Yavuz Çetin
Encyclopedia
Yavuz Hilmi Çetin was a Turkish
musician as well as songwriter and singer in the blues
and psychedelic music
genres, who gained renown in his native country for the skill and sensitivity of his guitar performances and, in the wake of his suicide at the age of 30, before the release of his highly-praised album, Satılık [For Sale], has achieved a near-iconic posthumous status as a talent lost on the brink of great achievement.
port of Samsun
, Turkey's 15th largest city and capital of Samsun Province
, Yavuz Çetin spent his early school years traveling through the country's various regions, as his father, journalist Erdal Çetin, responded to the demands inherent in the profession. In 1984, at the age of 14, the adolescent music enthusiast was already taking blues and rock guitar lessons from guitarist Hasan Cihat Örter
and, the following year, started learning to master the acoustic guitar and, subsequently, the electric guitar
. Before graduating from Istanbul
's Haydarpaşa High School, he and classmate Ercan Saatçi who, in later years, became a noted musician as well as sports journalist, entered HEY magazine's music competition and their song, "I Will Cry", became the winning entry.
In 1988, continuing his quest in Istanbul for higher education and advanced musical training, Çetin began studies at Marmara University
's Music Department while earning an income as a musical performer in clubs such as Beyaz Ev [White House] in the port town of Bodrum
, where he played in 1989–90.
In 1991, upon turning 21, he formed, with young musical colleagues Batu Mutlugil, Kerim Çaplı and Sunay Özgür, the musical group, Blue Blues Band. Having married in 1992, Yavuz Çetin and wife Didem filed for divorce four years later. In that year, 1996, and for the remaining four years of his life, he was also a guitarist at the numerous concerts played by the noted band Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
.
He collaborated, as well, on various albums with artists such as Teoman, Kıraç
, Sibel Tüzün
, Soner Arıca
, Göksel, Deniz Arcak and Acil Servis. In Göksel's hit song "Sabır", he became the first Turkish guitar player to use a talk box
. Of particular note is his solo on Deniz Arcak's "Bırakın Beni" from the Kıpır Kıpır album which, in an illustration of his mastery of the rock and blues guitar tradition, was recorded on the first take after only a couple of rehearsals. It also became the last studio session recording in which he participated.
spot, and his tune "Dünya" ["the World"], which was chosen as part of the soundtrack for the 1999 film, "Propaganda
", with a score composed and arranged by master guitarist Erkan Oğur
.
Six weeks before his 31st birthday, after expending months of intense effort writing all of the tracks for his second album, Satılık, and having completed the album's final recording session, Yavuz Çetin committed suicide by leaping from Istanbul's Boğaziçi Bridge which connects Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus strait. Posthumous acclaim followed the subsequent release of the album which a number of music reviewers described as a work of genius. With the passage of years, both Satılık and the previously overlooked İlk ve Son... have gained a near-cult status as Yavuz Çetin's music and words continue to be heard in the region keeping his legend alive for the listening public.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
musician as well as songwriter and singer in the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and psychedelic music
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
genres, who gained renown in his native country for the skill and sensitivity of his guitar performances and, in the wake of his suicide at the age of 30, before the release of his highly-praised album, Satılık [For Sale], has achieved a near-iconic posthumous status as a talent lost on the brink of great achievement.
Musical training
Born in the Black SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
port of Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
, Turkey's 15th largest city and capital of Samsun Province
Samsun Province
Samsun Province is a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast with a population of 1,252,693 . Its adjacent provinces are Sinop on the northwest, Çorum on the west, Amasya on the south, Tokat on the southeast, and Ordu on the east...
, Yavuz Çetin spent his early school years traveling through the country's various regions, as his father, journalist Erdal Çetin, responded to the demands inherent in the profession. In 1984, at the age of 14, the adolescent music enthusiast was already taking blues and rock guitar lessons from guitarist Hasan Cihat Örter
Hasan Cihat Örter
Hasan Cihat Örter is a Turkish composer, guitarist and arranger who gained wide fame in the last few years for his remixes of traditional Turkish music, particularly instrumental, folk, jazz, new-age, vocal and dance music. About 3 years old "genius child" met with the piano and violin music began...
and, the following year, started learning to master the acoustic guitar and, subsequently, the electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
. Before graduating from Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
's Haydarpaşa High School, he and classmate Ercan Saatçi who, in later years, became a noted musician as well as sports journalist, entered HEY magazine's music competition and their song, "I Will Cry", became the winning entry.
In 1988, continuing his quest in Istanbul for higher education and advanced musical training, Çetin began studies at Marmara University
Marmara University
Marmara University is a public university in Turkey. Situated in Istanbul, Marmara University has succeeded in becoming the second largest university in the whole country...
