SATURDAY , RECORDING FOR THE PROJECT WONDERLAND WITH MASTER MUSICIANS HUSNU AND AYTAC !

Saturday afternoon after hanging out with great Turkish rockers called Duman, I went over to Husnu Senlendirici's studio to record some clarinet and kanun for the album and project called Wonderland , in Turkish " Harikalar Diyari". Husnu sounded so amazing and Aytac who plays the Turkish instrument Kanun, sounding just great. 2 true virtuose.

Here in the pic's are also great percussion man Izzet Kizil and Husnu's manager Sirac. Husnu listening while Aytac is recording . Arto Tuncboyaciyan came by and laid down some magic's over 1 track. Then Aytac there takin it easy , he just came back from playing some shows in Dubai. These guys are quite well known all over this region . The recordings are sounding real good ! Soon I'll post a track ... Kenny Wollesen and Logic were also there hanging out .

FRIDAY NITE AT THE NUBLU JAZZFEST IN ISTANBUL !!

Love Trio with Arto, Jesse Murphy and Eugene from Gogol Bordello, Dj's Yakuza and Alex from Tokyo and Dj Logic was spinnin in a cool lounge called Lucca, which was also a part of this fest . We held 2 nites of dj sets there.

Love in da house !!!

SNOWSTORM IN ISTANBUL...


It's not a very common thing here to see a snowstorm in Istanbul.
But hey , weather is changing everywhere.....but despite the storm around 250 people came out to see the premiere of Love Trio with masta Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Dj Logic. Love trio played 2 sets and it was Jesse Murphy's birthday , bassplayer of Love Trio. Kenny Wollesen was on drums and Ilhan Ersahin on rhodes and sax . Arto the magician on sounds and percussion and DJ Logic sitting in with us on turntables/sounds and beats. It was real cool, felt fresh and strong , one guy said , this is the new Weather Report..I duno about that but it was a nice comment. .Others were dancing all night long so I guess it was dancy ...and ofcourse dubby.

Next door to Babylon , at nublu Istanbul, were 2 great young piano players...Can Cankaya and Emir Ersoy. Both I heard rocked it , i didnt hear since I was playing next door. ...then the after party was at Nublu and then the after after party was at good friends Nevzat and Erol's spot called Otto . Which is a place that serves great pizza til 11 then turns into a great dj thang....


We had some fantastic dj's in the house, DJ Emekcan , who by the way has the biggest collection of Turkish psychadelic and funk from the 70's. Which is getting lots of attention around the world right now.I mean when I say collection....he has thousands and thousands in his apt and he is on his way to open a store . Dj Logic, who arrived today with Jesse and Alex from Tokyo is still in town . Istanbul great dj Baris K. Baris K was the one spinnin at Babylon inbetween and before Love Trio. Nublu records will release 3 12" vinyls of his edits of Turkish 70's funk. It's scheduled to be released in June. I will post a track here as soon as I get back to NYC , because here all blogs are closed down at the moment . You have to log into some secret websites to be able to access cause government here has shut down all blogs !!! Kinda crazy right...

awrite then....tomorrow is another day ...lots of new fresh music. The Nublu sound " the music of now "....

peace out...

in the pics you see. DJ Baris K, DJ Alex from Tokyo and his wife, Arto and Dj Logic, and then Kenny Wollesen . DJ Emekcan and Logic.

Snowstorm, mellow music and good vibes...

Nublu Istanbul Jazz Festival..... Tonite at nublu , the first set was by pianist Selen Gulun. She sounded great , always tasteful and interesting...Then as second band we had the lovely Natalia Mann on Harp and her band. Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Kenny Wollesen sat in . Kenny on darbuka !!! it was super cool. The music was so perfect for a day like today .... was calm and mellow and that harp makes everything sounds so dervishy .... i loved it !

...and there's a snow storm right now here in istanbul... Kinda crazy , its not very usual for this city.

Tomorrow Jesse Murphy and DJ Logic arrive in the morning and tomorrow nite we hit as Love Trio with Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Dj logic...

