NIHAL SARUHANLI
Drummer // Percussionist // Istanbul
Nihal Saruhanlı is an Istanbul based drummer/percussionist. She grew up in her hometown Izmir. She started her piano lessons in her early childhood. She tried to express her artistic vision in visual arts for some years, but she continued her bounds with music during these years. Her musical journey on drums begun in 2008. She became a professional drummer in 2011. She took lessons and workshops from Okay Temiz, Amy Salsgiver, Rui Faustino, Jaska Lukkarinen, Giovanni Hidalgo, Volkan Öktem, Ferid Odman, Cem Aksel and Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez. She studied Jazz Certificate Programme in Bahçeşehir University. She also participated in Berklee School of Music Percussion Festival in Boston.
Crossroads
She has played and still playing with many talented musicians/bands like Ezgi Aktan, Kalben, Okay Temiz, Nilufer Verdi, Sevket Akıncı, Amy Salsgiver, Carlton J. Smith, Aida Nadeem, Saadet Türköz, BAHR, Ethnophonics and Asena Akan. She has performed in festivals like Zeytinli Rock Festival, Kuşadası Gençlik Festivali, Bozcaada Caz Festivali. She played with American soul singer Carlton J. Smith at Helsinki Finland. Besides the concerts and festivals she also recorded more than 10 albums and singles with different musicians/bands. The most recent one is with her band BAHR which published ‘I Resist’ EP in 2020. She is continuing her concerts, recordings sessions and festival tours.
Bands
Kalben
Bahr
Mert Pekduraner
Anda
Ezgi Aktan
Rize Özkan Quartet
Yeşim Pekinel Quartet
Babetna
BAHR - I RESIST
Debut EP
Indie folk band BAHR was formed in Istanbul, 2016. Starting with singer-songwriter Yusuf Bahar and drummer-percussionist Nihal Saruhanlı, the band gained its final form when bass player Ceren Bettemir joined the band in 2019. The same year BAHR won the “21st Battle of the Bands” music contest which was organized by Radyo Boğaziçi. Following its success, BAHR released their debut EP “I Resist” along with the music video for “Those Streets” form the same EP, in June 2020, under “Dokuz Sekiz Müzik” label. Inspired by western folk music and oriental culture, songs of BAHR bear the traces of 90’s rock music.
