The bağlama—or saz—is an ancient instrument with deep roots in Anatolia, but its spirit is timeless. When I began performing, I quickly realized that tradition doesn’t have to mean limitation. The melodies of Anatolia can live alongside the improvisations of jazz, the grooves of funk, and the energy of rock.

In 1999, I began experimenting with Flemish folk through the Michel Terlinck Ensemble, and that experience opened my mind to endless possibilities. Later came Kybele in 2004, blending Turkish popular music with jazz, and Cumali & SazGround in 2007, where we explored the meeting point between folk, funk, rock, and flamenco.

Every project has been a new chapter in the same story: how the saz can speak in every language. My goal is not to modernize tradition but to let it evolve naturally—just as people and cultures do.

When I perform, I want listeners to feel that they are part of something ancient and new at once—a conversation that began centuries ago and still continues through each note.