İbrahim Özgür

İbrahim Özgür (1910 - 11 February 1959) was a Turkish tango composer and singer. Born into a musical family in Ayazpasa, Istanbul, Özgür started to learn clarinet and saxophone at the Military Academy in Ankara when he was 16. After graduation he went back to Istanbul and formed his own orchestra. In 1931 Özgür began a concert tour for 7 years and performed in many East Asia countries such as India, Indonesia, and Singapore. After his concert tour, Özgür went back to Turkey and opened a nightclub called “Ates Boceklen”, which means “Glow-worm” in English. Later in 1938, Özgür made his first recording, and he wrote many famous tango songs full of nostalgia. His best-known tango, “Mavi Kelebek” was inspired by an Indian princess whom he met during his Asian tour and fell in love with for the rest of life. This song is typical of Özgür’s mournful and nostalgiac style that helped him attract a lot of female audiences. Because of his predominant position in Turkish tango, he earned the title “Bel Ami of Turkish Tango.”

Turkish tango originates from Argentine tango with a rhythm similar to that of the ballroom tango. Initially, Turkish tango was the realm of female singers, and İbrahim Özgür was the first male tango singer to gain prominence in this field. Tango was promoted by Kemal Atatürk because it corresponded with the idea of Turkish modernization. With the promotion from the government, Turkish tango was soon introduced into nightclubs in Istanbul in the 1920s. At that time, foreign composers gathered in Istanbul, and they helped with the rapid development of this genre. Tango was one of the major products created under the influence of Turkey’s westernization. Famous Turkish tango composers include Fehmi Ege, İbrahim Özgür, Mefharet Atalay, Birsen Hanim, and Zehra Eren.

4. http://www.learningpracticalturkish.com/turkish-tango-history-and-stars.html

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