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Artist
Omar Faruk Tekbilek
12+ albums
sufiturkishworldarabicWorld Music
about
Honored as a peacemaker and virtuoso, Omar Faruk Tekbilek's work transcends political boundaries while maintaining traditional sensibilities. Omar Faruk was a musical prodigy. He was born in Adana, Turkey to a musical family who nurtured his talents. At the age of eight, he began his musical career by developing proficiency on the kaval, a small diatonic flute. His musical interests were nurtured by his older brother and by a sympathetic uncle who owned a music store and who provided lessons. Omar Faruk recalls, “[My uncle] had a music store, and he also had another job during the day. So he told me to come after school, open the store, and in exchange he gave me lessons.” While working in the store, Omar Faruk learned the intricate rhythms of Turkish music, how to read scales, and other rudiments. He was trained on and eventually mastered several instruments: ney (bamboo flute), zurna (double-reed oboe like instrument with buzzing tone), the baglama (long-necked lute), the oud (the classic lute), as well as percussion. By the age of twelve he began performing professionally at local hot spots. In 1967, upon turning sixteen, he moved to Istanbul where he and his brother spent the following decade as session musicians. Omar Faruk stayed true to his folkloric roots, but during this period of frenetic session work in the metropolitan music scene, he explored Arabesque, Turkish, and Western styles and the compositional potential of the recording studio. In Istanbul he also
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