London’s best Turkish music celebration returns for a third instalment, bringing us into The Psychedelic World of Turkish rock legend Cem Karaca.

The Istanbul-born, guitar-playing, singer-songwriter came to prominence in the 60s, going on to become one of the giants of Anatolian Rock, which took hold of Turkiye in the late 60s and 70s.

About Cem Karaca

As a teenager, Karaca was initially drawn to Western pop and rock, which he covered in his early bands. He started writing his own songs in Turkish around 1967.

When he came second in Hürriyet newspaper’s big annual music contest, Altın Mikrofon with his song Emrah, new and interesting doors started to open for the young Istanbullu of Turkish, Azeri and Armenian descent.

During the early part of his music career, Karaca worked with several notable Turkish rock bands, including Apaşlar, Kardaşlar, Moğollar, Kurtulan Ekspres and Dervişan, penning and delivering memorable hits such as Namus Belası (with Moğollar) Yoksulluk Kader Olamaz (with Dervişan), Nem Kaldı, and Beni Siz Delirttiniz (with Dervişan).

While many of his peers opted to go abroad to develop an international sound and profile, Karaca preferred to stay in Turkiye, recording music that seamlessly fused rock, funk, and jazz with traditional Anatolian folk and psychedelia.

Karaca’s music and distinctive voice helped him to stand out, as did his lyrics that often addressed the social and political issues of the day. He acquired a large following, but also the ire of the Turkish authorities, who were wary of Karaca’s influence over young people during the troubled 70s where sectarian violence became commonplace.

When the star was accused of writing music to incite people to rise up against the state, Karaca and his Dervişan band members decided to disband.

He extended a 1979 trip in West Germany, where he would perform with other artists, including starting to sing in German. When Turkiye experienced the 1980 military coup and issued a warrant for Karaca’s arrest, the rock star decided to stay put in Europe.

Karaca’s unwillingness to return to Turkiye led to him being stripped of his Turkish citizenship and being forced to miss the funeral of his father. In 1987, several years after the military had returned control of the country to civilian government Karaca was granted an amnesty.

He returned to his homeland soon after and released one of his most important works, Merhaba Gençler ve Her Zaman Genç Kalanlar,but by then Karaca’s status as a leading rock star had greatly diminished.

Karaca continued to release new music, but he never recaptured the popularity of his 70s heyday. He died of a heart attack on 8 February 2004 aged 58.

Rocking London to the sounds of Cem Karaca

Twenty years after his death, Karaca’s incredible body of work continues to resonate with fans new and old, and it’s fitting that he gets his own ‘Psychedelic World’ tribute night in London, alongside those established for fellow Turkish rock legends Barış Manço and Erkin Koray.

London-based Turkish artist Djanan Turan, who is behind The Psychedelic World concept, will again be spearheading this live music event, joining forces with The Flying Karpet Collective who have been at the forefront of the North London music scene for many years.

Djanan Turan – Vocals

Jomy Jomert – Keys

Tansay Omar – Drums

Bubu – Percussion

Berdin Pamukcu – Guitar

Taha Turan – Bass

DJ Burak Cetindag will be spinning Anatolian psychedelic rock, jazz, beat, funk and disco gems in between the live music.

And for those wanting a more sedentary experience of this splendid night of music whilst also enjoying a meal, the Jazz Café’s balcony restaurant will be open but prior booking is essential. See below for details.

Tribute Night Details

Title: The Psychedelic World Of Cem Karaca

Date: Thursday 27 June 2024

Time:  Doors open at 7pm

Venue: Jazz Café, 5 Parkway, Camden London NW1 7PG

Admission: Standing –  £12 ( + £2 booking fee). More for restaurant seats with a meal.

The event is 18 and over and those attending must carry a valid form of ID. Jazz Café only accepts passports, national ID cards and driving licenses.

Tickets: concert tickets only – click here.

For restaurant reservations, click here.