Video of the Day: Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol uses microtonal keyboard for ‘Hüseyni Jam’ live performance

Mehmet Ali Sanlikol is one of the leading voices of Turkish-jazz fusion, evidenced by his impressive discography, including his 2020 big band exploration The Rise Up and his unique trio album An Elegant Ritual, released in 2021. Now, Sanlikol returns with his latest: 7 Shades of Melancholia, featuring the great American trumpeter Ingrid Jensen. 

Featuring seven tracks that explore the fluid interaction between culture and musical styles, a definitive highlight of 7 Shades of Melancholia is the buoyant “Hüseyni Jam”, which officially debuts an instrument of the bandleader's design: the Renaissance 17, which is a microtonal keyboard conceived to bridge Turkish and Western musical forms. The official video for “Hüseyni Jam” includes the first full-length demonstration of this patent-pending instrument, accompanied by James Heazlewood-Dale on bass and George Lernis on drums performing a traditional Turkish folk song arrangement. 

The R17 keyboard integrates additional keys to enable the performance of Turkish makams (microtonal modes) while maintaining the familiar piano layout. "It's been nearly 25 years since I first had the idea for a microtonal digital keyboard that would not look like a typewriter or a computer keyboard but would only add 5 more keys to the actual keyboard," explains Sanlıkol. "With the Renaissance 17, I wanted to be able to switch between different Turkish makams instantly while still playing like my idols Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, among others..." The Renaissance 17 was developed with luthier F. Jacob Kaeser, circuit board designer Sage Radachowsky, and technical developer Melanie Howell Brooks, with support from a Live Arts Boston grant.

Sanlikol's dedication to creating the Renaissance 17 reveals an artist whose commitment to his musical vision transcends conventional boundaries. Rather than accepting the limitations of existing instruments, he embarked on a quarter-century journey to manifest the Renaissance 17 which stands as a physical embodiment of his unwavering dedication to creating music that honors both his Turkish heritage and his jazz sensibilities, allowing him to present the cross-cultural conversations so richly explored throughout the album.

“Hüseyni Jam” appears on Sanlıkol's new album 7 Shades of Melancholia, which was released on April 25th, 2025, via DÜNYA. The album deftly explores melancholia through the lens of Turkish musical traditions and contemporary jazz. 

Watch the official video for ‘Hüseyni Jam’ below and follow Mehmet here www.instagram.com/mehmetalisanlikol