Havam Yerinde

Murat Ali Cengiz received a grant to develop new music. His project Havam Yerinde draws inspiration from traditional folk tales, poetry and dances to paint a hopeful picture of the Middle East, emphasizing the resilience and vibrancy of the region. Joined by a talented sextet consisting of Italian saxophonist Giuseppe Doronzo, bassist Andrea Caruso, Bulgarian drummer Gabi Matei, and Dutch musicians Prashant Samlal and Daniel Clason, the album creates an intercontinental musical experience. Each track invites listeners to embrace optimism and diversity, offering a refreshing counterpoint to mainstream narratives. Immerse yourself in Havam Yerinde and discover the beauty of the Middle East through the lens of jazz.

Murat is a multifaceted artist: composer, pianist and architect. With his collective Automata, he exhibited at the fourth Istanbul Design Biennial, using design as a compositional tool. He is the creator of the ongoing interdisciplinary audiovisual project Musicographics, with which he exhibits and performs at various venues, including the Kunsthal, the New Institute, Muziekwerf, OMI, Bureau Europa and during Rotterdam Architecture Month. He has also given workshops and lectures at the HKU Conservatory, the architecture faculty of YTU (Istanbul), and Codarts (Rotterdam), where he shares his expertise in combining music and design. His latest international project, No Musicians' Land, was performed at the Marina Abramović exhibition in Istanbul in 2020. As a pianist and bandleader, he has performed throughout Europe in venues such as the Muziekgebouw, TivoliVredenburg, the Oosterpoort, Elbjazz, Wonderfeel and Injazz. In 2020, he released his solo piano album Urban Pianola.