By Roland Eyerich ….
The charity concert on Friday 28th September at The Soulist Coffee and Music House in Alsancak is now not far off and it is going to be an amazing evening with groups from north and south Cyprus entertaining.
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“Soul Stuff” at The Soulist in Alsancak, Review
By Roland Eyerich ……..
On Friday, June 9th, for the third time, the hip Soul and Rock`n`Roll band with Horns “SOUL STUFF” from Istanbul performed at “The Soulist” (Alsancak) as special guest.
It was an energetic show with an exploding frontman, Alper Cengiz, on stage. Coming from the traditional ”Hayal Kahvesi” from the young Heart of the city Istanbul “Beyoğlu”. For over 25 years they played there until this traditional club closed in May of this year. Perhaps they have now found a new home?
The six-man band formed a special sound for unforgettable Soul, Funk and Rock`n´Roll classics.
The arrangements for the songs worked out very well. The Rock’n’roll band and the horn section harmonized excellently. You are listening to a band in which all band members legitimately enjoy what they do and the audience at this performance was spellbound. Often the band had long applause. The band played 2 sets of about 2½ hours.
SOUL STUFF started with the “SOUL STUFF – Intro: “We`re so happy, that so many people are here tonight – We are Soul Stuff. Are you ready for Soul Stuff” was the announcement for the audience from Alper and the audience was ready right from the beginning and onwards. The starting number was a Blues Brothers and Eddie Floyd medley with Soul Man and Knock on Wood. What followed was a musical extravaganza about Soul and Rock’n’Roll classics. Roy Orbison, Elvis, Sam Cooke, The Temptations and Ben E. King. “Stand By Me” from Ben E. King is always a highlight here at the Blues Night concerts, but with this great band it was something special this night. The evening continued with the Four Tops, Nina Simone, Ray Charles and Kool and the Gang. For the song “Get down on it” the ladies were required, and it was amazing. “You with me – so many Ladies in the house – Ladies, Ladies” was Alper’s invitation for the Ladies. Alper and the Ladies sang the song together and then it was the end of the 1st set.
The second set started with the Freddy Song “Can`t take my eyes off you”, followed by Bob Marley and of course Elvis. There were many highlights in this concert, but the closing highlight at the end of the concert was Turkish songs from Cem Karaca, M.F.Ö., Erol Evigin, Ajda Pekkan and Bris Manco. The audience was overwhelmed, having had a successful evening in the small music hall of Alsancak.
Band: BIOGRAPHY
Alper Cengiz (vocal + Guitar)
Alper Cengiz was born in 1971 in Ankara and started his music career during his childhood while listening and watching music and music videos of his idols Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, James Brown and Chuck Berry and learning to sing all of the songs. This music is still his companion now. At the age of 16, he started playing the guitar and finally after High School time at the age of 20 he realized his dream in the first Band he played with – 
ARGOS in 1991 (Rock’n’Roll and Soul) and in 1993 “The Blues Express“ (Classic Rock) followed. Alper wanted to perform the music of his Idols so in 1995 he formed his own band – SOULSTUFF.
The band was formed in 1995 by Alper Cengiz in Ankara and developed into one of the most successful bands in this genre of Rock’n’Roll and Soul in Turkey. They managed to build a big fan base. As a few highlights, apart from TV appearances, only the supporting acts of URIAH HEEP (2004), THE BLUES BROTHERS BAND (September 2006) and one of the idols of Alper Cengiz – CHUCK BERRY (January 2007) are mentioned.
A special highlight for Frontman Alper Cengiz was participation in the final “Elvis Greatest World” from BBC in Frankfurt (Germany) and then London (UK).
Emrah Baban (Guitar)
Emrah Baban was born 1977 in Ankara and is a base musician, he started playing guitar at the age of 14. His main influences are blues, rock, soul and funk. He is a session musician playing in various album recordings in Ankara and İstanbul. He also gives private guitar lessons. Since 2007 Emrah Baban has been a member of SOUL STUFF.
Reha Hendem (Bass)
Reha Hendem is a Bass player, singer, guitar player, song writer and composer. He was born in1975 in İstanbul and grew up in İzmir. After he played in local bands in İzmir, he then moved to İstanbul and has played in Soul Stuff since 2002. He also plays in his band Sugarfree, and many other bands like Yakup, Kargo, Özlem and Tekin,Beduk and with different musicians in the last 15 years. He has his own project named Reha Hendem and sings and plays his own songs and covers as well. He also works in his brother’s recording and music producing studio called Ses Sanayii in Istanbul.
