“I’ve travelled through many lives to get here.” Istanbul, London, Buenos Aires, Montreal… Irem Bekter has a long migration behind her and, obviously, she hasn’t said her last word. Living in Quebec since 2003, she pursues a multidisciplinary approach and puts forward here her musical talents, which are juxtaposed with drama and contemporary dance. This experienced artist has the desire to adapt to each stopover of her migration, without denying the previous ones. Thus, in this album aptly named Je suis ici, this seasoned singer can very well paste a French text by David McNeil on a classic by Astor Piazzolla, the unavoidable “Oblivion”. French lyrics by J-F Lamothe, Raymond Lévesque, and Sylvain-Claude Filion, not to mention her own (sometimes bilingual, sometimes English), are the backdrop to this intimate album, at the confluence of chanson, modern jazz, gypsy swing, tango nuevo and Eastern Mediterranean music. Here she calls upon pianist David Ryshpan, guitarist Michael Cotnoir, oud player Nazih Borish, accordionist Luzio Altobelli, double bassist Mathieu Deschenaux, and percussionist Bertil Schulrabe, a significant concentration of Montreal’s interculturalism. The songs are beautifully interpreted in this mixed context, whose acoustic instrumentation and production are reminiscent of the chansonnier approaches typical of the ’60s and ’70s.
Latest 360 Content
Concert review expérimental / contemporain/Rock/Jazz/Métal
FIJM 2025 | Clown Core: the theatre of extremes, between Pennywise and Krusty
By Frédéric Cardin
Concert review expérimental / contemporain/Soul/R&B/Hip Hop
SUONI | Kalmunity: STARS SHINE DARKLY in a night of powerful words, words of love and raging roars, healing grooves and dissent manners
By Z Neto Vinheiras
Concert review expérimental / contemporain/Classical/classique/Jazz
Suoni 2025 | Farida Amadou ++: an apotheosis of adrenaline discharge
By Frédéric Cardin
Concert review expérimental / contemporain/Classical/classique
Suoni 2025 | Bozzini + Sarah Hennies: contrasts in post-minimalism
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview Jazz
Jazz at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal explained by Modibo Keita
By Alain Brunet
Concert review classique
Montreal Chamber Music Festival | But it was a nice concert…
By Frédéric Cardin
Concert review Classical/classique
Montréal Baroque 2025 | 4 seasons: welcome to the 21st century and the climate crisis, Mr. Vivaldi
By Frédéric Cardin
Concert review expérimental / contemporain
Suoni | Contemporary Improvisation, Latin American Discovery
By Alain Brunet
Concert review Chanson francophone/Pop
Francos | The Candor and Kindness of Aliosha Schneider
By Marilyn Bouchard
Concert review Hip Hop/rap/Hip Hop
Francos | Back in Time With Saïan Supa Celebration
By Sandra Gasana
Interview Classical/classique
Festival d’art vocal de Montréal | What’s On July 2-27 at Salle Claude-Champagne?
By Alain Brunet
Interview Electronic/Moyen-Orient / Levant / Maghreb
Piknik Elektronic | Nadim Maghzal, Laylit Co-Founder : MTL Middle East Arabic Electronic Refinement, Pleasure, Fun!
By Loic Minty
Concert review Electronic/classique/Arabic/expérimental / contemporain/Rock
Suoni | Sanam, Beirut’s Eloquence on The Brink of Danger
By Alain Brunet
Concert review Jazz/Electronic/expérimental / contemporain/Soul/R&B
Suoni | Watch that ends the night records Quinton Barnes + Jason Doell & Naomi McCarroll-Butler + Liam Cole + Alex “Bad Baby” Lukashevsky
By Z Neto Vinheiras
Concert review Electronic/expérimental / contemporain/Musical Theatre
Suoni | My Thursday at the Suoni: Alex Lukashevsky, Cabaret Noir…
By Félicité Couëlle-Brunet
Interview classique/Classical/Eastern European/latino/Traditional/Musique traditionnelle mongole (khöömii)