| Urker Үркер |
|
|---|---|
| Origin | Almaty, Kazakhstan |
| Genres | Folk rock |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Website | Urker's official site |
| Members | |
| Aydos Saghat Rustam Musin Nurlan Alban |
|
Urker ( Kazakh: Үркер, Russian: 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]
Contents |
The band consists of:
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. 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 Rezedoy Galimovoy, 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]