Among the many instruments he plays, it is the ney (Turkish flute) that has the most special place in his heart. He was only five years old when he first heard the sound of ney crackling through on a shortwave radio station, and he was mesmerized by the sound of this ancient instrument.

It should come as no surprise that the ney is the instrument of Sufi music and it is this mystical and inclusive form of Islam that is the key to understanding Mercan Dede’s view of the world.

Sound, images, light and presentation only make sense if they are connecting and supporting the concept

It was only when he was 19, studying at University, that he seriously thought about playing the ney. As he did not have enough money to buy one, he made his own from a plastic water pipe. These days, even after so many years spent playing ney, he still feels that he has a long way to go to capture that magical sound that once bewitched the child.

Sufi Dreams, released in 1998 was his first album. Since then he has produced six more albums. His latest album Nefes is part of a body of work related to four elements that are both sources of physical and spiritual power. The first one of these was Nar, released in 2002 meaning fire, the second Su means water, his latest album Nefes meaning breath represents air. The last album in the series will be called Earth. He adds that, since we all come from earth and end in earth, his next album will be a proper way to finish this concept. But he also plays with the idea that in fact earth is not an end but the beginning of a transformation to start a wonderful and magical journey.

Mercan Dede spends his time between Montreal and Istanbul. He first went to Canada to study visual arts at Concordia University and since then he settled down in Montreal. He puts all this down to fate and strongly believes that these two great cities create a perfect combination in his life. For him Istanbul is inspirational, chaotic and cultural. Montreal on the other hand is peaceful, beautiful and calm. But yet, he admits that Istanbul the magnificent is also his true love.

As well as being a musician he is also a visual artist. At his concerts he creates light projections that turns his music into visual artistry. His art education helps him visualise his music and his musician side tries to paint a landscape with the sounds.

For him the “concept” is more important than anything else. Sound, images, light and presentation only make sense if they are connecting and supporting the concept. This is also the reason why he designs his own album covers.

His concert at the Barbican last year was a great event for him and surely for his fans in the UK. The good news is that he is keen to come back to London — as soon as he is invited.

Link: Doublemoon Records