(Anatolian Rock / Progressive Rock) Cem Karaca & Edirdahan - Safinaz - 1978 (1994), FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Muhtar Cem Karaca (April 5, 1945 - February 8, 2004), also called Cem Baba (Daddy Cem or Father Cem), was a prominent Turkish rock musician and one of the most important figures in the Anatolian rock movement... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cem_Karaca (english)

http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cem_Karaca (türkçe)
http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edirdahan (türkçe)

Safinaz is one of the great musicians in Turkish rock history Cem Karaca's last album before his escape to Germany from the millitary junta. The album, which he made with Edirdahan (group gets his name from two Turkish cities one on the far east Edirne and one on the far west Ardahan), is one of the most progressive musical work of Cem Karaca, like his works with Dervişan was. Cem Karaca was a Marxist musician like many of his fellow musicans in his time. And because of his Marxist thoughts the lyrics developed likewise.

The opening song Safinaz is 18 minutes long which makes it unique in Turkish music for there wasn't a track this long until that time. The song is excelent both from lyics and music. Song is about a little school girl safinaz who's the daughter of a poor doorman Kasım. Since the father of the kid doesn't want her to be poor like himself he signs his girl to school. But because of the many economical crises during that period Kasım is insufficient of providing for his family so he unwillingly sends Safinaz to work to the factory. Many years after Safinaz ,who is still working in the factory, meets an accountman there and spends the night with him. Then her father gets angry and beats her because sexual intercourse before marrige is forbidden in many Turkish families. And Safinaz leaves the house and never comes back. Then Karaca asks to Safinaz and many other girls like her is this the solution and if not where is.

Song has many stunning lyrics which indicates the social-economical struggle and wrongs in the educational system during that period. For example; the books which Safinaz read when she is going to school says a doctor is more honorable then a workingman, or Jön Niyazi's failiure from mathematics in highschool but he's still making his living out of it. But despite of the lyrics' locality, music of the song has successfully found the balance between Turkish traditional music and west progressive rock. Song has a energetic and playful music until the part that Niyazi takes over. From then it takes a depressive mood. Second song is about a young man who's betrayed from his beloved ones. This song is shorter than the two other songs of the album but has a strong, aggressive side which Safinaz doesn't have. The lyrics of the song is originally from an Ahmed Arif poem.

And the last song, Şeyh Bedreddin Destanı's lyrics are from a poe too, but this time it's poet is Nazım Hikmet. Şeyh Bedreddin is a pro-marxist mystic who says all the people are equal. The song is about his and the farmers' rebellion against sultan for taking what all the people should have. In the end he and his friends executed. Lyrics are again stunning like Safinaz but this time they're much more aggressive and more emotional. As Karaca sings about the combat in the middle of the song it takes you to a feeling like you're holding an axe against the enemy army. And when he comes to the part that he reveals the question of why Bedreddin is doing it all (to do everything,anything,everywhere with the loved ones including working working eating sleeping...) makes you feel exactly the same feelings(rebellion to sultans). So the lyrics are more powerful and compelling then ever. And of course music too has mixed these emotional and aggressive sides very well and these make Şeyh Bedreddin Destanı the best song in this album.

So Safinaz is a very complexed and beautiful album. It isn't as good as a major progressive band's album (like King Crimson-Red) but it has it's own unique sides because of the geography which it's been made.

ArdaOzel (rateyourmusic.com)

Cem Karaca — vocals
Fehiman Uğurdemir — guitar
Hami Barutçu — bass
Bülent Urkan — flute, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Salih Çele — trumpet
Derya Elver — drums