ORCHESTRA BAILAM
Taverne, Café Amán e Tekés

Fy 8236

885016823627
Felmay Records
Italia

 

A journey through the Middle Eastern music played into entertainment places between '800 and' 900. While at the court of the Sultan and the Sufi monasteries were cultivated poetry studies and classical music, in cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, Aleppo, Athens and Alexandria were active places like the Taverne, the Cafè Haman and Tekes, where the musical language was refined but at the same time direct and accessible to all.
The album recreates this fascinating musical environment performed at the end / beginning of the century, playing tracks of the Ottoman tradition, Turkish, Greek, Gypsy, Armenian, Sephardic, Arabic.

This journey through Middle Eastern music played in entertainment places between '800 and' 900 was born from the desire to share with the public the sources of Orchestra Bailam’s musical inspiration, but above all from the will to remember how cooperation among peoples has generated a rich culture without borders.
The Ottoman Empire, thanks to a multiethnic and multi-religious social organization, was the real glue between the ethnic groups of in the Middle East regions. Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Arabs, Jews, Gypsies, although being at the Sultan's service, collaborated together to create a lasting multiculturalism careful of the arts.
So, while at the court of the Sultan and at the Sufi monasteries were cultivated studies of poetry, classical music and sacred music, in urban centers such as Istanbul, Izmir, Aleppo, Thessaloniki, Athens, Alexandria, were active entertainment places where music language was fine, but at the same time direct and accessible to all: the Taverne, the Cafè Hamàn and Tekès.
In these places it gives voice to the Koine Ottoman and to what his breakup caused : millions of civilian refugees forcibly exiled. A history of peoples in motion that now more than ever is current and belongs to us.
The album recreates the fascinating musical environment at the end / beginning of the century playing tracks of the Ottoman tradition, Turkish, Greek, Gypsy, Armenian, Sephardic, Arabic.
The decision to translate and perform most of the songs in Italian language is a bold and original idea, to encourage a listen without language barriers and a full understanding of the texts.

Orchestra Bailam was founded in 1989 offering a personal blend of Klezmer, Balkan, Greek-Turkish, Arab, own compositions and establishing itself immediately on the live scene with dynamic, involving and funny concerts. They have settled music and performed in several theatrical performances (Butterfly Bazar, Moka Cabaret, The sea in the eye), they have collaborated with « Cavalli Marci » group, they took part in the "Tandem" movie with Bizzarri & Kessisoglou and waged a relentless live performances not only in Italy but also in France, Germany, Spain, Russia, Crimea, Siberia, Turkey. They have a large discography: "Mamma li turchi" (1991), "Bailamme" (2001), "Non occidentalizzarti" (2006), "Lengua Serpentina" (2007), " Harem Bailam " (2009) and finally "Galata" (2013) with Compagnia di Canto Trallalero, this latter received with enormous enthusiasm by national and international critics.