Mazhar Alanson

Mahmut Mazhar Alanson (born February 13, 1950) is a Turkish musician, guitarist, member of the popular Turkish pop music band MFÖ, and an actor. He was born on February 13, 1950 to a family of musicians in Ankara, Turkey, where his father was the head trumpeter in the State Philharmonic Orchestra. He continued Kadiköy Anadolu Lisesi which is also commonly known as Kadiköy Maarif College for his high school education in Istanbul following his father's death. After the high school, he attended the State Conservatory in Ankara and graduated in performing arts, in particular (theater). He started playing the guitar during his high school years. In 1966, Mazhar formed the band Kaygisizlar ("The Carefree") along with Fuat Güner and Sadik Kuyas. They played the music of the Beatles, Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Rolling Stones and collaborated with the renowned Turkish pop singer Baris Manço. Later on, Özkan Ugur joined the band, and in 1972 the trio was renamed MFÖ, after the initials of the members. While Özkan was serving his military duty, Mazhar and Fuat released their first album Türküz Türkü Çigiririz ("We are Turkish, we will sing Türkü"). The album song Güllerin Içinden ("From in-between the roses") brought the group to a broader audience. In 1974, Galip Boransu and Ayhan Sicimoglu joined the band, and the quintet took the name Ipucu Beslisi ("Clue Quintet"). However, the band dissolved after a short time, and the group MFÖ continued to play as a trio again. Between 1972 and 1982, Mazhar Alanson played as an actor at the Ankara State Theatre, performing a number of leading roles in major plays. MFÖ represented Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest twice, in 1985 with Didai Didai Dai (placed 14) and in 1988 with Sufi (placed 15), both written and performed by themselves. Aside from the band, he released two solo albums: Hersey Çok Güzel Olacak (1999) and Türk Lokumuyla Tatli Rüyalar (2002). The album "Türk Lokumuyla Tatli Rüyalar (2002) was written in U.S.A when he was abroad and apart from his group members. Mazhar Alanson was awarded the "Best Songwriter of the Year" in 1984 for his album Ele Güne Karsi Yapayalniz. He is a former jury member in most viewed TV Show of Turkey O Ses Türkiye ( Turkish version of The Voice). Mazhar Alanson is shown as of Turkey's most important songwriter. Before MFÖ , he mostly compose folk rock musics. Mazhar Alanson who almost write every song of the MFÖ, composed and produced some of well known MFÖ songs such as Bu Sabah Yagmur Var Istanbul'da , Güllerin Içinden , Bodrum , Peki Peki Anladik , Gözyaslarimizi Bitti mi Sandin , Sen ve Ben , Sari Laleler . Also SufiSufism items attract attention in his songs such as Buselik Makamina , Uç Oldum , Adimiz Miskindir Bizim and Yandim. He played in several TV commercials and some films. In the film Arkadasim Seytan (Demon, My Friend) directed by Atif Yilmaz, he successfully played the role of Mephistopheles. He wrote also the film score. In his second film Her Sey Çok Güzel Olacak ("Everything's Gonna Be Alright") directed by Ömer Vargi, Mazhar Alanson shared the leading roles with Cem Yilmaz and Ceyda Düvenci. The film, he wrote also the film music for, became the highest-grossing movie in 1998. He shared in 2002 the leading role again with Cem Yilmaz in the film Yildizli Pekiyi ("A+" (letter grade in school)). The same year, he played in the TV series Çekirdek Aile ("Nuclear family") produced for Kanal D. In 2006 he appeared in the Cem Yilmaz movie Hokkabaz ("The Magician"). He married Hale in 1972. The couple with two children divorced in 2003, and Mazhar got married for a second time to Biricik Suden, a fashion designer.