How can time fly so quickly? It seems just minutes ago that I sat down to write this blog, and WHOOPS!!! It’s a week later. I want to share, though, about Balık Ekmek Caz. In case you don’t speak Turkish, it means Fish Bread Jazz. The cool thing about it, though, is that it happens on a party-sized ferryboat and includes an evening Bosphorus cruise. Not only that, but the jazz was top-notch!
A few weeks ago my friends Amy and Mustafa joined me for a Saturday evening cruise on the Bosphorus Princess, not quite sure what to expect. We thought we might get a full fish dinner (oh, optimism!), and we knew the wine and beer were limitsiz (unlimited), but we had no idea that the jazz trio would be phenomenally good.
Mustafa, Amy and me—on the Bosphorus Princess
Kent Mete played the piyano (you can figure THAT out in English), Ozan Musluoğlu played the bas, and Derin Bayhan played the davul (drums—I figured you wouldn’t know that one).
Kent Mete, piyano
Ozan Musluoğlu, bass
Derin Bayhan, davul
They played a number of classic jazz pieces, and while we sipped wine and chatted, a chef on the top deck was grilling generous fillets of local fish. We reveled at the stunning views of well-lit mansions and palaces along the shoreline and finally indulged in a mouth-watering hoagie-sized balık ekmek. By the time the ferry turned around above the upper bridge, we were out on the floor, dancing our socks off.
Dancin’ to the Kent Mete Trio
Kent Mete astounded us—his entire heart and soul were poured out through that keyboard. It was all he could do to stay on his bench as he played. The bass player and drummer were no slouches, either, let me tell you.
The Çırağan Palace as the sun set
Needless to say, it was a great evening. I love live music, particularly jazz and blues. It’s a blast to dance, and I’d never turn away food or wine. And the VIEWS… What more could a person ask?
Rumile Hısarı—a medeival fortress
I hope this venue continues—it’s scheduled for every Wednesday and Saturday night through the end of April, and if they know what they’re doing, they’ll keep it up. They’ve got a great gig going here. All fingers crossed for a full spring and summer of jazz on the Bosphorus!