Burak Ersöz (Drums)
Burak Ersöz was born in Ankara in 1977 and started playing drums at the age of 16. During his school years, he took part in a “Milliyet High School Music Competition” organized by one of the largest newspapers in Turkey, Milliyet, with the Özel Yükseliş Lisesi School Orchestra in Ankara, and took the lead in three categories. Burak began his professional music life in 1995. He became a member of the Blues and Rock’n’Roll Band called “Boogie People”, which appeared in the “Manhattan”, one of the most important music locations in Ankara. He then worked with various bands such as Fender Blenders, Watzzup, Black, Özge Fışkın, Zerrin Özer, Leman Sam, Özlem Tekin, Hande Yener, and Ayhan Sicimoğlu until 2001 when he joined SOUL STUFF, his main band. He is also active in other music projects. In 2007 he started to work as an International Relations Artist and Marketing Manager at Istanbul Agop Cymbals Company. At the same time he is active in the production and test phase of the new cymbal models involved.
Mehmet Ünal (Trumpet)
Mehmet Unal was born in 1981 in Ankara and is an Istanbul Based Composer and Sound Designer and Trumpet artist. He studied “Sound and Music Technology“ at the Bahçeşehir University Istanbul, “Electronic Music“ at Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversityi Devlet Conservatory, Istanbul and finally “conducting and composing“ at the Hacettepe University, Ankara. Mehmet started playing trumpet when he was 13 years old and later he played in a hotel for the Pepsi Company which was a special night for him. Since 2003 he has been a member of SOUL STUFF.
Mehmet comes from a strong music background and is always fascinated by the beauty of technical objects, and developing his own instruments and algorithms in music is an integral part of his creative process. His installations, performances have been presented in Istanbul, New Mexico, Geneva, Paris, Prague, Cyprus and also on the Creators and Fubiz Media projects as social media platforms.
Emre Demicri (Trombone)
Emre was born in 1979 in Ankara. He studied “trombone“ at Hacettepe University Conservatory in Ankara from 1995 to 2005. From then on he has been working at the same University as a teacher. Emre played many times in a symphonic orchestra and opera in Turkey. Since 2004 he has been a member of the band SOUL STUFF.
Şükrü Kazaz (Drums)
Şükrü is another member of the band who supports them at concerts. His main band is FAKE (Brit Pop – Indie – Rock) from Istanbul which played on the 2nd of June at The SOULIST.
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.
The Soulist House Band with special guest Ed Sezener
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.
Roland Eyerich, Birthday Celebration at The Soulist, Alsancak
By Margaret Sheard …..
Roland Eyerich is a new presenter on BRT Radio where he has a music programme in German which is enjoyed not only by his fellow countrymen but also listeners of all nationalities. As Roland says, music is for everyone. It was his birthday on Sunday 16th April and he decided to have a small get-together with some of his friends on Monday 17th at The Soulist Coffee and Music House in Alsancak, where he is a frequent visitor and friend of Alper Cengiz, the owner.
We went along to the Soulist in the evening to find a nice group of people who had joined Roland to celebrate his birthday. Everyone chatted together and then a cake arrived and Alper, who had been quietly setting up his sound system, sang Happy Birthday with everyone joining in. The cake was shared with the guests and Alper then entertained us with some great blues and rock music which had everyone tapping their feet. Knowing it was one of Roland’s favourite songs, Alper sang “Stand By Me” which we all really enjoyed.
We were pleased to see Ralph and Sarah at The Soulist, who we had also met up with during the afternoon, and also we met Roland’s wife Connie for the first time.
Chris said the Soulist takes him back and reminds him of the 2i’s Coffee Bar which was in Old Compton Street in Soho, London, which ran from 1956 to 1970. It played a formative role in the emergence of Britain’s pop music culture in the late 1950s, and several major stars including Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard were first discovered performing there. The name of the 2i’s derived from earlier owners, Freddie and Sammy Irani, who ran the venue until 1955.
It was a very nice evening in very pleasant surroundings and in good company. Thank you for inviting us Roland and also thank you Alper for your brilliant music.
Roland has 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 (Cyprus time). 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 his intention is to bring, through music, other foreign people to his show. There are already English, Turkish, Dutch and of course German listeners.
