Neotolia

While arranging and producing two medleys for Q-Tip and Ledisi for the Berklee Commencement 2024, I couldn't help but think about how my wife defines me as the "Global Music Specialist". It made me reflect on my role in the music industry. Am I primarily a Classical/Contemporary Composer and Arranger, a Contemporary Jazz Pianist, a Classical Percussionist, or a Producer? This is something that I often ponder upon.

I started my musical career as a pure classical musician, and at the age of 11, at one point, I only listened to contemporary classical, dodecaphonic & experimental music like Stockhausen, Alban Berg, Arnold Schonberg, Anton Webern, Penderecki, Messiaen, Charles Ives, and many others. I regarded all other music styles as "bull crap." However, 25+ years later, I reflect on my journey and see how much I've grown. I have worked with Indian musicians like A.R. Rahman and Annette Philip, Arabic music masters such as Bassam Sabaa and Simon Shaheen, world-famous African musicians like Sona Jobarteh and Asim Gorashi, and Chinese music legends like Yazhi Guo, Wu Man, and Chen Jun. I have also collaborated with Brazilian and Latin music masters like Deborah Gurgel and Luis Conte, jazz greats like Kevin Eubanks, Dave Weckl, Bobby McFerrin, Jojo Mayer, and Jack DeJohnette, pop and RnB figures like Chuck Rainey, Ledisi, and Justin Timberlake, Rock legends like Kenny Aronoff, and of course, Turkish music luminaries like Tahir Aydogdu, Ferhat Erdem, Husnu Senlendirici, Hasan Yukselir, Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, and Erkan Ogur, and many others. Alongside this, I have continued to work with world-class classical symphonic orchestras, and numerous soloists, conductors, and musicians, who have premiered my music worldwide.

When I was young, I had an impossible dream of creating a piece of pure music that could be felt & listened to by people from all over the globe, from Tibetan Monks to Italian Mafia Godfathers, Indian Gurus to Classical Music Luminaries, Hip-hop fans to Master Ph.D. Academicians, Jazz Cats to Middle-Eastern Ustads, Rockers to Asian Music Traditionalists, Pop Music Producers to Contemporary Music Enthusiasts, African Tribes to Norse clans, Music cops to music haters...

However, my goal isn't to compose a medley of all the music genres in the world, as that would be too easy. Instead, I aim to create something much more intricate, something that has never been heard before and is difficult to imagine. It's like dreaming about two billion years from now, or looking 500 million light-years away and not knowing what is happening there at present. It's a complex concept that is very hard to explain in words.

I am uncertain whether my musical journey aligns with my mission and vision, but only time will tell...

Don't miss out on our spectacular show tonight at 8 pm at Berklee Performance Center!

As Music Director, I'm thrilled to be conducting the phenomenal Berklee-student big band alongside the incredible guest artists, Dani & Deborah Gurgel Quartet. Get ready for an unforgettable evening filled with the vibrant rhythms of Brazilian Jazz Originals and the dynamic sound of big band music. Hope to see you there! Special thanks to Fernando Brandao and Caio Afiune

Berklee Welcomes Dani and Debora Gurgel Quarteto for Signature Series Concert The virtuosic foursome will visit the college for a weeklong residency, culminating in a performance with students at the Berklee Performance Center.