If you like Ethno Jazz and music combines new and old, you would like Mode Plagal. It is a group from our neighbor Greece. They perform traditional Greek music fused with Jazz, Funk and the other genres. I like Ethno Jazz genre that it make us meet different cultures music and instruments with modern elements. It must be separated from Ethnic Music definitely. Ethnic Music only targets fans or people who enjoy hearing ethnic melodies. Many people could think that it is a boring music, although it is not. Ethno Jazz’s target is a bit larger by using traditional elements with modern items. It is also good way to make people like jazz. I like Greek traditional music that to hear it in the jazz forms made me feel very good.
Athens based group Mode Plagal was founded in 1990. Their first two albums are instrumental albums that you could hear traditional music in jazz and funk forms. They added vocal to their music in the third album. They have another album that I would like to talk about it. They made an album with Turkish musicians. It is the perfect fusion of Turkish and Greek music with modern elements. Mode Plagal had collaborations with many artist and performers and they joined countless festivals and organizations. I also suggest you to see their live performance.
The band has five studio albums.
- Mode Plagal (1995)
- Mode Plagal II (1998)
- Mode Plagal III (2001)
- Beyond the Bosphorus (2003)
- In The Belly Of The Beast (2010)
Although their all albums are suggested highly, I would like to talk about their album Beyond the Bosphorus. The album recorded with Turkish ethno jazz band Bosphorus Project in Athens and Istanbul. I wrote an article about Turkish ethno jazz project Hijazz. Click here to read it. You meet with Turkish Classical Music in Jazz forms. Bosphorus Project is a jazz band blends Turkish traditional music with modern jazz. The band also includes some musicians from Hijazz Project. Mode Plagal members met with them and decided to make an album together. Finally, they made a perfect ethno jazz album.
You could find Turkish and Greek traditional melodies with modern jazz elements. Mode Plagal and Bosphorus Project made a masterpiece album that all world music fans should buy it. Although some of the songs are traditional songs, you could also hear some modern songs. I could say some of their songs are highly psychedelic. Beyond the Bosphorus is highly appreciated album that it attracts your feelings. You could hear well-arranged songs with a perfect female vocal. Ey Zahit, For Sappho, Itinerary, Shuttle Boats, Tatavla and The Tumult of Torrents are appreciated songs in the album.
Mode Plagal is an exciting ethno jazz band from Greece. Their music connects old and new, east and west, traditional and modern. Visit their website to listen some of their song and watch their live performance videos.
http://www.modeplagal.gr/index_EN.htm
Bye for now!
Have you ever heard anything about Arto Tuncboyaciyan? He is an Arnmenian multi instrumentalist musician, composer, songwriter, and producer. I could say he is folk, ethno jazz and world music master. I would like to write more about Arto Tuncboyaciyan. Today, we will know more about one of his projects Armenian Navy Band. You could suppose that the group is a military chorus like Red Army Chorus. There is neither sea nor navy in Armenia. It is an interesting irony. If you like ethno jazz and world music merged with local elements, Armenian Navy Band will satisfy your expectations from this kind of music. I also have an article about another Arto Tuncboyaciyan project Katuner composed of some of Armenian Navy Band Members. You could 
Armenian Navy Band performs ethno jazz music with Armenian and Anatolian elements. They have fully traditional songs, jazz songs, and songs fusing modern and traditional elements. You also could find Funk elements in their songs. They are very successful to create unique melodies and to fuse Armenian and Anatolian elements to contemporary world music. Instrumental variety and traditional instruments load feelings to their music. Almost all songs were composed by Arto Tuncboyaciyan.
Natural Seeds album is a good album to introduction to Armenian Navy Band. It is technically perfect album and contains more modern elements. Ocean, Fire and Air are my highlighted songs for you. Apricot and How Much is Yours albums should be listened. Let's Not Become a Copy from a Copy, Kef Kef (Celebration) and Oleaman from Natural Seeds are my favorites. New Apricot is also appreciated album. Don’t lose it.
Both Shamanimal album is the first album of the trio and easy listening album, I can suggest this album for beginning. Actually, this is my favorite album and it is extremely suggested album. Hadouk Blues and Shamanimal songs affect my feelings! Baldamore and Air Hadouk albums are also highly suggested. Each album is a different taste. It is the band that you will never feel regret if you buy all albums. Hadouk Trio albums are an impressive combination of modern jazz elements and unusual folkloric instruments. 
Although Hadouk Trio is a successful band with their album, live performance is a good criterion to evaluate an ethno jazz group. I suggest watching their live performance. Live performance is awesome. Harmony and improvisation are perfect and cheery. They came to Istanbul for a concert and I watched their live performance. They also played a Turkish folk song perfectly. Jazz lovers should see their performance on the stage. Hadouk Trio also have DVD’s you should buy. Baldamore album also released as a DVD, and there is one more concert DVD name is En Concert au Satellit Café. 
If I say Middle Eastern music, oud, psychedelic rock and jazz, do you say he must be kidding us? Of course, I am not kidding. Today I introduce very impressive world music project from John Berberian who is one of the best oud virtuosos of the world from Armenia. You will not hear only Armenian music on rock and jazz, you will hear melodies and rhythms from Middle East. Turkish and Arabic melodies dance on rock and jazz. This kind of fusion albums could be very impressive if songs and musicians consist of reputed ones. A small mistake can drive the album poor quality and sound. However, today you will get to know a perfect world music album. If you like, those kinds of East and West concept albums, you can click 
My favorite Middle Eastern Rock released in 1969. This album recorded by John Berberian and the Rock East Ensemble with jazz-based rock guitarist Joe Back. I could say it is a real masterpiece. Sound and harmony between rock, jazz and Middle East music elements are perfect and flawless. Instrument variety is also wide. Although the oud is the major instrument in this album, other local instruments make the musicality higher with eastern instruments and elements. 
Everybody knows more about jazz. Let’s get closely acquainted with Turkish Classical Music and let’s see how Turkish Music makes Jazz interesting and likeable. Turkish Classical Music consists of various forms, notations and scales known as Makam. Actually Hijazz name is a word game comes from Hedjaz Makam. A wide range of instruments such as oud, the qanun, tanbur, nay, kemenche, double drum are used in the music. I don’t write all instruments in Turkish Classical Music, otherwise this article will be extremely long. Some western style of instruments like violin, cello, harp, clarinet, and flute are used too. 
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Welcome Back - December 23