Here's a picture of Husnu . We went to the National TV's music award show, It was kinda odd. Natalia Mann with her harp. Ozan Musluoglu with his bass who played a great set Sunday nite . Other pics are from the jam session on Monday night which was hosted by a new magazine in Istanbul called drum and bass.

dont be late..
i.

2nd day at the Nublu jazzfest !! Junip , 123, Trio Mrio, Alex from Tokyo...

2nd day of the nublu jazzfest in istanbul was real cool. Cool in the real sense because the opening band was Istanbul local band 123 followed by Jose Gonzales' Junip.. both mellow , groovy and melodic...was a perfect fit. Alex from tokyo was spinnin in between and after. Next door, at Nublu istanbul Trio Mrio played with Alp Ersonmez from Istanbul Sessions, Sarp Maden and Volkan Oktem . followed by late nite set of Love Trio...this time istanbul version because jesse murphy is just coming on wednesday for the real love trio show. Joel from Junip came and sat in which was cool.. and the late show kinda went on for 2 hours or so...600 people came ....

Today we had a daytime vinyl market, with lots of vendors that had all kinds of music including ofcourse Turkish psychadelic and funky stuff from the 70's....

for now peace out from istanbul...

pics are Alex from Tokyo, Dilara from 123 , Jose Gonzales from Junip and bassist Alp Ersonmez.

M. Henry Jones & The Downtown Scene

On Thursday night I went to see my friend Atticus’, dad’s movie screening at Anthology Film Archives. His dad is M. Henry Jones and the show was titled “M. Henry Jones & the downtown scene”. I have know Henry for a very long time since Atticus and I were friends for what seems like forever. Henry has always been such a character, one of the most crazy and cool dads around. Henry and Atticus are always at Henry’s crazy, disorganized and fun animation studio, SnakeMonkey. And it gets even more fun when Rachel Amadeo, (Atticus’ mom) a film maker and another downtown character drops in. This movie screening really showed what New York was like back in the day where what Henry calls “Aggressive Hipsters” ruled the scene. Henry hung out with Dee Dee Ramone (from The Ramones), Cindy Sherman, Harry Smith and other hipsters in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Henry has been creating animation movies, the most artsy television commercials and experimental 3D art work.... all done in the East Village where he still resides in today. Henry mixes sound, color and investigates motion in his genius short films. Some of my favorite films of the night were Soul City (an artsy music video of the Fleshtones), The Three Fertnuckles ( a film based on a book Henry wrote in the 3rd grade...), Brand New Cadillac ( a great music video of The Zantees) and I completely loved his unique “America’s Best” TV commercials. I also enjoyed The Book and Go Go girl. The show was packed and what seemed like the whole east village was there. It was so packed that Anthology Film Archives opened another screening later on that night. After each movie played, Henry told stories about what influenced his movies and stories that revolved around them. This continued in the discussion after wards with DJ Spooky and Henry’s college teacher and film critic, Amy Taubin. I was thrilled to be there!
You can see some of Henry's 3D art work on the walls of Nublu...
-- Revolutionary Cat

Istanbul Istanbul...Nublu jazzfest is here

Kenny Wollesen , Alex from Tokyo,Arto Tuncboyaciyan and I arrived yesterday in Istanbul to do the Nublu jazzfest. Alex went to spinn at Lucca , which is a cool lounge by the Bosphorus. Kenny opened the festival at Nublu Istanbul playing a duo set with local drummer Berke, from the band called 123, in a groovy and cinematic collaboration of percution, samples and drums. After their set we played at Babylon as Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions. We rocked out. Arto jumped up onstage for the 2nd set and Yakuza, a great dj from Istanbul was spinning in between the sets and after the shows.... late late nite we ended up jamming at Nublu til 5 am! ohh yeeeee...the Fest is on ! Nublu and Babylon are next to each other with a connecting door in between , which makes it feel like a festival 'cause people were rotating in the 2 rooms. Also a small upstairs room above Nublu was open, where dj Mabbas , another istanbul dj was cranking it up.... We had 3 rooms cooking at the same time...

