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Interview with
an Artist
Cruzy presents "Interview with an Artist".
Exclusive interviews for Cruzy.org of emerging visual & performing artists.
Please contact us, if you have an interview of an artist (performing or visual; individual or group) that you would like to post on the Cruzy Website.
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Cruzy.org presents:
Latif Bolat
TURKISH SINGER, COMPOSER and SCHOLAR of TURKISH MUSIC and FOLKLORE
Santa Cruz, CA, February 2005
email: Lbolat@aol.com
www.LatifBolat.com
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Cruzy:
I had the opportunity to see Latif Bolat briefly during his short visit in Santa Cruz the beginning of February.
An ambassador of Turkish music and poetry of the mystics, his culture and worldwide networking, he came to visit friends
here in town during his international tour.
He honored us with the flavor of his music in form of a house concert,
accompanied by Jennifer Ferraro on the frame drum.
He introduces himself as: LATIF BOLAT: TURKISH SINGER, COMPOSER and SCHOLAR of TURKISH MUISC and FOLKLORE (COLOR PORTRAIT PHOTO)
Cruzy:
Latif, I know we only have little time before you move to your next step in your months-long tour.
I am very excited to tell our readers at least a little bit about you. I am still in the spell of the wonderful
concert you gave and all its impressions. Can you tell us about how you developed your music?
Latif Bolat:
I grew up in the Turkish Mediterranean town on Mersin. Growing up in Turkey has its advantages musically speaking.
You hear music everywhere and every day there. So I started singing slowly as a boy and then picked up the Saz,
a long necked Turkish lute, and started playing. One of my remote uncles used to play it, so I think I got curious about
playing the Saz because of him.
Later on I studied Western Opera at the Ankara Conservatory. But the Turkish music stayed
my main focus, so I switched back to it after I finished school.
I received a degree in folklore and music at Gazi University in Ankara (Turkey) and I also taught traditional music throughout
Turkey. Later I managed a musical theater company called 'Ankara Halk Tiyatrosu', which performed traditional musical plays.
My education includes also degrees in Turkish History and Middle East Religion and Politics from Ankara University.
Later in the US, I got a MBA from San Francisco State University.
Cruzy:
What do you sing about and how do you choose your music and the instruments to accompany you?
Latif Bolat:
My musical specialty is Turkish devotional music, which talks about the meaning of life in general. I sing very
traditional pieces as well as my own compositions on some very old devotional mystic poetry.
I already mentioned that I play the Saz to accompany myself but I also get drums, oud, violin and other traditional
instruments to accompany me during the concerts.
Cruzy:
Who is your audience?
Latif Bolat:
My audience is the cream of the American society, I feel.
They are usually the mid-age and middle class people with
a deep desire to learn about other cultures and to make a human connection to the other people of the world. So I feel very
lucky for having such an audience!
Cruzy:
You do a lot of worldwide traveling with your music - how do you arrange or book this?
Latif Bolat:
I arrange my own bookings since that provides a total freedom for me to go wherever I wish to go. Once I have a tour
lined up, then I do city hopping to play music. I still continue booking on the road though - it's a never ending cycle
for me.
For example, here is a photo from my recent tour to Indonesia. Sumedang is a small highland town, 2 hours south of
Bandung in central Java, island of Indonesia. I was told that I was the first foreign musician who ever visited that town!
These other musicians on the photo are some Javanese musician friends on instruments like Kechapi, Suling, Tarawang. It
took place in the central concert hall of the town which was a Dutch colonial headquarters in the days of colonialism.
(PHOTO FROM SUMEDANG)
Cruzy:
What are your plans for the future?
Latif Bolat:
I would like to visit the four corners of the world. The people of the world are ready for such a peaceful and
love-filled program, so I am sure I will be able to achieve that dream someday. I have already visited quite a number
of countries and enjoyed it very much!
Cruzy:
What is your 'mission' - your passion about this music and the lyrics?
Latif Bolat:
For me, the most important aspect of these poets from the past thousand years is their strong anti-materialistic
attitude. As true mystics, these poets and troubadours let go of all the comfort and facilities offered to them by the
Sultans and Kings of their times. Instead, they pursued a relentless struggle to reach the Truth. Such an anti-materialistic
attitude is so much in line with my own world philosophy in these times of rampant selling out of everything sacred and
profane, that I had to put this wonderful poetry in music. (B/W PORTRAIT)
That is why my latest recording is especially special to me, since most of the songs are my own compositions from the last
two years. Due to the wonderful nature of this mystic folk poetry, composing was almost a natural progression of reading
them out loud. You'll never hear the sounds of the Iraq war in these compositions, since they are also the
impressions of
the war in the Middle East. My mission is to bring out such wonderful philosophy and poetry through music, so we cherish
this thousand year old mystic tradition.
Cruzy:
How did you wind up living in the US?
Latif Bolat:
After studying economics and political sciences I obtained a scholarship from the Turkish government to do a MBA at
San Francisco State University. Once I finished that, I wanted to stay a little longer and got stuck for 21 years! However,
being able to make music gave me lots of strength and having that mission, I really enjoy carrying this message to everywhere.
Cruzy:
You have been offering guided tours to Turkey for some years now.
Latif Bolat:
Yes, since 2003 I have been leading Cultural Mystic Tours to Turkey. It has been a wonderful experience for me to
get to know almost every corner of my homeland. Turkey contains ten thousand years of settled life and civilization.
Therefore it is a very enjoyable place to visit. Every corner offers something else to the traveler. So I think I will be
doing such tours for as long as I enjoy leading them. Your readers can visit my website to see all the details, pictures
and traveler's impressions about these tours as well as my music. They can listen to my CDs there as well to hear what my
music is about.
My time is up. Thanks for talking to me and helping me spread the message of our tradition (PHOTO OF CD COVER)
Cruzy:
Thanks for sharing this with us. Happy travels!!
I just want to mention that Latif is one of the most distinguished Turkish musicians in the US.
His concert and conference
itinerary has taken him all across America, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
His recent performance and teaching engagements include the soundtrack for George Lucas Studios TV series "Young Indiana
Jones" and the PBS docmentary "Mohammed: Legacy of a Prophet".
The California Art Council rewarded Latif with a grant for
his contributions to the preservation of Turkish traditional music.
To contact the artist:
email: Lbolat@aol.com
www.LatifBolat.com
About the interviewer:
Ute Bonn
Born in Germany, Ute lives in Santa Cruz, CA since over 12 years.
A musician herself, she released her debut CD: "VoiceDance".
Her previous work at a local newspaper and her own engagement
in the cultural scene in Santa Cruz as a singer/songwriter,
dancer and teacher has brought her in contact
with numerous artists.
To contact Ute Bonn, contact Cruzy.org
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