This year, Eid al-Adha, known as Kurban Bayramı in Turkish, starts on Sunday 11 August and concludes on Wednesday 14 August. The second of two major Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide, Eid al-Adha honours the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham for Jews) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. For those […]
In conversation with Anthony Loyd, Hannah Lucinda Smith analyses Turkey’s ailing democracy – and what Erdoğan’s continuing hold on power means for the rest of us. More than fifteen years before Donald Trump ascended to the American presidency, Turkey was the crucible for the new, authoritarian populism now shaking the world. Its President, Recep Tayyip […]
Habibi Funk returns for his quarterly residency at the Jazz Cafe in early August with guest selector Kornelia Binicewicz aka Ladies On Records. Originally from Krakow, Poland, anthropologist turned DJ Kornelia has been living in Istanbul since 2015, where she has been curating an incredible collection of music recorded by lesser known female artists in […]
House-heads are slowly but surely discovering the sublime music of Aleksandir, the Istanbul-born DJ, producer and co-founder of label Artesian Sounds. The rising star, who spends part of his time in London, has been in demand ever since his debut album The Turtle Nipper (Blind Jacks Journey) dropped three years ago, showcasing his fresh take on […]
It’s a warm weekday lunchtime in May when I meet Hassan Redif (aka Hass or J Junior) and Bekir Remzi (aka Ramsey) in the bar of Trent Park Country Club, located at the far end of the Piccadilly Line in Oakwood. The pair are relaxed and in casual attire, with Ramsey tapping at his watch […]
This one-day festival in Dartford is billed as a “day of wellness for all the family”. Organised by yoga teacher and psychotherapist Leyla Ramadan (aka House of Leyla), it aims to “feed your soul” and returns “bigger than before”. The varied programme allows guests to participate in unlimited yoga classes for all ages and abilities, […]
The summer edition of T-VINE Magazine is now out, with Hassan ‘J Junior’ Rediff and DJ Ramsey on this issue’s front cover. The pair have been at the forefront of the UK’s dance music scene and in 2005, decided to bring the aural flavours of London’s clubland to North Cyprus through The Mid Summer Ball. […]
After a successful debut in 2018, Taste of Anatolia – Films From Turkey (TAFFT) returns in the autumn with a second foray into the world of Turkish cinema. Presented by Cambridge-based film charity Balik Arts, and championed by top Turkish actor Cengiz Bozkurt and talented filmmaker TuğbaTirpan, the festival will again screen a contemporary mix […]
Turkish indie folk sensation Kalben is set to give her first live performance in the UK in July. Thanks to hits like Haydi Söyle and Sadece, the singer-songwriter has earned a strong cult following in her homeland, and will be popular among the younger Turkish diaspora. Kelben’s interest in music began at the age of […]
UPDATED, Aug 2019: concert postponed to February 2020 Okay Temiz is a musical icon who has been at the forefront of multi-cultural music, blending European instruments with their Turkish counterparts to create a unique joyful synthesis of the two. This summer, he brings his awesome sounds to London. Born in Istanbul in 1939, Temiz […]