I just realized right before the show that they were broadcasting this live on their new radiostation ...check radyobabylon.com.tr . If I would have known I would have let you guys know beforehand , anyways, check the other jazzfest dates from there .

Tonite the band Junip with Jose Gonzales will be playing at Babylon and the band 123 will do the opening set . 2 great bands! And at Nublu Istanbul, Trio Mrio with 3 great musicians , Alp Ersonmez, Sarp Maden and Volkan Oktem, will play the early set. Late nite I will do Love trio "version Istanbul" but im sure Kenny will sit in and who knows where it'll go then...

In Brazil its carnaval today but very rainy i heard , so at Nublu in NYC we're doing a Brazil nite with Darci, Ze Luis and others. Darci used to play with the heavy Rio funk band called Banda Black Rio, a legendary band, so it will be a rockin nite in NY as well. Love Trio just got invited to play a concert in Sao Paulo april 15 with reggae/Dub legend U-roy . It's a free outdoor show which is held every year in downtown Sao Paulo. 24 hours of music straight! it's a wild thing and more than 100 000 people go to this event....yeeeeee, we'll be there!

In the pics is and Alex/Kenny /ilhan and breakfast view in Istanbul.

Forro In the nite...

Forro in the Dark was one of the first bands out of Nublu , meaning one of the first bands that were born here. One day a few years ago I met this man outside Nublu , daytime, and he was a bit out of his mind so I didn't know what to make of the situation. But then he kissed the door and said my grandmother and grandfather used to have a bakery here and in the recession years they used to give bread to everyone in need. He said , this is a blessed place ..and I said , I know.

That's how it feels on most days here but every wednesday the energy is just very positive and Forro in the Dark and DJ Greg Caz have created a real good and warm sound here. Mauro Refosco , Jorge Continentino , Davi Vieira , Guilherme Monteiro and Ze on bass...you can't go wrong with that . They all have individually played with so many great Brazil artists that I don't even want to start name dropping because wednesdays with Forro in the Dark is what it's all about now. The cool thing is really what they've done to the music , besides being great instrumentalists Forro in the Dark have created some sort of hybrid which is not easy to do, in a way that it makes sense. But they've done it and I guess that's why rain or shine peeps are here waiting for it. Pinar is back , and Laura is back ...cool !!!

Byron is on the photo, and Petar..Nublu artist in residence..and Laura..

And not to forget NUBLU JAZZFEST starts in Istanbul this friday ..til March 12th ....but you know what the craziest thing is ...right now in Turkey government has shut down all blogging ..so no one can even read this blog from there...pretty crazy times eyyy.

Tuesday Night in the big Apple..

Bloomdaddies were on tonite. A band that got their start I think around 1993 /94 ...still in my head considered part of the younger guys in the scene ..but I guess time flies. Chris Cheek and Seamus Blake are truly saxophonists extraordinaire...they have played with who's who in the jazz scene , and now it seems this electrified band will have a return . They will play here a few more tuesdays in march and then continue on with some steady monthly shows...Dan Rieser and Tony Mason , the 2 drummers of the band also drummers extraordinaire and Jesse Murphy on da bass.

Nublu has been fortunate with having so many great musicians play here ... counting exactly who and what instrument is very difficult , but I think drums is the winning one , considering Kenny Wollesen ,Aaron Johnston , Deantoni , Jojo Meyer, Jochen Rueckert, Jeff Ballard, Tony Mason, Shawn Pelton, Dan Rieser, Marko Djordjevic, Bill Dobrow, Clarence Penn, Greg Hutchinson , Daniel Jodocy, Anthony Pinciotti....all play regularly here. And Im sure I forgot quite a few . This is kinda amazing . And with percussionists Mauro Refosco, Arto Tuncboyaciyan , Gilmar Gomes and Davi Vieira, this is a heavy arsenal !!!

Vana , a great pianist , who actually featured this week with the Lincoln Center Big Band with Wynton and all, played tonite. Catch him there this week !!! His trio sounded classy and cool and was nice to hear him on the Rhodes. Vana is also playing lots these days all over the world with Paquito D'Rivera and he is also Ute Lemper.s musical director.

