Cengiz Kurtoğlu

Cengiz Kurtoğlu — Biography

Cengiz Kurtoğlu was born on 5 May 1959 in Artvin's Arhavi district, into a family of Laz heritage, and completed his schooling there. As a young man he worked as a clerk at a local tea factory while forming an amateur group called "Ciha Dağı Efsanesi," his first serious involvement with music; after finishing military service he settled in Istanbul in 1982 and sent a demo recording to the well-known producer Şahin Özer. His debut record, Sen Sözden Anlamaz Mısın?, appeared in 1984 and established him as a leading figure of Turkish tavern-style music.

Across a long recording career he built a large catalogue drawing on arabesque influences and Black Sea folk melodies, favoring themes of heartbreak and separation and earning a devoted following nicknamed "Cengizciler." In 2020 his joint project with Hakan Altun, Usta Çırak, was named best project at the 46th Golden Butterfly awards ceremony. Married to Fadime Kurtoğlu and the father of three, Orçun Bora, Aylin, and Aydın, he has continued performing live in the years following his 2010 album Sessizce.