MAMA & FRIENDS is known as “the ever first combo in Turkey, based on pre-war blues styles, gospels and spirituals.” They were founded by luthier and finger picking master Çağlayan Örge (banjo-guitar), Suna Suner (vocal, tambourine) and Sarp Keskiner (vocal, electric lead and slide guitar, kazoo, harmonica, tambourine, snare & a cymbal) in 1996.
This album presents an unreleased bundle of materials taken from the live sessions of the trio, recorded directly to a cassette recorder by in house sound engineer Kubilay Gürol, between June and August 1997, at Eylül Müzik Kulübü.
In addition to resounding with a naïve authenticity; “Mama’s Bag” captures a period of time in the Turkish blues scene when any concert performing those styles was able to attract hundreds of people to enjoy the diversity of the blues inventory.
- Sarp Keskiner: guitar
- Suna Suner: vocal
- Çağlayan Örge: banjo-guitar