Naked City: FLAMENCO WITH FUSION!
One of the great rewards about living in a multicultural hub like Sydney is the opportunity for different cultures to combine and produce an exciting new hybrid, especially when it comes to music. Take an Iraqi born guitarist, an Australian born singer of Turkish background and the gypsy rhythms of the south of Spain and you have one such fusion.
Guitarist Alin Bahram and singer Melike Mary Bayram are a Sydney based duo whose musical influences draw on the traditions of the Mediterranean, Turkey and Spain, molded into their own unique take on the modern flamenco style. They first met at a Conservatorium open day as Melike warmly recalls:
“I was an excited musician learning flamenco at the time. Alin was playing a flamenco piece in the music hall, I quickly walked towards him and stood for couple seconds, and said this can not be. Play me another piece. He laughed and said sure, he played another piece, I started to accompany him with palmas ( clapping rhythmically) he asked me if I sing flamenco, I have said yes but a little, but I told him I can improvise in Turkish lyrics and write lyrics.”
From that initial meeting they went on to form a regular duo in 2009 and in 2012 recorded a stunning debut album Seasons.
Alin was born in a town north of Iraq called Nineveh in the 1980’s and began studying music from the age of fourteen. He explains:
“I came from a strong musical background. Iraqi music has offered me a lot in influencing my love of music. There are many different styles in Iraq, changing musically, rhythmically, and in feeling depending on which city. I was always a big fan of classical Middle Eastern music and grew up in a household that always listened to great music.”
He went through “rough times” in Iraq during the war in 2003 and in needing to escape violence and racism, he moved to his new home in Australia in 2006. After studying at the Australian International Conservatorium of Music in 2009, he has performed at various venues and played community concerts, at the same time honing his considerable skills as a composer.
Melike was born in Sydney to Turkish parents and began her singing career at the age of eleven. After studying at the Australian International Performing Arts High School, she began classical Turkish vocal lessons from the renowned composer/instrumentalist musician Sabahattin Akdagcik.
“I first started to sing Turkish pop and Turkish folk music and later on in my performing arts years I began to incorporate some flamenco singing. From there I focused on flamenco vocal and discovered many different flamenco forms. I have combined my passion for Turkish folk sounds and flamenco music together creating my own unique vocal style”.
Melike notes that “it is always a pleasure to share the stage with Alin as he’s great artist with a great musical capacity. Our performance is always intense and full of emotion and passion. We both feel and speak the music we represent and that’s a fundamental way in connecting with our audience.”
Alin and Melike are set to play the Camelot Lounge in Marrickville on Sunday March 1st from 6.30pm onwards, with special guest Byron Mark on percussion. If you want to witness some inspiring music played with real fire and fervor, this is a gig not to be missed.
www.alinandmelike.com
By: Coffin Ed, Jay Katz and Miss Death
You May Also Like
