It brings together some of the most creative and experienced musicians from the thriving world-music scene which has established itself in the cultural melting pot that is the Ruhr Area. Their roots are in Germany, Turkey, Iran, Tunisia and India: nearly 20 highly individual musicians joined together in one fresh and exciting sounding big-band.
The „Transorient Orchestra“ impressively manages to bridge the gap between East and West, between tradition and contemporary. Musical influences as diverse as from the Balkans, Arabic and Turkey are taken up and mixed with rock and jazz; century old traditionals are turned into new multi-facetted musical gems. The „Transorient Orchestra“ presents mystic ballads as well as rhythmically complex, engaging
up-tempo tracks with overwhelming improvisational playfulness giving each of the musicians a chance to show off their highly individual skills. It takes the listener on a gripping and capturing musical journey between East and West.
- First festival appearances Summer 2003 ("Kemnade International" - Bochum, "Moving Cultures" - Nürnberg, "Folk im Schlosspark"- Herten, "KlangRäume" - Essen, "Odyssey - Kulturen der Welt" - Bochum, Mülheim, Recklinghausen)
- Winner of the „world music award ruhrgebiet 2003“
- Winner of the „Klaenge aus der neuen Heimat“ award 2003
- 2004 cooperation with the turkish singer Saadet Türköz
- 2005 cooperation with AFIR (folkdance-group), festival appearances at”Kemnade International”, “Der Neue Orient”, “Melez 05” and others
- 2006 first CD release "Karadeniz" (Yaboa Music 1005 / re-release as Makro-CD 1001)
- 2007/2008 concerts and festival appearances in Germany
- 2009 release of DVD and CD "Transorient Orchestra - Live im Katakomben Theater"
- In summer 2010 several concerts in the Rhur Aera together with Selim Sesler and his Trio from Istanbul are planned.
Andreas Heuser - guitar, violin, leader
Kazim Çalisgan - cura, percussion, vocals
Gilda Razani - soprano saxophone
Max Schulze-Hennings - soprano saxophone
Marcin Langer - alto saxophone, flute
Maksim Diagilew - alto saxophone
Nikola Seegers -tenor saxophone
Wim Wollner - tenor saxophone
Murat Çakmaz - ney, zurna
Vadim Laktionov - trumpet
Sahbi Amara - oud, vocals
Freya Deiting - violin
Ludger Schmidt - cello
Utku Yurttas - keyboards
Jens Pollheide - bass, flute
Fethi Ak - darbuka
Stefan Lakatos - trimba
Volker Sipplie - drums, percussion
Benny Mokroß - drums, percussion