Here are some pics...all a bit dark , but maybe someone can figure it out... Vana , Bloomdaddies, and a piece of a drawing on the wall by our own Petar Podzemaljac.

Mr Butch Morris...and his Orchestras....

Today was Monday nite in the city and we just played 2 long and super fun sets as Nublu Orchestra conducted by Butch Morris. This is a training camp for your brain , an exercise in composed improvisation where one must make musical decisions in a split second. You sit there on stage with the horn in your mouth, sticks in your hand or the mallets for your vibraphone. You get a cue from Mr Butch Morris to take a turn , or to invent a melody , or play something rhythmic that makes the whole band of 16 pieces go into one direction. There are moments when it feels you're right in the epicenter of something growing , and then you have to relax , relax to the extreme so you can get your impulses so fast in between your ears and fingers and in whatever is going on in your brain . Once you're starting to execute ideas on a rapid pace in tune with the whole band, you open new spaces where one starts navigating through unknown territories... instead of following the patterns you're used to . This is what Mr Butch Morris does on a full time basis. He makes you be in the moment.

If you have to classify Butch , take Miles Davis' heavy funk moments mixed with Philip Glass, then add some Jimi and then some Ornette and spice it all up with some chants ...and then through the doors of Nublu with it's own vibe and you get Nublu Orchestra conducted by Butch Morris. Ofcourse it is silly to compare a Master with other Masters , one shouldn't even start doing that but people do try to classify this music before and after the shows....Anyway , it actually became a long pleasent Monday nite .

After the band played, Vladi took over on the turntables and played lots of goodies , from Miles Davis electric-trip moments to Paul Gonsalves 27 chorus solo, from Duke Ellington live at the Newport Jazz Festival to Marc Bolan's T-rex, to Led Zepplin...0 and in between great Nublu remixes. The nite became wild and different , In the end I would say the feel was jazzy themed..

The beautiful TinaKristina played a set after the orchestra. She has a nice tone to her playing and persona .

Marla Turner who used to sing with Wax Poetic came to check the music and Toni K and girlfriend came later on in the nite. Toni K is a real fun dj that spinns now at Nublu every 3rd friday of the month. It's a party when she spins that's for sure. Clark Gayton was there..and ofcourse the whole big band. Mellow and nice and intense I would theme the nite as ....

In the picture are Toni K and friend and Marla Turner...

Here's a track from our studio album ...we will record another album in april !!!

peace out ..

Oscar's Nite !!

So 1 more year passed. Oscar's nite is almost like New Years...almost , like one of those days you just have to submit too. Not that I am fan of it all but I guess one has to look wazup in that world too, afterall it does spread sound , images and culture all over this little planet....

So , as my answer to this nite I would like to premier a song from a band I produced from Istanbul. I'm sure none of this gang were watching Oscar's nite. Not only because the time difference but simply because they're not interested in things that are vain...and in the end , it is all about vanity. The name of this band is Siyasiyabend .They were the featured band in Fatih Akin's movie called "Crossing the bridge" and this band has never released a cd before , although they have been playing the streets of Istanbul for the past 15 years. "I am honored , thank you to the Academy and thanks to all of you who made this all happen"..."My Oscar goes to the band Siyasiyabend ", from a great city called Istanbul . Nublu records will be proud of the release of this record in early April. I wish I had a proper translation to Murat's lyrics , I guess you all have to speak Turkish or I guess you just have to feel this man . Murat is as profound and brilliant as Jim Morrison in my opinion...a walking icon in the undergrounds of the alleys of Istanbul and a man who sits in cafees and discusses politic's and history with the elders, wrestles with the Police, literally, and fights for the peoples rights ...with his fists and his mind .

Power to the people .....

Saturday nite in the City ....

New York City is a crazy place , it really is ....how many artists and dreams hasn't come around to this city , the big city of dreams...... is it the source ? It is a constant debate among people living here , and amongst so many people that kinda live here.
Sometimes I feel it is the most discussed subject ... foreigners who either visit or whom you'll meet while traveling are also obsessed with this subject . And somehow especially while meeting none New York living people they love to say that they think the golden years of NYC is over .....I really wonder why.

