Preface

Life is unpredictable. We live in the moment and simply go with he flow. Paying attention to life’s lessons and learning from them is essential. We experience the ups and down like the currents of an ocean which can forcibly take us to places known and unknown; familiar yet unfamiliar. And here, this album reflects those unusual events that took place in my life, which led me to my new life. “After The Hurricane” gave me peace and provided me with a new perspective. All came together on January 23rd in New York City, after two months of preparation and planning with my long time collaborator and dear friend, Ferit Odman. Joined by the world – class musicians Terell Stafford on trumpet and Peter Washington on double – bass (both recently featured on Ferit’s latest album) our quartet was complete. It was a smooth flowing four hour session with a fantastic piano, in an excellent studio setting The Bunker located in Brooklyn, NY. Our mixing session the next day, and the following mastering hours during the week were equally fulfilling. A generous thanks is extended to Ferit Odman, whose ethics, insight and meticulous attention to detail were essential throughout the process, while he brilliantly accompanied me as our drummer from the rehearsals in Bodrum, to our very memorable session in Brooklyn. And a whole hearted thanks to my brothers Terell and Peter, for lending their rare talents and unique musical interpretations to our projects.