Thursday, February 22, 2024

Mustafa Özkent Ve Orkestrası - 1973 - Gençlik İle Elele

Mustafa Özkent Ve Orkestrası
1973
Gençlik İle Elele




01. Üsküdar'a Giderken 2:01
02. Burçak Tarlaları 2:56
03. Dolana Dolana 4:35
04. Karadır Kara 2:55
05. Emmioğlu 3:02
06. Çarşamba 2:18
07. Zeytinyağlı 3:45
08. Silifke 3:35
09. Lorke 2:24
10. Ayaş 3:00

Guitar – Mustafa Özkent
Bass Guitar – Merih Dumlu
Guitar – Cahit Oben
Organ – Ümit Aksu



Mustafa Ozkent's masterpiece, originally released in Turkey in 1973. It's an all instrumental Turkish psych-funk album, filled with classic beats and breaks, that still inspires long time fans and first time listeners alike. Due to the funky rhythms, hypnotic percussion and heavy break beats, the LP is a holy grail amongst both DJ's and music fans. Only a handful of copies from the original pressing are known to exist.

Mustafa Özkent is a Turkish musician, composer and arranger. Best known for his 1973 album, Gençlik İle Elele, he also earned a reputation as an in-demand session player, arranger, and producer, "creating music that fused psychedelic and pop/rock influences with R&B grooves and jazz-influenced improvisations." He was referred by Andy Votel as the "Dr. Frankenstein of Anatolian pop".

Özkent started his professional career in the band the Teenagers in 1960. Embarking a career as a session musician and arranger, Özkent signed with Evren Records which was known for its high production standards and audiophile recording techniques. He started recording Gençlik İle Elele with a hand-picked team of musicians and released it 1973. In 1975, he went to Belgium and the Netherlands to study music. Later, he stayed musically active in Turkey, releasing solo records and producing music.

In 2006, Gençlik İle Elele was reissued by British Finders Keepers record label, achieving rave reviews and commercial success. Following the success of the reissue, Özkent embarked a tour, performing the songs off the record on festivals such as Le Guess Who? and Europalia

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