I had the chance to listen to the funk-jazz project of Ozan Erverdi and Tan Deliorman, The Kites who have been making music together since their childhood at Kundura Stage.
We talked about the sound of the group that is rising from Istanbul, with Tan Deliorman over the phone.
The energy of The Kites on stage was really high. The audience had the chance to listen to the song Tequila Sunset as the sun was going down.
We Feel Close to Jazz
S: How would you describe your music to someone who never listened to you before?
T: I do not know how to. I suppose I would say something like the mixture of funk, jazz, rock.
S: These classifications are for sure compelling but you make an eclectic music. Does it also include psychedelic?
T: Yes, sure, partly there are some old stuff. They come from back in the days, when we were growing with Ozan, things that come from the times we listened to Pink Floyd, Hendrix for example. But rather, we use jazz elements, our feeling is closer to jazz. We feel more "jazzy" playing differences of rock. Listeners feel that way as well.
Old Musics Were More Extensive and Deep
S: Yes. But what fo you think psychedelic music got this much popular to your opinion?
T: Probably people are fed up with the colorless music that explains itself word by word. In the old days the musics were more extensive and deep. That coming back might be related with this. People are bored of monotony.
S: How do you see the independent music scene in Istanbul?
T: Music scene in Istanbul has expanded really extensively. Especially in the last decade. Music that the market is not really used to.
So actually there is a wide range, all types of music is made in Istanbul. I think this is great.
Istanbul is Precisely The Mixture of Everything
S: If there was a sound of Istanbul, what would that be?
T: If there was a sound of Istanbul it would be most probably be something really tangled. Therefore I do not know. What we do might also fall under the sound of Istanbul. It has everything in it. As Istanbul is a place in between, in the middle of East and West, Europe and the Middle East, it is precisely the mixture of everything. Not only in music but in all topics it is like this.
S: Would you say Istanbul nourishes your music?
T: I am not sure. As we are not people who get involved. Especially Ozan. Ozan lived abroad and listened to many gigs abroad. They also influenced us for sure. What I can say is that we are a bit isolated.
From The Kites Kundura Stage performance.
If this city has influenced us we wold have been making more of a music that is having a panic attack. We would be making a darker music. We are already making this music as an escape, to get rid of the dark impact of the city.
S: What is next?
T: Of course as you know we cannot give concerts now. In Beykoz Stage the other day, it was the first time direct contact with the audience without cars I think. It starts with baby steps so I cannot say anything about it. Because the scene now is really upsetting for the musicians.
We plan to record two songs that we wrote before and publish as singles. Now we do not plan an album... Well, indeed we'll make an album but we are not thinking about it at the moment. One of these two singles might come from a label in Turkey and the other in France.
Ozan Erverdi and Tan Deliorman
