Mikail Aslan Ensemble

MIKAÎL ASLAN ENSEMBLE

Neo traditional Music

The Miracle of Euphrates

Zazaki-kurdish World Music

Born in Dersim in the Eastern Anatolian province of Dersîm in Turkey in 1972, Mikaîl grew up at a time in which officially Kurds were not allowed in Turkey. As a consequence the children of these people grew up in the isolated village in the Munzur Mountains consisting of only 4 farm houses amongst the sheep, goats and bees, the spirits, dervishes, pires – and partisans. They had neither tap water nor electrical power. Barely aged 10 years, Mikaîl’s family was forced to flee and resettle in Kayseri in central Anatolia. Here Mikaîl went to school, graduated and then attended the University at Malatya, where he studied mathematics

Ever since his childhood, he was interested and engaged in the music of his people back home. During his studies he founded the music group 'Grup Munzur', who were renowned for their protest songs. After two years Mikaîl was expelled from the university, due to his political activities. While on travel through Germany in 1995, Mikaîl decided to remain in the country, since he was prone to being prosecuted in Turkey for ‘singing in an illicit language’.

In 1999 he recorded his solo album „Agerayis” in his mother tongue Zazakî. To be able to enhance and play his music in a concert, Mikaîl sought for musicians with experience in Jazz music.

In February 2000 Mikaîl Aslan, Michael Weil and Dieter Schmalzried founded the Mikaîl Aslan Ensemble in Mainz, Germany. The musical bases are self-compositions and traditional pieces from Mikaîl’s native homeland, whereby the musical roots are derived from the traditional musical culture of the Kurdish, Armenian, Persian and Turkish people. Most of the lyrics are written in Mikaîl’s native language Zazakî, which is related to the Kurdish and Persian languages. On the basis of these compositions and in mutual cooperation the ensemble merges Near Eastern music culture with elements of European music, Jazz, Pop and Folk.

The first mutual project of these musicians became known as “Sounds from the Euphrates”, which was performed in concerts in Germany in 2002.

In 2003 the ensemble released the CD „Kilitê Kou” (The Key to the Mountains), a reference to Alevi mysticism and culture in Mikaîl’s home town of Dersim. Between these publications, the ensemble composed and performed the music for two documentary films about Anatolia (aired on arte TV, a channel of the ZDF, the Second German public-service Television Broadcaster).

The most recent highlight of the ensemble’s work was a concert performed on April 20, 2005 with the Symphony Orchestra of the Peter Cornelius Conservatory Mainz, where they played the Symphony No. 5, „Connections“ by Gerhard Fischer Münster. The symphony is composed around the piece „Escape from the Munzur Mountains” (Remayise Munzuri) by Mikaîl Aslan and links traditional Anatolian sounds to modern sounds of European symphonies.

In addition the third solo album of the Mikaîl Aslan Ensemble “Miraz” (The Heritage), was published in July 2005. In 2006 the ensemble’s project “Sound of the Tambur” was performed together with the singer Aynurduring a world wide tour.

The fourth CD, "Zernkut", was released in 2008.

In 2009 the ensemble composed and recorded the music score for the documentary film "Kick off" directed by Hüseyin Tabak and produced by Josef Aichholzer.

In 2010 the two albums "Petag", containing songs from Dersim, Mikaîl’s home town, and “Pelguzar” were released.

Meantime the ensemble performed numerous festival gigs and concerts, as well as has been aired on Radio and TV in Europe, Asia and North America.

Mikaîl Aslan: Tenbûr, Vocals

Cem Erdost Ileri:Tenbûr, Vocals

Olcay Bozkurt: E-Bass

Sertac Sanli: Drums,Percussion

Erdi Arslan: Duduk,Kaval,Saxafon