Urker Explained

Urker Үркер
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	Almaty, Kazakhstan
Genre:	Folk rock
Years Active:	1994 - present
Current Members:	Aydos Saghat Rustam Musin Nurlan Alban

Urker (kk|Үркер, Úrker; ru|Уркер) is a Kazakh pop-folk group established in 1994. They have toured internationally in Germany, France, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and the United States.^{[1] [2]}

Members

The band consists of:

• Aydos Saghat (Айдос Сағат): The vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter for Urker, he studied in a conservatory in his youth, but initially dreamed of becoming a conductor rather than a songwriter.
• Rustam Musin (Рустам Мусин): The guitarist for Urker, he has no formal musical education, and originally trained as an engineer.

History and development

Urker formed in 1994; lead vocalist and songwriter Aydos Saghat stated that he was inspired to form the group by the example of The Beatles. They recorded their first album in 1997; in 2001, their song "Nauryz" won the Golden Disk award, reflecting their rise to popularity.^[3] Their music combines traditional Kazakh folk melodies and modern pop rhythms. They use instruments often found in rock and pop music, like guitar and piano, alongside the dombyra and kobyz.^[4] Of their fifteen music videos produced up until 2005, fourteen were filmed in Kazakhstan; only the remaining one, "Tugan Elim", was recorded abroad, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Their 2007 video "Arman", shot in cooperation with Tatar musician Rezeda Galimova, was also recorded in Hong Kong.^{[2] [5]} Saghat has stated that their visuals and cinematographic technique are highly influenced by British musician Peter Gabriel.^[5] In April 2007, Urker travelled to New York City for a live performance at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in celebration of the holiday of Nauryz; in an interview following his return to Kazakhstan, Saghat stated that Urker would be releasing a new album later in the year.^[2]

Discography

• Ansarym, 1997^[6]
• Toi Bastar, 1998^[6]
• Urker, 2001^[6]
• Made in Kazakhstan, 2002^[7]
• The best of Urker, 2004^[7]
• Tolgau, 2008

Notes and References

1. News: A Kazakh Folk Popular Group Finds Its Admirers in Ashgabat. 2004-12-18. State Information Agency of Turkmenistan. 2007-07-06.
2. Группа "Уркер" в США ('Urker' in the USA). Nurgalieva. Meruert. 2007-04-27. 2007-07-06. Muz'ikoved. 16. 678. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928141745/http://www.nachnem.kz/articles/603. 2007-09-28.
3. News: Новые ритмы казахских песен (New rhythms of Kazakh songs). 2002-12-29. 2007-07-06. Kazakhstanskaya Pravda. Shulembaeva. Raushan. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000841/http://www.kazpravda.kz/index.php?uin=1152073573&chapter=1002122980&act=archive_date&day=29&month=12&year=2002. 2007-09-27.
4. Web site: Wiser . Danny . 2022-02-19 . KAZAKHSTAN: Made in Kazakhstan - Urker . 2023-09-12 . 200worldalbums.com . en.
5. News: Видеопривет Питеру Гэбриэлу . Ten . Olga . 2005-10-14 . 2007-07-06 . Liter Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928121111/http://www.liter.kz/site.php?lan=russian&id=129&pub=2096 . 2007-09-28 . dead .
6. News: About. Urker. 2006. 2007-07-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20120204131942/http://www.urker.kz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=11. 2012-02-04. dead.
7. News: Urker. http://www.urker.kz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=2. 2006. 2007-07-10. ru:О нас. Russian. https://web.archive.org/web/20120204132015/http://www.urker.kz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=2. 2012-02-04. dead.