-360-2406 Email: josh@globalarts.ca
BOOKING (Canada):
Bob Jensen, Jensen Music International
Tel: 902-569-1955 Email: jensen@jproductions.com
DISTRIBUTION:
Canada: Outside Music
USA: Burnside Distribution
Turkey: Kalan Muzik
MINOR EMPIRE ON THE WEB:
Website: www.minorempire.net
Facebook www.facebook.com/minorempire
Twitter: www.twitter.com/minor_empire