By Roland Eyerich …..

There has been a versatile program at The Soulist in Alsancak with the special events on Friday evenings and so far there has been The Great Flood with Blues and Rock N Roll, then the JR. Dinosaurs Band with rock, and last Friday The Rusty Slaps from Turkey with Rockabilly (the rock’n’roll of the fifties). The stage was burning with Rock’n’Roll fire.  For the first time there have been concerts of rockabilly performances in Northern Cyprus, in an unforgettable atmosphere.

Wednesday 26th April was a special event. The Soulist House Band played with guest Ed Sezener (guitar and vocals). Blues/Rock Classics at their best.

Drums: Arda Baykurt : Bass: Kemal Cihangir : Saxophone: Ivan Lavrentev : Guitar and Vocals: Ed Sezener

Here is some information about the Band members, followed by my review of the evening.

Arda Baykurt: Drums – Drummer, producer, composer

Arda Baykurt was born in Ankara in 1975 and has lived with his family in Girne (Kyrenia) since 2013. Arda began his musical career at the age of 12 with piano and harmony lessons. At the same time, his passion for the drums developed early. At the age of 15, he played with the Dead Mosh in 1990, one of the first Trah Metal bands in Turkey in 1993. He re-oriented himself and played in Rock and Blues bands as well. But it was different rhythms that affected him. So he came to Latin and Jazz drums. Bands and projects in these musical directions now accompanied his musical career. He has performed at the Metu Jazz Festival and the İnternational Ankara Jazz Festival. His way then led him with the Cenk Erdogan Trio to Malta. There he played in the Maltese rock band “Scar”. Awards such as Bay Music Awards and Malta Music Awards followed. He released his first album “Skin Vibrations” in 2012. Arda Baykurt is performing and recording with various projects, also producing and running his production company – Mireille Music NY Sirocco.

Kemal Cihangir : Bass

Kemal Cihangir was born in 1984 in Famagusta. At 15, Kemal played during his high school days in his first rock band. His likes are the Blues, Blues/Rock and Funk. In addition to the Soulist House Band with Alper Cengiz, Kemal plays in two other bands. On Ebru Aydin (Pop) and in the band MEL (Turkish Rock).

Ivan Lavrentev (born 1977): Saxophone:

Ivan studied classical saxophone, piano, guitar, conductor and soloist for Big Band Orchestra at the State University of Art and Culture in St. Petersburg (Russia). Ivan is active as a music teacher.  He is influenced by the jazz of the 1940’s, and musicians such as Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Django Reinhardt with the Gypsy Jazz.  Furthermore the Jazz/rock bands like Earth Wind and Fire with Soul/Funk impact or Jazz Messenger and Weather Report. In addition to his involvement with Alper Cengiz, he still plays with The Hot Club of Cyprus and the NormAl Band.

Ed Sezener: Guitar + Vocal

Edis (Ed) Sezener is Cypriot. His father is Turkish Cypriot and his mother is Portuguese. Ed was born in Watford (UK) in 1993 and came to live in North Cyprus with his parents in 2004. For 6 years he has been in a permanent relationship with Ingrid Lindh (Swedish).  They have a daughter, whom he affectionately calls “the princess”. He lives with his small family in Lapta. His profession is Assistant Diving Instructor and musician.

Ed began his musical career as a bass guitarist at the age of 16 (2009) and a year later as a guitarist in the band “Outlaws”.  In 2011 he founded his first band “Purple Haze”, which he then gave up because of Army service (2012-2014). In 2014 he became a member of the Scratchband, which he accompanied for a year.  In 2015 it was time to move on again …. Ed founded his second band, the Dead Dog Rentals (D.D.R.), which he led from then on as front man with lead guitar and vocals.  Jimi Hendrix songs were always an integral part of his program. Ed`s idol is Jimi Hendrix, who was inspired by the Blues and Rock’n’Roll and has further developed the playing of the rock guitar.  The band D.D.R. existed until early 2017, because the former members of the band wanted other musical content.  Ed’s plans for the musical future are to be re-formed by summer and to record their own album.

Soulist House Band featuring Ed Sezener – Review:

There was a new band compilation. The Soulist House Band with another front man, Ed Sezener, who took over this role admirably. This young guy mastered it with flying colours, playing guitar and singing.  It also helped that he had some great musicians around him.  Not only his fans, who always go to Ed’s performances, he also had the newcomers quickly on his side.  Ed convinces with his great stage presence and with his way of presenting the cover songs.

Supported by the first-class Ardar on drums (the frontman of the rhythm group) and the Kemal on bass equipped with a high rhythmic feel. Kemal understands the bridge between melody and drums. Both harmonize perfectly. They both form the rhythmic basis for this band. This was supplemented by the virtuoso Ivan on the saxophone, which improved this rhythm group.

With the opener  “Ain`t no sunshine”  it went slowly into the show. There followed numbers like “Wish you were here” and “Sweet Home Chicago”.  The first highlight was with Route 66 with a great solo of Ivan on saxophone and Ed on guitar. Later with “Hey Joe” the audience was now with Ed. You really felt Ed loves these Jimi Hendrix songs.   New was Ivan’s saxophone interpretation of Hey Joe which went to the first break.

In the second set, it was Johnny B Good and Blue Suede Shoes, which had the audience dancing rock’n’roll.

The finale was a set by Ed and the Soulist House Band with the Jimi Hendrix classic “Voodoo Child”.  Whether it was Steve Ray Vaughan, Prince, Santana, Bob Marley, Sting, or Pink Floyd, Ed presented these songs with passion supported by the Soulist House Band.  A great audience (in the Small Music Hall in Alsancak)

Well done.  All the best for the future, Ed.

Next upcoming Events:

Friday 28th of April
Cahit Kutrafali Trio featuring Ezgi Akurgen (Jazz)
Entrance: 20 TL

Wednesday 3rd of May
Blues Night with Alper Cengiz and Friends

I have a weekly international music programme which is in the German language for Blues and Rock music listeners on Bayrak International Radio which is aired on a Sunday at 9pm.  Click here to go to this channel or tune in to FM 87.8 and FM105 for live streaming.

The show is in German but my intention is to bring, through music, other foreign people to my show. I already have English, Turkish, Dutch and of course German listeners.