The Turkish Muammer Ketencoglu loves making musical travels; from the Aegean Sea to Armenia. As a master on the accordion he plays with the Balkan Journey both rural as urban folk songs, arousing dance rhythms and wedding music from every corner of the vast Balkan. Ketencoğlu is one of the most prominent figures in the balkan scene. Nevertheless he story started simple: as accordion player in a school for the blind in Izmir. In the meantime he is already touring for fourty years with The Balkan Journey, with whirling concerts and six award winning albums as a result.

MUAMMER KETENCOĞLU accordion, vocals
SAKIP SONGELEN klarinet, altsax
ALP KAYA percussion
ŞULE KOCAMAN SARAÇ vocals
SELDA KOÇAK UZANTAŞ vocals
 

After more than 3 decades, Yeni Türkü continues to be one of the most famous Turkish bands. Their fresh combination of music instruments and music lyrics provide a broad scala, in which you hear both Turkey as the rest of the world. After more than 15 albums Yeni Türkü still explores soundcolours, in which Ud, Baglama and guitar go hand in hand. With dashing Mediterranean melodies and poetic Turkish lyrics they bring homage to both the Anatolian as the Byzantine culture.

DERYA KÖROĞLU vocals, guitar, baglama
ERKİN HADIMOĞLU keys
FURKAN BİLGİ violin
SERDAR BARÇIN flutes, clarinet
BAHADIR TANRIVERMİŞ percussion
SEZER ALEMDAR guitar