Today I saw the movie "All about Eve" with Betty Davis, Anne Baxter and the young Marylin Monroe...amazing movie and amazing acting , and all in NYC..the good old NYC , but you know what? NYC still has the same dilemmas and dramas and careers nowadays as it had back then . It just felt fresh somehow to see NYC in those days , them meeting in Gramercy Park's Cub Room and knowing and seeing all that how it was then and how NYC is still boiling with hopes and excitement and poetry....never stops ...

Today Andy Rourke from the band The Smiths came to hang out with his lady . Federico Aubele with partner Nat who is one of the singers with Thievery Corporation also came by . Federico has an excellent new cd out on ESL records titled Berlin 13...check it out !!. Jana Andevska who sang the song "Beautiful Drug" for Thievery's last record was there as well, and she keeps talking about how she might move back home to Czeck Republic..is that how you say it? anyways , hope she stays around here ...

Another special gentleman who has been in a hole with the Strokes for the last 3 years peeped in . He's The Strokes new album producer and live sound man , and seems to be doin everything with them these days . He needed some rock n roll rest and came by and had some beers.. Swede Gus Oberg . .....and love trio kept playing " just trying to spread some more love"....today was kinda a celebration cause this week finally after 7 years of contractual mishap our first cd was finally returned to us . It was never released just because a stupid record label licensed one song from it which in return made the whole record locked up til now !!! I guess I signed something stupid back then.....but hey hey now its ours and that one is actually titled " just tryin to spread some more love" cause that is simply what were doin....so that record will be released in may for the first time in its entirely , but we will meanwhile in march record our 3rd album !!!

awrite then .. tomorrow its Oscars ..or today tonite rather .. then Bato the Yugo and his gang , Bato also on his way to become a father...

pics are gus oberg and jesse murphy of the love trio; petar the nublu artist in resident ...we will come back many times to his work and persona; fernando otero , who's been playing here every saturday lately before love trio...this man is an amazing piano player and he just won a latin grammy for his last cd. Jana Andevksa, Federico Aubele and Nat Clavier are there in the pic as well....
see ya laters ...

Clark Gayton's exploration in Dub..

I know this video is complete;y dark, I guess it is too dark for nublu and iphone to work together, but at least you'll hear Clark's Tuba ...this man and band is really truly rockin the house. Clark and the other guys in the band have played with who's who in the reggae/Dub scene and Clark has actually done that in many different scenes. Clark has played and is playing with Skatalites, Levon Helm , Bruce Springsteen , Sting , Liza Minneli, Mingus Big Band and the McCoy Tyner Big Band , he also sits in with the Saturday night Live band ..the TV show..Tonite Shawn Pelton from that band was here hanging and checkin the band . Im amazed how all those guys are so pro and still always when they play they play as they never play !! always exciting , always something to learn from .

And Clark with that Tuba ..he is as far as i know a great Trombone playa , but he can swing that Tuba as it was as easy..
Clark keeps on knockin that Dub/Ska sounds ..cool !! Fabio Morgera passed by saying he will be a father, congrats Fabio !!! Alex from Tokyo always spinns amazing sets , nice when dj's are really musical and they make the turntables into live instruments, Alex is one of those guys, and he was excited talking bout he is going to the Nublu Jazzfest in Istanbul, which we' re doin there march 4-12. We're using 3 venues this time around. Babylon , which is a big nice club with a great sound system, where we're doin 5 nites. Plus 9 nites at Nublu istanbul and 2 nites at Lucca, which is more of a Resatuarant/Lounge ...Babylon is a bigger club and Nublu Istanbul is kinda like the club here in NYC , nice and mellow where it can get bumpy at times..

