Waterloo Region’s ‘soldier of music’
Acclaimed nuevo flamenco guitarist Juneyt releasing new album, ‘Fuego’
The name Juneyt means “soldier of music,” yet it could also mean “community.”
Juneyt Yetkiner is an acclaimed flamenco guitarist and singer who has been in Canada for almost 20 years.
He left university in Istanbul, Turkey, during tumultuous political times. He describes himself as an “activist” and a “rebel” and achieved degrees in political science, and hotel management. But he did not like the political climate in Turkey. Hence the decision to emigrate to Canada via Pakistan.
As an immigrant, Yetkiner had to start from square one, and he has never forgotten the kindness, help, and guidance he received at this critical time in his life.
When he got to Canada, vital social services were there for him like a communal hug. He is always ready to hug back.
“I perform for pretty well all of the community organizations,” notes Yetkiner. “I think I do 50 or 60 a year. I love it because I come from a really poor background. When I came to Canada I took advantage of the food bank and the soup kitchen. I stayed at Oasis and at the shelter. That is why it means a lot to me,” says Yetkiner. •••
Yetkiner started on percussion at a young age, playing the darbouka or Turkish hand drum. At 18, he picked up a guitar. “I started learning it and unfortunately a guitar was too expensive to afford,” he recalls.
“We were on the poor side and I ended up getting a guitar from a pawnshop in Turkey. It was a really bad copy of a classical guitar. It was called the Fighter and it only had five frets on it!” he says, adding he practised and played as much as he could on the aptly named instrument.
“Shortly before I left Turkey my mum and I were talking,” says Yetkiner.
“It was really hard for me to improve,” he says. “Then Mum went and brought me a nice, decent guitar. Guitars there were extremely expensive. A $300 guitar here would be a $4,000 or $5,000 guitar in Turkey.
“It took Mum three years of every day working full time to pay for that guitar,” notes Yetkiner. “She did that for me. I had to learn to make my mum proud.” he says. “She got me a
Raimundo. It is a flamenco guitar.”
Yetkiner still has this guitar, but he doesn’t play it. “I took the strings out. It is my pride and joy,” he says. “That is the only guitar I have that was signed by (late Spanish flamenco guitar virtuoso) Paco de Lucia!”
His 2008 debut album “Ocean” was dedicated to his mother. It features Juneyt’s “nuevo flamenco” passion and prowess — each song a political or life message shared through every note.
The songs included the title track referring to birth, life, and beginning; and “Last Breath” about his late grandfather who passed away in his arms.
Yetkiner’s late grandfather also introduced his grandson to the world of Nikolai Tesla. “Tesla” is a glorious tribute to the Serbian-American scientific hero and true father of electric power.
“In Canada, we have one of the most amazing scientists/engineers. His name is Nemanja Jovanovic. He is a Tesla engineer and he makes Tesla engines, coils, and inventions from
scratch. He is a genius — one of the best in the world. He took my ‘Tesla’ song and played it in Tesla museums. I had the privilege to be a part of the Tesla museum exhibit.”
•••
Juneyt’s schedule has been a whirlwind over the past decade.
He has garnered numerous awards and played the festival circuit from local events like Kultrun to the Toronto and Montreal Jazz Festivals. He has opened for musicians like Alex Cuba, John McDermott and Liona Boyd; performed in Europe, Asia, South and North America; and has played guitar for renowned Turkish musicians Guler Duman, Zelal Gokce and Ali Kemal.
He is a musical ambassador between the Turkish and Canadian governments, performing for political and cultural events organized by the two governments in Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto and across the country.
During those years Juneyt regularly performed with local musician Chris Lane who passed away from cancer. That spurred Yetkiner to write the haunting flamenco ballad “Dreams” for his friend. It is one of the tracks off of Yetkiner’s upcoming album “Fuego”, meaning fire.
“Fuego” features a fine supporting cast including Craig McNair, vocals; Tim Louis, piano; Sammy Duke, Danny Castro, and Mehmet Akyazi, percussion; Ryan Cassidy, saxophone; vocalists The Divines (Emily Barkley, Wendy Carraro, and Danica Guinette); Agah Ecevit, ney (Turkish flute); Ergun Gulbay, kanun (Turkish zither); Selcuk Suna, clarinet; Cathy Anderson and Lorna Heidt, cello; and Tom Nagy, bass guitar.
The album release at Knox Presbyterian Church in Waterloo on Saturday will feature longtime friends Craig McNair (The LoFi Mind) and Derek O’Halloran, a.k.a. flamenco trio Turk and The Hobbits in an afternoon and evening show.
Family is key in this magnanimous Turkish musician’s life, be it his widespread musical clan of brothers and sisters or his real family. Relatives are also coming from Turkey to see the show.
Yetkiner’s mother is here to see the concert.
“I love her so much. She means everything to me!”