Mehmet Ali Sanlikol

From Cyprus and Turkey, a Jazz pianist, a multi-instrumentalist, a singer, an ethnomusicologist as well as a full-time faculty member at New England Conservatory. He has performed and toured with international stars and ensembles such as David Liebman, Billy Cobham, Esperanza Spalding, Gil Goldstein, Antonio Sanchez (2), Anat Cohen, Tiger Okoshi, The Boston Cello Quartet, American Composers Orchestra, and Brenna MacCrimmon. Sanlıkol pairs Turkish instruments such as zurna (double reed wind), ney (end-blown flute), kös (large kettledrums) and nekkare (small kettledrums) with the jazz orchestra/combo to perform his Turkish music-influenced compositions, in which Turkish makam (mode) and usul (rhythmic cycles) are intertwined with modern jazz as well as specifically film noir influenced music.