ISLAK KÖPEK

Islak Köpek is a free-improvisation ensemble based in Istanbul, Turkey.

Şevket Akıncı: electric and acoustic guitars, effects
Korhan Erel: computer, controllers, electronics
Gülşah Erol: cello 

Giray Gürkal: electric guitar, effects 

Robert Reigle: tenor saxophone 

Volkan Terzioğlu: tenor saxophone

Albums (each with an earlier configuration of the group)
Istanbul Improv Sessions-May 4th. 2011. Mark Lotz & Islak Köpek. Amsterdam: Evil Rabbit Records, ERR-016. Liner notes by Kevin Whitehead. www.evilrabbitrecords.eu
One Year Later, Two Years Ago. 2009. Istanbul: Re:konstrukt, RE-19-20. www.rekonstrukt.com
Islak Köpek. 2008. Istanbul: A.K. Müzik, AK-802. Liner notes by Halil Turhanlı. www.akmuzik.com.tr

History
Islak Köpek’s original lineup of Korhan Erel, Şevket Akıncı, Volkan Terzioğlu, and Volkan Ergen (percussion) gave their first performance in May 2005. Following a series of performances at Galataperform (www.galataperform.com) and Jazz Cafe, Dirk Stromberg (electric guitar) and Robert Reigle (tenor saxophone) joined the band in January 2006. Volkan Ergen left in the summer of 2006 to pursue other musical interests. The five-piece band played at the Transit Improvisation Days with Le Quan Ninh and dancer Kirstie Simpson in June 2006, followed by a sold-out concert at the Akbank Jazz Festival in September 2006. Dirk Stromberg left the band in 2007 to teach in Vietnam. The remaining four members continued playing and recording, sometimes with guest musicians such as Richard Nunns, Christian Asplund, and Olivier Germain-Noureux. Notable performances include participation in the Body-Process festival A.M.B.E.R. (http://www.a-m-b-e-r.net/) and the second Transit Festival. Gökcen Dilek Acay (violin) joined the band in 2008 and remained until the end of March 2009. Cellist and composer Kevin Davis joined Islak Köpek in February 2009 until his return to the US in July 2010. Cellist Gülşah Erol and guitarist Giray Gürkal joined the band in January 2011.

Islak Köpek continues to perform with local and international musicians, dancers, and visual artists in venues such as Gitar Cafe (www.gitarcafe.com), Babylon, and Borusan Music House. Since May 2006, its members have produced a program about free improvisation and free jazz, called “The Other Jazz,” which is broadcast on Açık Radyo (www.acikradyo.com.tr) every Sunday from 17:00—18:00. Their guests in the studio have included Christian Asplund, Richard Nunns, Chris Cutler, Jürg Solothurnmann, Senol Küçükyildirim, and Hoca Nasreddin.

The band members participate in many side projects. They have produced solo albums and performed in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.