's Music Department while earning an income as a musical performer in clubs such as Beyaz Ev [White House] in the port town of Bodrum
Bodrum
Bodrum is a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova. The site was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the...
, where he played in 1989–90.
In 1991, upon turning 21, he formed, with young musical colleagues Batu Mutlugil, Kerim Çaplı and Sunay Özgür, the musical group, Blue Blues Band. Having married in 1992, Yavuz Çetin and wife Didem filed for divorce four years later. In that year, 1996, and for the remaining four years of his life, he was also a guitarist at the numerous concerts played by the noted band Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan
Mazhar-Fuat-Özkan is a Turkish band. The names of the band's singers are Mazhar Alanson, Fuat Güner and Özkan Uğur....
.
He collaborated, as well, on various albums with artists such as Teoman, Kıraç
Kiraç
Ali Tufan Kıraç , better known as Kıraç, 1972 is a Turkish musician, known as a composer and performing artist.He has contributed albums such as Kayıp Şehir, Zaman and many others...
, Sibel Tüzün
Sibel Tüzün
Sibel Tüzün is a Turkish pop/rock/jazz singer.- Life and career :Sibel began her musical education at the TRT Istanbul Children's Choir...
, Soner Arıca
Soner Arica
Soner Arica is a Turkish singer and record producer.-Biography:He was born as the youngest of seven children in the Fatsa district of Ordu Province, Turkey. Later he moved to Istanbul and studied in Şişli College. Having graduated from the college, he continued his education and obtained a degree...
, Göksel, Deniz Arcak and Acil Servis. In Göksel's hit song "Sabır", he became the first Turkish guitar player to use a talk box
Talk box
A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...
. Of particular note is his solo on Deniz Arcak's "Bırakın Beni" from the Kıpır Kıpır album which, in an illustration of his mastery of the rock and blues guitar tradition, was recorded on the first take after only a couple of rehearsals. It also became the last studio session recording in which he participated.
Two albums, İlk ve Son... and Satılık
In 1997, Yavuz Çetin issued his first album İlk ve Son... [First and last...], produced by his longtime compatriot Ercan Saatçi, but the album was unable to capture the spirit of that moment's public musical mood. He also earned an income from writing numerous advertising jingles, such as a well-remembered Coca-ColaCoca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
spot, and his tune "Dünya" ["the World"], which was chosen as part of the soundtrack for the 1999 film, "Propaganda
Propaganda (film)
Propaganda is an award-winning 1999 Turkish comedy film written, directed and produced Sinan Çetin. The film, which is a darkly surreal comedy set in a sleepy village in the southeast Turkey in 1948, starred popular comedy actor Kemal Sunal, who died the same year, in his final role...
", with a score composed and arranged by master guitarist Erkan Oğur
Erkan Ogur
Erkan Oğur , or Erkan Ogur in the West, is a Turkish musician. A pioneer of fretless guitars, he invented the first fretless classical guitar in 1976.Martinelli, op. cit.Unfretted, op. cit. A composer, he has influenced many musicians with his compositions combining the sounds of Turkish folk...
.
Six weeks before his 31st birthday, after expending months of intense effort writing all of the tracks for his second album, Satılık, and having completed the album's final recording session, Yavuz Çetin committed suicide by leaping from Istanbul's Boğaziçi Bridge which connects Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus strait. Posthumous acclaim followed the subsequent release of the album which a number of music reviewers described as a work of genius. With the passage of years, both Satılık and the previously overlooked İlk ve Son... have gained a near-cult status as Yavuz Çetin's music and words continue to be heard in the region keeping his legend alive for the listening public.
Discography
- Erkeğin Olmak İstiyorum
- Bilmem Neden İnat Ettin
- Sahil
- Bodrum Gecesi Yüzünden
- Kimse Bilemez
- Gecenin Rengi
- Ağlamayı Sevmem
- Çok İstiyorum
- Onun Şarkısı
- Hisset Beni
- Fanki Tonki Zonki (Enstrümantal)
- Dünya
- Cherokee
- Benimle Uçmak İster misin?
- Oyuncak Dünya
- Bul Beni
- Sadece Senin Olmak
- Yaşamak İstemem
- Kurtar Beni
- Köle
- İstanbul'a Ait
- Herşey Biter
External links
- [ Karaege, Vefik (2009). Yavuz Çetin biographical and career overview at All Music Guide']
- Yavuz Çetin biography and photographs at TMC website {in Turkish}
- Yavuz Çetin memorial website {in Turkish}
- Yavuz Cetin'e Dair... (dead poet for him) {in Turkish}
- Music video at DailyMotion of Yavuz Çetin's "Yaşamak İstemem" from Satılık