What I really love about New York, I came to think about it right now...is that today as an example was a regular friday , no holiday or special promoted event , just a nice regular friday nite at Nublu ...and I was not even that party on . just being mellow, but even at that stage I met today people from my home country Sweden, peeps from Buenos Aires, 2 gentleman from Nigeria ... friends of friends, 2 friends from Jamaica , 1 guy from Midwest , 1 guy from Greece ...isnt that amazing somehow, I think only in Manhattan , and one gets so used to this that its just the most normal thing til you start thinking about it . Dodo was there. our DUB dj on most Tuesdays dancing to Clark's Tuba ..ye rasta . She is also now working with Serge Becker , in his new Jamaican restaurant ...and her old Dub/Reggae covers are gracing the tables and walls over there I heard. havent been there yet , soon come...

peace out !!!

This just in ..

Nublu Istanbul was selected no 1 bar/place /spot where to go midweek...a list out of 10 hottest /coolest places to go to weekdays,..by the daily News paper Hurriyet....which is the biggest news paper in Turkey and Istanbul....Congrats Nublu Istanbul !!!!

Supla and friend

1 mo time !!!

the nite at nublu is not yet finished but i have now dedicated myself to write something daily ..or so, ... so heres my report.. The Brothers of Brazil did it one mo time here at Nublu . The band that was supposed to play , Bloomdaddies , canceled on me last nite or maybe we all messed up, but anyway they'll be here next thursday....so today !!. I asked Supla and Joao last nite if they wanted to come and play since we didnt have a band scheduled due to the cancelation. So , they came by and did a set .. in front of not as many peeeps as last nite but there were some nice people there . a nice crowd with lots of girls actually with long legs and skinny tight jeans .. Sao Paulo style...there to check the Brothers of Brazil. I think they have a great show . Its actually funny !! Interesting when music is funny isn't it ? Ok then I went downsatirs to check out wazp , and kino , 9, was sitting there hanging out with Vladi. or Vlada or Vladee...a man with many variations of his name... check out his videos under the name DADALITES on youtube. Great photographer and great video shooting man !!

And 9 , or kino, he goes by both names , or perhaps a few more...but his band is called KiNo..and its a fabulous adventure collaborated with Jeff Blankensopp. a man who worked with Pink Floyd in the 70's on soundscapes . 9's band KiNo is in a very exciting moment I feel , ready to burst out with real lyrics and interesting song forms . He has a few websites ...one of them is http://www.poetofsoundandimage.com/ ....check that too. I will try post my 1st picture to this blog . lets see if I manage...its a photo from tonite of Supla and friend...What else..rainy here , freezing in Stockholm , warm in Rio, medium in istanbul, thats what I heard...and terrible terrible times in Libya....Let's make some good music !!!

Im a blogger now !!!!

Friends , community , music lovers and nublu music people....i decided to start writing here to get away from only posting things and relying on facebook..etc...lets post things here from nice events and thoughts around the world...

so.. last nite at nublu was kinda crazay...bebel gilberto, eugene from gogol bordello,The brothers from Brazil which is Supla and his brother joao suplicy were all here. Those brothers have this crazy vierd party band . or rather duo where they punk out party songs...Eugene looked impressed by them only being 2 on stage , and still rockin the crowd that were actually there waiting for Forro in the Dark. Because the Brazil brother boys just stepped in for a last minute unscheduled visit. Who else was there..hmm . well Ze Luis opened the evening with a really great set with his quartet. Ze Luis is sounding so good. I think he sound s a bit like Stanley Turrentine from those records he did in the 70's for the CTI label...some great records and Ze Luis and band have that vibe ...He used to play with Gilberto Gil , Caetano Veloso and pretty much everyone in brazil before he moved here...awrite...so here my contribution starts and stops but i will be reporting more so check back in. Now back to reading news about this crazy world !!! lets send positive vibes !!!

Nublu Jazz Festival 2011 - Istanbul !!!!

yeaah!...

Nublu February Schedule

Documentary Film about Nublu

A documentary about Nublu, the music and the artists who surround its world. It was produced by a team of filmmakers from Greece for a TV show called "Music from around the World" and produced by Angeliki Aristomenopoulou. Features interview with Ilhan Ersahin, Otto, Mauro Refosco, Sylvia Gordon, Moby, and many more.

nublu from K! on Vimeo.