Hasan Saltik Turkey

Hasan Saltik has played a central role in the rescue, rediscovery and documentation of the cultural diversity of Turkish music. In the remote areas of Turkey and the neighbouring regions, despite political repression of minority cultures, Hasan Saltik has spent years in dedicated research, making recordings and documenting different minority musical traditions. Working with the best exponents of every form, he has recorded authentic village ceremonial music, Gypsy melodies from Thrace, polyphonic Laz music from northeast Turkey, Zaza songs from Dersim, the music of Slavonic Muslims originating from Bulgaria, Alevi Bektashi religious songs and the music of traditional rituals from all parts of the region. Among his works are reissues of late Ottoman music and the legendary voices of Armenian and Greek minority singers, as well as reissues of old great recordings of rebetika and klezmer music. He has been called an archaeologist of music but he also works with modern masters and student groups who are reinventing Turkish music in contemporary idioms. Saltik founded a small company to produce recordings of the highest quality which have been the catalyst for the revival of musical traditions and led to their dissemination worldwide. He has conserved and promoted the musical heritage of the area though establishing a label which produces unparalleled recordings.