Gezgin – The Traveller
Göksel Yilmaz Ensemble:
Gezgin – The Traveller
A musical journey through life featuring songs from Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Kurdistan. Stories of longing, love, rebellion and freedom.
This programme takes listeners on a musical journey through life, exploring themes of longing, love, rebellion and freedom. Göksel also recounts the stories behind the songs, demonstrating how a traveller’s life can directly influence their music.
Göksel Yilmaz’s own compositions, inspired by personal experiences and influenced by traditional Turkish and Arabic music, as well as Western styles such as jazz, blues and classical, form a common thread throughout this journey.
The Göksel Yilmaz Ensemble’s multi-ethnic playing is characterised by great rhythmic power, coupled with a wide spectrum of instruments and musical influences. Combined with Turkish and Arabic vocals, this creates an enchanting whole.
Since its foundation in 2006, the ensemble has performed in the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Indonesia, Switzerland, Germany and Cyprus. In the Netherlands, the ensemble has appeared on radio and television, as well as at prominent festivals and music venues, including the Music Meeting in Nijmegen, the Dunya Festival in Rotterdam, RASA in Utrecht, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
They have performed alongside renowned artists such as Jan Akkerman, Eric Vloeimans and the Matangi Quartet, and have toured the Netherlands, Belgium and Indonesia with the International Dance Theatre.
In December 2011, the ensemble around Turkish-Arabic singer, guitarist, oud and saz player Göksel Yilmaz released their debut album, Gezgin (The Traveller). Their second album, Kan Zaman (There Was a Time), which is entirely in Arabic, was independently released in the Netherlands in March 2016. It was re-released in Turkey in May 2018 under the Kalan Music label.
Göksel Yilmaz: vocals, guitar, saz and oud (TR, NL).
Anne Bakker: violin (NL)
Jacobus Thiele: percussion (D)
Peter Rikkers: double bass (NL)
Funda Yılmaz: vocals (TR, NL)
