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About
Istanbul born performing artist, producer, composer and instrument builder Berke Can Özcan takes you on a captivating journey through the depths of nature on the Lycian Way -a 520 km long hiking trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia, named after the Lycian civilization that once ruled in this region-. As Özcan ventures deeper into uncharted territory on the trail, he stumbles upon a sight that sparks an artistic flame, the Twin Rocks. In collaboration with critically acclaimed Norwegian trumpet mastermind Arve Henriksen and Brooklyn-based baritone saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson, Özcan immerses the listener in a mesmerizing soundscape that echoes the wonder and mystery of the trail leading to ancient Lycia.
This collaboration weaves together a tapestry of sonic explorations that capture the essence of Özcan’s journey. The ambient-jazz album’s delicate balance between organic sounds and electronic manipulation creates a dreamlike atmosphere that transports the listener to the rugged terrain of the Lycian Way. Mastered by three-time Grammy winner Dave Darlington, each track on this ethereal album mirrors a different aspect of the journey to Twin Rocks, meticulously composed by Özcan, Parzen-Johnson and Henriksen with each section of the trail in mind.
The album is infused with melodic bird songs and sound walk recordings that add depth and texture to the ethereal soundscape. Özcan’s array of self-crafted instruments made out of bamboos, soda bottle caps, straws, house keys, terracotta flower pots alongside with his long time companions like his steel drums, chimes, gongs, and vibraphone, serve as the medium through which he expresses the reflections of his encounters in his own world of rhythm and melody.
Press
“Arve Henriksen, perhaps more associated with frosted fjordscapes than a sun-baked Mediterranean coastline, yet clearly at home with Özcan’s music. His distinctively strangled sound rises easily above the loping beat of ‘Buried Palm Garden’, coaxing a quiet triumph from the tune before its dissolution.“
“Gorgeous and evocative and therapeutic.”
Details
Band Members
Berke Can Özcan – Drums, Percussion, Samples
Arve Henriksen – Trumpet
Jonah Parzen-Johnson – Baritone Saxophone, Synthesizers
Ozan Tekin – Piano, organ, synth
Ozan Kısaparmak – Bass on “Buried Palms Garden”
Discography
2023 – Twin Rocks (Omni Sound)