Bülent Ortaçgil & Birsen Tezer in Istanbul

Bülent Ortaçgil is a Turkish singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Ankara in 1950. His 1974 debut album, Benimle Oynar Mısın?, introduced a body of reflective folk-rock and pop songwriting that includes “Eylül Akşamı,” “Değirmenler” and “Bu Su Hiç Durmaz.” In the 1980s, he returned to performing at Çekirdek Sanat Evi, where he worked closely with Fikret Kızılok. He later presented his catalogue in theatres and open-air concerts, including performances at Istanbul’s Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre.

Birsen Tezer is an Istanbul-born Turkish singer-songwriter who performs jazz-inflected pop in Turkish. She is known for the albums Cihan, İkinci Cihan and Kağıttan Kaptanlar, as well as songs including “Cihan” and “Delikanlı.” Birsen Tezer has performed at Babylon and brought her repertoire to the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre. Her concerts center on her vocals and guitar with an accompanying band, a format she has also presented at the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Center in İzmir.