11. ROMANISTANBUL: City, Music, and a Transformation Story



1. Laço Tayfa, Bergama gaydası

Doublemoon Records, 2000, compact disc.


Credits (for the complete album):
Özkan Alıcı: bağlama; Nurhat Şensesli: bass guitar; Hüsnü Şenlendirici: clarinet, trumpet, drums; Volkan Öktem: drums; Nuri Lekesizgöz: kanun; Caner Tepecik: keyboards; Mehmet Akatay: percussion; Ergun Hepbildik: violin.




Hüsnü Şenlendirici is a role model for young of Roma musicians, many of whom imitatate his style. They adapted quickly to the idea that there was an option beyond playing in studios. With his band Laço Tayfa, Hüsnü Şenlendirici recorded his first album Bergama Gaydası for Doublemoon, the most internationally well-known Turkish world music, oriental fusion, and jazz label.


2. Hüsnü Şenlendirici, Hüsn-ü klarnet

Doublemoon Records, 2005, compact disc.


Credits (for the complete album):
Ceyhun Çelikten: accordion (tracks: 10); Erdinç Şenyaylar: acoustic guitar (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 8); Gültekin Kaçar: acoustic guitar (tracks: 4, 5); Serhan Yastıman: acoustic guitar (tracks: 9), electric guitar (tracks:9) İsmail Tunçbilek: bağlama (tracks: 3, 10); Cem Bergamalı: bass drum (tracks: 6); Orhan Osman: bouzouki (tracks: 5); Hüsnü Şenlendirici: bass drum, clarinet, trumpet, keyboards, zurna; Ozan Musluoğlu: contrabass (tracks: 2, 8, 10); Umut Sel: contrabass (tracks: 7); Erdinç Şenyaylar: electric guitar (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 8); Gültekin Kaçar: electric guitar (tracks: 4, 5); Aytaç Doğan: kanun (tracks: 1, 2, 3); Nuri Lekesizgöz: kanun (tracks: 8); Ceyhun Çelikten: keyboards (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 8, 9); Yıldıran Güz: ud (tracks: 1, 4); Mehmet Akatay: percussion; Orhan Şallıel: piano (tracks: 2, 7, 10); Gündem Yaylı Grubu: strings; Murat Aydemir: tambura (tracks: 9); Hasan Gözetlik: trombone (tracks: 5).




After two albums with Laço Tayfa, Şenlendirici made a solo album called Hüsn-ü Klarnet (a.k.a The Joy of Clarinet). It was a cornerstone for the organic sound of Istanbul in the 2000s. The album was a collective production of elite music makers: Orhan Şallıel, İsmail Tunçbilek, Zafer Haznedar, and Ceyhun Çelikten arranged the album, and players included the Gündem String Orchestra, Mehmet and Hamdi Akatay on percussion, Hasan Gözetlik on trombone, as well as many other virtuosos from Istanbul’s rich music scene.


3. Taksim Trio, Taksim Trio

Doublemoon Records, 2007, compact disc.


Credits (for the complete album):
İsmail Tunçbilek: electric bağlama, acoustic bağlama; Hüsnü Şenlendirici: clarinet, duduk; Aytaç Doğan: kanun.




In 2007, together with İsmail Tunçbilek and Aytaç Doğan, Hüsnü Şenlendirici founded Taksim Trio, who continue to perform around the world, playing their highly individual blend of Turkish acoustic styles. They have played with musicians like Carlos Benavent, Dorantes, Zakir Hussain, and Dhafer Youssef. Another exceptional figure, İsmail Tunçbilek, as well as being one of Taksim Trio, is a bağlama (acoustic and electric) virtuoso, master of many styles, and is also a music producer and director.