Review by Dawoud Kringle
Date: April 26, 2017
Venue: WeWork Bryant Park (NY)
Musicians for Musician (MFM) presented the second of its Talk Series with Andrew Schulman, author of Waking the Spirit: a Musician’s Journey Healing Body. Mind, and Soul and creator of a profession he calls medical musician.
Artist: Mehmet Polat Trio
Title: Ask Your Heart
Label: Homerecords
Genre: world/maqam/kora music
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
On this album you will hear the best selection of my previously unreleased compositions and artistic ideas! I’ve been looking forward to recording these for a long time. My colleagues and I played on this album with full passion and sensibility. – Mehmet Polat
Text, photos and videos by Dawoud Kringle
On Monday April 3rd, musicians, artists, actors, poets, and dancers assembled on the steps of City Hall to protest the attempt on the part of the Trump administration to destroy art and culture in the United States. This press rally “Save The Arts” was organized by Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
Representatives of the Local 802 Musicians Union, The Actors Equity Association, Musicians for Musicians, Asian American Arts Alliance, and other music and arts organizations gathered at the steps of City Hall. David Byrne (Talking Heads), L. Steven Taylor (The Lion King), Ciara Renée (actress, singer, and musician) , The CEOs of the New York Public Library systems, Neil Shapiro of WNET, president of the Local 802 Tino Gagliardi, Brooklyn Council member Mark Trager, Bronx council member Andy King, Council Member Helen Rosenthal (Upper West Side), New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito and others spoke and shared their views on the dynamics and nuances of this important issue.
“…After all, it is our livelihood and art that are being downgraded as we speak. I support the efforts of MFM towards organizing musicians to develop a new paradigm.” – David Liebman
Date: March 23, 2017
Venue: WeWork Bryant Park (NY)
Text by Dawoud Kringle
On Thursday, March 23rd, Musicians for Musicians (MFM) presented the first Talk. The guest of honor was David Liebman, who’s a member of MFM’s Advisory Committee. The event was hosted and moderated by MFM President Sohrab Saadat Ladjavardi. This was the first of such “Round Table Talks,” and promised to deliver an immensely interesting and informative dialogue.
Artist: Mehmet Ali Sanlikol & Whatsnext?
Title: Resolution
Label: DÜNYA
Genre: nu jazz-Turkish music
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Turkish composer and multi-instrumentalist Mehmet Ali Sanlikol likes to do things big. His work impresses you as being driven by a strong will and a clear musical vision. This Turkish born polymath has an impressive list of credentials and accomplishments, including having composed for, recorded and performed with the likes of Dave Liebman, Bob Brookmeyer, Anat Cohen, Esperanza Spalding, Antonio Sanchez, Tiger Okoshi, The Boston Camerata, A Far Cry string orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Boston Cello Quartet, Okay Temiz, Erkan Oğur, Omar Faruk Tekbilek and others. He’s the president of DÜNYA, a musicians’ collective dedicated to contemporary presentations of Turkish traditional music. He has made his Carnegie Hall debut in April 2016 premiering his commissioned piece Harabat/The Intoxicated with the American Composers Orchestra, was nominated for a Grammy, and is a CMES Harvard University fellow.
