Puja: studio, stage, teaching

In 2017, Çağlayan Yıldız took over Karakedi Stüdyo in Antalya, turned it into Puja Studio & Musicafé and founded Puja Music Productions. There was a rehearsal and recording studio downstairs, with a café, small stage and teaching room upstairs. Turgay Demiryürek later joined the work. Recording, teaching and playing together shared one address.

Akra Jazz Band was founded that same year. Musicians based in Antalya performed regularly and prepared new repertoire with visiting guests. Yıldız was music director of 251 Soul from its planning stage; the venue opened in 2018. Its name came from the II-V-I cadence in jazz harmony. Behind the performances lay repertoire choices, rehearsals, technical preparation and organisation.

Akra Jazz Band played opening and closing concerts at the Akra Jazz Festival, which also gained jam sessions. Akra Big Band, founded and conducted by Yıldız, performed the festival’s closing concert with Dee Dee Bridgewater in June 2019. A working environment had formed in which musicians, guests and listeners could meet regularly.

Puja Studio & Musicafé closed during Covid. He continued production work in another studio. Educational gatherings such as Caz Armonisi Pazarı and rhythm sessions were another part of Puja. For Yıldız, the name expresses respect and offering through playing together, supporting someone’s learning and sharing work. Under that name, he brought together activities moving between recording, performance and education.

The name Puja

The Sanskrit word pūjā carries meanings of respect, honouring and offering. Yıldız connects the name with sharing the time, attention and effort given to making music.