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American Turkish folk-music lover releases third album
Kervan’s latest album, “Şahin Yükselecek Saati Geldi,” (The hawk will soar -- its hour has arrived) consists of 19 songs that he composed. Kervan says spiritual themes generally inspire him while composing songs. He also plays his music in various places across Turkey, including festivals and foundations’ ceremonies. Noting that he wants to compose more, the musicians says, “Even if I quit music, music doesn’t give up on me.”
Kervan, who was born in the American movie hub, Hollywood, says his trip to Turkey in 1986 changed his life. Explaining that he noticed one of his Turkish friends playing the bağlama, a traditional Turkish folk music instrument, Kervan says: “He was not playing the instrument very well but [the music] was sincere. I stopped by a music store before heading back to the US and bought 30 Turkish folk music tapes. I liked Arif Sağ’s tapes the most. I loved them. I took my friend’s bağlama with me and returned to the US.”
Kervan comes from a family of musicians, and he was in the music business in the US, too. Expressing that Turkey enchanted him, Kervan says he told his family that he wanted to live in Turkey. “I came to Turkey in 1987. I was not married back then. I met my wife in İstanbul; we fell in love and got married. Our children were born in Turkey,” he adds.
People are friendly and sincere here
When asked why he chose to live in Turkey, Kervan says the country is very beautiful although its people sometimes fail to appreciate it. “Fish thrive in the sea, but they do not know how beautiful it is. Turkey is a very beautiful country. There is so much to see. The people are warm and sincere,” he says and adds that he considers himself as being from Turkey and Bursa.
Explaining that he first became interested in Turkish classical music courses but later decided to take bağlama courses instead, Kervan says he initially had difficulty getting used to the rhythms of the folk music. Stating that he was doubtful of whether he could play the bağlama or not, Kervan says the rhythms and musical scales of bağlama were very different than those he was familiar with. “But in the end, either I adapted to it or it adapted me. Then I began to compose. It was challenging since I didn’t have a history and familiarity with that kind of music. Then people liked my music,” he adds.
Stating that he goes to the US with his family from time to time, Kervan says his family and his wife’s family is in the US. “Our children are more comfortable here because they were born in here. My daughter Ayla and son Kaya study here. Kaya will sit for the ÖSS [Student Selection Examination for university entrance] this year. We opened a folk music club/café, where we hold poetry readings and musical nights. My music and bağlama are very important for me. I gave a bağlama to my brother Chris, who is in the soundtrack business in Hollywood, as a gift. He says that his music now features some bağlama, too.”
Kervan’s first album, “Dem Geldi Dem,” (The time has arrived) consisted of 10 songs, whose lyrics and compositions all belonged to Kervan, and his second album, “Şaha Doğru Giden Kervan,” (The caravan heading toward the king) was a compilation of his favorite folk music pieces.
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