Biography
Turkish guitarists have long faced steeper obstacles than their international counterparts, from scarce solo contracts and dismissive label executives dictating repertoire to chronic funding shortages that limit studio access and force reliance on side projects. Amid these constraints, only the most distinctive talents endure, and Akin Eldes stands out by departing the prominent modern-rock outfit Bulutsuzluk Özlemi to pursue a distinctly jazz-inflected path on his own.
Frankfurt-born Eldes has long made Istanbul his home. He first picked up the guitar during high school, entered the band E-5 in 1980, and, after a brief stint alongside guitarist-songwriter Asim Can Gunduz, became a core member of Bulutsuzluk Özlemi in 1986. Working closely with the group’s visionary Nejat Yavasogullari, Eldes helped propel the band to widespread recognition; together they cut the albums Uçtu Uçtu, Güneşimden Kaç, Yaşamaya Mecbursun and Yol, performing before large audiences across the country. Outside that project he also contributed to Bülent Ortaçgil’s Bu Şarkılar Adam Olmaz and to Gürol Ağırbaş’s Baş Şarkıları II.
At the dawn of the new millennium Eldes launched his solo career with the 2002 release Kaf-i. Recorded alongside Cem Aksel, Patrick Chartol and Gürol Ağırbaş, the album served as both tribute and inspiration to the victims of the devastating 17 August 1999 earthquake in Kocaeli.
Two years later came Turlu—named after the traditional Turkish vegetable stew—featuring Cem Aksel on drums and Alp Ersönmez on bass, with guest appearances by Erkan Oğur among others. On this outing Eldes penned his first lyrics and, assisted by Bülent Ortaçgil, sang the track Kapı Parası.
His next venture involved the newly formed ensemble Pinhani, for whom he served as musical director on the 2006 debut Inandığım Masallar. Eldes supplied the guitar parts and joined the band’s extensive touring schedule, fulfilling his desire to perform before large crowds; the group’s popularity surged nationwide when the song Hele Bir Gel became the theme for the youth drama series Kavak Yelleri.
An unexpected invitation from bassist İlkin Deniz in 2007 led Eldes, together with drummer Turgut Alp Bekoğlu, to complete his third solo album in just three days. The resulting record took its title, Cango—a term for tourists who rarely spend money beyond their hotels—from the trio’s shared chemistry, forged while Deniz and Bekoğlu had been working with Erkan Oğur in Telvin. That spring the same lineup returned to the studio to lay down fresh material for Eldes’s subsequent project.
Balancing music with another profession, Eldes works half the year as a licensed tour guide; he is currently contributing to Pinhani’s second album while continuing to develop songs for his own future releases.
Frankfurt-born Eldes has long made Istanbul his home. He first picked up the guitar during high school, entered the band E-5 in 1980, and, after a brief stint alongside guitarist-songwriter Asim Can Gunduz, became a core member of Bulutsuzluk Özlemi in 1986. Working closely with the group’s visionary Nejat Yavasogullari, Eldes helped propel the band to widespread recognition; together they cut the albums Uçtu Uçtu, Güneşimden Kaç, Yaşamaya Mecbursun and Yol, performing before large audiences across the country. Outside that project he also contributed to Bülent Ortaçgil’s Bu Şarkılar Adam Olmaz and to Gürol Ağırbaş’s Baş Şarkıları II.
At the dawn of the new millennium Eldes launched his solo career with the 2002 release Kaf-i. Recorded alongside Cem Aksel, Patrick Chartol and Gürol Ağırbaş, the album served as both tribute and inspiration to the victims of the devastating 17 August 1999 earthquake in Kocaeli.
Two years later came Turlu—named after the traditional Turkish vegetable stew—featuring Cem Aksel on drums and Alp Ersönmez on bass, with guest appearances by Erkan Oğur among others. On this outing Eldes penned his first lyrics and, assisted by Bülent Ortaçgil, sang the track Kapı Parası.
His next venture involved the newly formed ensemble Pinhani, for whom he served as musical director on the 2006 debut Inandığım Masallar. Eldes supplied the guitar parts and joined the band’s extensive touring schedule, fulfilling his desire to perform before large crowds; the group’s popularity surged nationwide when the song Hele Bir Gel became the theme for the youth drama series Kavak Yelleri.
An unexpected invitation from bassist İlkin Deniz in 2007 led Eldes, together with drummer Turgut Alp Bekoğlu, to complete his third solo album in just three days. The resulting record took its title, Cango—a term for tourists who rarely spend money beyond their hotels—from the trio’s shared chemistry, forged while Deniz and Bekoğlu had been working with Erkan Oğur in Telvin. That spring the same lineup returned to the studio to lay down fresh material for Eldes’s subsequent project.
Balancing music with another profession, Eldes works half the year as a licensed tour guide; he is currently contributing to Pinhani’s second album while continuing to develop songs for his own future releases.
Albums
Singles
