LEGENDARY BAND GRUP YORUM BRINGS THE SPIRIT OF GEZI PARK TO PARADISO

The story of the legendary Turkish band Grup Yorum is the story of democratisation in Turkey. On Friday 24 January they will give a concert in Paradiso, also the start of the 11th International symposium against Isolation.

Grup Yorum was founded in 1984 by a couple of students and became widely known among social movements in Turkey. They sing about the tough existence, justice and freedom and with their music they fight against injustice, inequality and repression in Turkey and the rest of the world. With their songs in Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic they unite all the peoples of Turkey. Their examples are musicians such as İnti İllimani, Victor Jara, Quilapayún, Ruhi Su, Mahsuni Şerif and Mikis Theodorakis.

The band is present at strikes and demonstrations and every year on Labour Day they give an open air concert for thousands of people. Last june 201 they were present on the Taksim square, singing with and supporting the Gezi Park demonstrators. Because of the political lyrics their records, 22 albums so far, have been banned for many years and at least 15 of their members have been arrested and tortured. Even so, their records have sold over 2 million copies each. Many know artists have supported Grup Yorum and performed with them, amongst others Zülfü Livaneli, Leman Sam, Tuncel Kurtis, Derya Alabora, Efkan Şeşen, Yaşar Kurt, Cahit Berkay, Niyazi Koyuncu, Suavi, Kubat and Genco Erkal.