Korhan Erel (sleeping) and Mark Alban Lotz (staying cool) on a subway train in Istanbul

On February 1st, Korhan’s long-time duo with flutist Mark Alban Lotz will resurface at Berlin’s WATT Bar in Prenzlauerberg. The two musicians have met in 2010 and have played in duo as well as playing and recording with Korhan’s Istanbul ensemble Islak Köpek since then in Turkey, the Netherlands and Germany.  The album “Istanbul Improv Sessions May 4th” was recorded in Istanbul in 2010 and was released on Evil Rabbit Records in 2011, with an album launch concert at Borusan Music House in Istanbul.

Another duo, this time with dancer Lerna Babikyan, will resume its activities in the soundance sessions curated by Jenny Haack at Dock 11 as a prequel to soundance festival in June 2018. Lerna and Korhan will present their structured improvisation “in-spheres” on Februrary 4 at Dock 11. The whole event will start on Feb 1 and go until Sunday, February 4 with a rich, diverse program of dance and music encounters. Lerna and Korhan will also perform at the actual festival in Summer 2018.

Lerna and Korhan have met in their native Istanbul in 2009 and collaborated on several projects over the course of the years. They were re-united when Lerna relocated to Berlin.

Lerna Babikyan and Korhan Erel (photo by Peter Tümmers)