Although jazz is rooted in early 20th century African American communities in the South, particularly in New Orleans, it has been adopted and adapted by different cultures around the world. Turkey, which is one of a handful of countries that straddles two continents, has been the nexus of civilizations since ancient times, creating a unique blend of Eastern and Western traditions. And now, Turkish American jazz singer DR. MELTEM EGE (EG-eh) is releasing her debut jazz album, SOLITUDE, which was recorded in both the U.S. and Turkey.
Ege herself is a blend of two cultures. Her English is fluent because she was born in New York and lived in the U.S. until she was 10 years old. She began studying classical piano when the family returned to Turkey, and at the age of 14 was awarded a scholarship to Bilkent University Music Preparatory High School in Ankara to train as a concert pianist. After earning the first of her two bachelor’s degrees, she felt classical music was not for her and decided to pursue her other passion -- singing rock and metal with local bands. Ultimately, Ege was drawn to the spontaneity and creative freedom of jazz and soon became a devotee and practitioner.
Ege’s singing career took off after performing at jazz festivals around Europe and winning first-place awards at vocal jazz competitions in Turkey, Finland, and Lithuania. Although she was performing frequently and developing her jazz chops, she wanted to deepen her knowledge of the music, so she applied to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she won a scholarship to the school’s Vocal Performance Department. After graduating with her second BA, Ege returned to Turkey and started touring as a featured soloist with numerous big bands and symphony orchestras as well as headlining at clubs, concert halls, and jazz festivals around the world. So far, she has sung on five continents.
Ege is as passionate about teaching as she is about singing. She went on to study for a master’s degree in performance at Başkent University in Ankara, where she also taught voice, and continued her education at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) to pursue a PhD in the school’s prestigious Performer-Composer program. After receiving her degree, Dr. Ege was offered a teaching position at The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts where she currently teaches voice-specific classes such as technique, recording, improvisation, and live performance.
The music on SOLITUDE reflects Ege’s cross-cultural pedigree. She recorded the vocal tracks in Los Angeles, singing half the album in English and half in Turkish. Four of the band tracks were recorded in California with an American band and four were recorded in Turkey with Turkish musicians with whom Ege has often worked.
Her California band comprises mostly younger musicians that Ege met through CalArts and Berklee including DEREK BOMBACK (guitar), MILLER WRENN (double bass), MATT SMITH (drums), RACHEL IBA (violin), ALEJANDRA MORENO (violin), CARSON RICK (viola), and BETSY RETTIG (cello). Two guest musicians also appear on one tune. The multi-GRAMMY® nominated vocalist and composer THEO BLECKMANN and Grammy®-nominated Turkish flutist and Berklee College professor SARPAY ÖZÇAĞATAY appear on “We Must Not Say Yes.” Özçağatay also plays flute in the Turkish ensemble, which includes ŞENOVA ÜLKER (trumpet), BULUT GÜLEN (trombone), ÖNDER FOCAN (guitar), OZAN MUSLUOĞLU (double bass), and SERKAN ALAGÖK (drums).
Ege wrote the lyrics to seven of the eight songs on SOLITUDE and composed two. The songs reflect Ege’s diverse background and musical influences. Rooted in jazz, her skills and knowledge of classical music and her passion for hard rock have influenced her unique sound, while her lyrics are concerned with self-acceptance, love, loss, and rebirth. She opens the album with “Anlayana,” a song from the Istanbul sessions. She explains, “I chose to open the album with ‘Anlayana’ because it sets the tone for everything I wanted Solitude to represent. The lyrics weave between English and Turkish, mirroring how my thoughts sound when I’m anxious — layers of language and culture, overlapping and tangled. As caregivers, women are often discouraged from caring for themselves emotionally. This song is a reminder that we can let go of those expectations and trust that those who truly understand us will still be there.” Another song from the Istanbul sessions is “Aklında Kalmasın” (Keep It in Mind), a Turkish swing tune. Ege wrote the music and lyrics at the end of a long relationship.
The other Turkish tunes are “Seninle Dans” and “Eyes of Innocence.” “Seninle Dans” is a Brazilian samba with Turkish lyrics, written with Lucas Longares, whom Ege met at CalArts. The song is light, romantic, and playful. Ege wrote the lyrics to “Eyes of Innocence” which was composed by Utar Artun, a faculty member at Berklee College and the New England Conservatory. Ege says, “The opening melody immediately said “child” to me, and from there, the lyrics became a conversation with my inner child. I keep coming back to that idea of protecting and healing a younger version of ourselves.”
The California sessions include “We Must Not Say Yes,” originally written by Lucas Longaresi, a Brazilian guitarist and composer and a CalArts graduate. She wrote the lyrics with Theo Bleckmann in mind, and their voices weave so closely together that Ege says it felt like an inner conversation. Ege collaborated with Bomback for “Solitude.” For Ege, living between countries means a lot of airport farewells. Her lyrics are about the ache that comes from constantly saying goodbye to people she loves.
Bomback sent Ege “Brush Strokes” during the COVID lockdown, and she was instantly drawn to its sweet melody. Her vocals have a whispery texture, because she recorded it in a house in Hollywood with thin walls. The song is about the expectations placed on us, especially around gender. “Dawn” was composed by Ege’s friend, Will Kjeer. The song was originally recorded as part of the CalArts Jazz CD project at the legendary Capitol Records. Kjeer asked Ege to be the vocalist for this powerful piece. Ege says, “From the very beginning, I felt deeply connected to the song. It felt so personal, I decided to include it on my own album.” The song is a cinematic, emotional journey about picking up the pieces and moving on after loss.
When Meltem Ege sings in English or Turkish, no translation is necessary because she so beautifully captures the heart and soul of a song. Her voice is light and flexible, and her intonation is spot on. Her artistry spans genres, cultures, and continents. With her international fan base and two decades of performing under her belt, the time has surely come for her music to reach a wider audience. SOLITUDE is an inspiring debut album for this well-traveled artist and academic.
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