Funky Dervish

The sixth album by the Israeli-born Istanbul resident Yinon Muallem reflects his uneasy search for a dialogue between two inextricably linked musical traditions of countries and cultures that went through tragic confrontations. His Rast Ensemble is a compact, well-honed vehicle featuring the versatile guitarist Cenk Erdogan, the brilliant oud player Selim Koytak, and the modern soloist of the pastoral Anatolian kaval (flute) Sinan Cem Eroglu with key support by the supple bass of Hakan Gurbuz.

Pastel-coloured and slightly melancholic, this music is enriched by a well-chosen cohort of guests. Clarinet whizz Husnu §enlendirici plays a classic solo on ‘Gypsy Soul’, while brass specialist Hasan Gozetlik contributes to the most visionary piece on the album, a lullaby arranged for strings by Mumin Sesler. ‘Kuzguncuk’ takes its name from an Istanbul suburb that has become a symbol of religious tolerance, while the final song is based on a quatrain by Yunus Emre, the Muslim mystic poet, expressing tolerance and mutual understanding.