Geof Bradfield

Probably one of the most memorable experiences that I, that really sticks in my mind is I went out by myself, I believe it was in Istanbul. I heard a voice and it was a vocalist and she was being accompanied by a stringed instrument. And I followed the voice and it led me up three flights of stairs and eventually to this very small club.

I was just almost hypnotized by the sound of this voice, this beautiful voice. And sat down and you know, so content because I didn’t have to do anything that night. I had a chance just to kind of listen. And there was probably around 20 people in the room altogether, including the waiters.

And within about five minutes, all the electricity on the block just turned off and it was pitch dark all of a sudden in this room and I expected there to be some pandemonium or people just kind of freaking out, but perhaps this was something that happened regularly, all I know is that no one really reacted.

All the amplification from the music was shut off, but after about 15 seconds, the singer just continued singing and as she started to sing, people within the room who were probably locals just began to sing with her and all of a sudden there was just this beautiful sound of just this local music that was so organic sounding, just because it wasn’t people who were trained singers and people who were…

And they all knew the lyrics to the song that she had continued singing and it was at that moment that I really felt like I was able to get a revelation of the culture. That just brought tears to my eyes because that part of the world is so old and Turkey, you know, there is so much history. That experience just really made me understand how music comes from something very organic and I feel as that’s something that I would like that this country would kind of go back to is maybe a more organic idea of the function of music and the purpose of music that didn’t leave. That was somehow was able to stay over in Istanbul.

And that will always stick with me forever.

Hi, this is Jaimeo Brown, from the Brian Horton Quartet. Please join me on the Rhythm Road, American Music Abroad.