EVRIM ATESLER
MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST & COMPOSER
Evrim Atesler is a musician and singer born in Izmir, Turkey. Playing a number of eastern and western musical instruments (the piano, the guitar, the ney, the clarinet, the ud, the buzuki and percussions), he is particularly interested in Greek music and has specialised in it. He is known as one of the best performers in Turkey of the famous “Smyrneika” as well as the “Rembetika”, a Greek musical genre also known as the “Greek Blues”. He is also a composer and arranger of musical works for the theatre and the cinema.
Evrim has been developing his musical life incorporating both eastern and western influences. In 2007, following his choice for Greek music, he established the Greek music group “Okeanos”. The success of “Okeanos” and its active participation in live performances has made the group a protagonist in the contemporary Greek music scene of Izmir and Turkey.
In 2004 together with eight exceptional Greek and Turkish musicians and the renowned Greek singer Ria Ellinidou, Evrim established the Greek-Turkish music band NeaBanda, which features in the musical documentary “Journey Through Smyrna” by Greek-American director Chrysovalantis Stamelos. In the film the band performs the over a hundred-year-old songs known as “Smryrneika”. The film has met with international acclaim in film and music festivals around the world.
Evrim's first personal album entitled “Afieromenos sto Rembetiko” (Dedicated to Rembetiko) has been entirely produced in Athens and has become available both in Turkey and abroad. Exceptional Greek musicians have collaborated for the production of the album. The production has been supervised by renowned Greek percussionist Mihalis Bakalis, with the participation of Antonis Gerogiannis, Nikos Gyras, Ibrahim Kurnaz, Nikos Mermigkas and Dimitris Sintos. Famous Greek female singer Aspasia Stratigou has also lent her voice and sound engineering has been the master work of Giannis Baksevanis.
Evrim Atesler’s new album entitled “MAZI” ( “TOGETHER”) includes duets with 7 renowned Greek female singers (Ria Ellinidou, Eirini Haridou, Ioulia Karapataki, Katerina Katsigianni, Sofia Papazoglou, Fotini Rentzi, Aspasia Stratigou), two solo songs and two instrumental pieces. An entirely Greek production, the album was released in December 2018 in Greece, Turkey and all international digital platforms.
Evrim has been acting as a bridge between traditional Izmir musical cultures as well as old and contemporary interpretation styles of Rembetika songs by reviving them and making them known to Turkish and world audiences.
HIGHLIGHTS
2017
He started performing at Swissotel Büyük Efes
2009-2011
Turkey Foundation for the Disabled Concert
Baptist Church of Izmir Rembetiko Concert
Dikili/Mitilini Turkish-Greek Friendship Concert
Izmir Turkish-Greek Friendship Festival
“Külhani Songs” Project, Konak Alsancak Cultural Activities
Okeanos' “Rebetiko Night” project in Istanbul
2011
Honoured to welcome the legendary Kostas Ferris, renowned film director of the 1983 “Rembetiko” film, visiting artist of the 12th Izmir Film Festival.
Invited to participate in the 65th Cannes Film Festival as original soundtrack composer of the song “Mey Zamani” used by director Tamer Garip in his film “Code name Venus”.
2012
His life and work was presented in one of the documentaries of the project “Stories from the opposite coast” organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the European Union with the participation of eight Turkish and eight Greek directors.
He composed the generic music for the film “War of the Angels”.
He broke the record of 1000 live performances in 5 years at the Swissotel Büyük Efes.
2013
Okeanos joined gourmet food festival named “Two coasts” with the world famous cooks Stavros Manousakis and Barbara Kotsanouri.
He composed music for the theatrical performance “Alemdâr; Tohum ve Toprak”, staged at the State Theatre with the famous artist Tanju Kumbaracioglu.
2014
He broke the record of 1500 performances in 7 years at the Swissotel Büyük Efes.
He participated as a guest artist in the project entitled “Kalimerhaba” organised by the Ministry of Culture and Turism and the European Union.
He participated as a guest artist in the concert “Smyrneiko Minore” given by the Greek Argolida Music Secondary School in Izmir, taught by Aris Konidaris and Danae Baltassi.
He directed the stage performances of the choir “The longing of the two coasts” of the Lozan Exchanged Populations Foundation.
Together with the Greek musicians Aris Konidaris and Mihalis Bakalis he established the music group NeaBanda.
2015
He participated as a guest artist at the ERT Open radio program in Athens produced by Fevronia Revithi.
He started the recording work of the NeaBanda music group in Athens.
He directed the “Izmir Happy Children Choir”.
Okeanos performance of the “Izmir Greek Food Festival”.
NeaBanda concerts in Gündoğdu and Karşıyaka.
“The longing of the two coasts” choir concerts.
Concert for the “Word Autism and Down Syndrome Day”.
Okeanos concert at the Alsancak cultural activities.
Participation in the Izmir shootings of the Greek “Playing Ecologically and Interculturally” project.
2016
Perfomance at the “Slavic Culture and Art Days” of the Belarus Honorary Consulate in Izmir.
Okeanos performance in honour of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Interviewed for the Culture and Arts column of the Greek newspaper “Kathimerini”.
Summer live performances on Samos island, Greece.
Concerts at Mavibahçe Malls, Izmir.
Guest artist at the 10th New York Greek Film Festival for the premiere of “Journey Through Smyrna” at the “Directors Guild” Cinema.
He broke the record of 2000 performances in 8 years at the Swissotel Büyük Efes.
Recording at the Athens “Antart studios” for the “Afieromenos sto Rembetiko” album.
The documentary “Journey Through Smyrna” premiered in Izmir in the 17th International Short Film Festival.
2017
First individual album entitled “Afieromenos sto Rembetiko” is released in Greece, Turkey and all digital platforms.