Inn of Love

There seems to be a growing fashion for young female singers of Turkish origin to be accompanied by European jazz musicians. It's a strategy that places an artist against tough competition while also facing them with a tougher choice: be true to the traditional repertoire or use it as a springboard for freedom? The risk of exotic Orientalism is always present. These projects require a strongly creative spark, leading either to a different perspective on the traditional or to the creation of new materials.

This album benefits from well-played, atmospheric modal solos, a nice vocal timbre from Melike Tarhan, and a sparkling of Middle Eastern percussive sounds; it leads to a pleasant listening experience, but not to a groundbreaking one. The music only rarely attempts any questioning of the coexistence of material and generally stays on the safe side.