Koma Dengê Azadî (Voice of Liberty), formed in Istanbul in 1990, was one of the most popular and longest-running Kurdish bands in Turkey. Like other Kurdish bands of the 90's, Koma Dengê Azadî adopted a style which was completely new for the Kurdish music scene, reinterpreting traditional Kurdish Music in a modern form with particular appeal to a young generation of urban Kurds and Turks. They also performed Kurdish translations of international songs such as "Bella Ciao".[1]
Between 1991 and 1998, Koma Dengê Azadî has released four albums, all of which were at one point banned by the state. Despite the bans several hundred thousand copies of the albums were sold. Despite many of their concerts being banned in Turkey, they remained popular there and also gave numerous concerts in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and United Kingdom.[2]
Songs
Some of the most popular songs of this band are the following:
- Roj roja me ye
- Newroz tê
- Tew gulê narê
- No çi halo
- Selo
- Gul û xwîn
- Fedî
- Dilê xemgîn
- Dere sorê
- Lêlê Bejnê
- Dikim herim eskeriyê (Hat karwanê Helebê)
Albums
- Hêvî (Hope), 1991
- Em Azadîxwaz in (We are liberty-loving), 1993
- Welatê min/Roj wê bê (My homeland), 1995
- Fedî (Shame), 1998
Members
- Dilek
- İbrahim Erdem
- Ömer Avcı
- Serhat Karakas
- Nuri Erdem
- Serhat Baran
- Mehmet Atlı
- Sema Yiğit
- Ece Güner
- I. Halil Yıldız
- Hakan Ener
References
- ^ Sarıtaş, B. Siynem Ezgi. Articulation of Kurdish Identity Through Politicized Music of Koms, (MA Thesis, Middle Eastern Technical University, 2010), p. 87-88.
- ^ "Koma Denge Azadi ve sevilen sarkilari". cafrande.org.
Additional Sources
- Guner, Hasan (2007):"Kom'lar ve Kürt müzigi". In: Esmer Dergisi, 05.2007, Istanbul
- Kurdish Wikipedia
- Kurdshow.com
- Kurdish magazin
- Musika Kurdi, Lyrics of Koma Denge Azadi
- Cafrande.org