Urker

Template:Infobox musical artist Urker ( Template:Lang-kz, Template:Lang-ru) is a Kazakh pop-folk group established in 1994. They have toured internationally in Germany, France, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and the United States.<ref name="tour">Template:Cite news Template:Dead link</ref><ref name="Nurgalieva">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Members

The band consists of:

• Aydos Saghat (Айдос Сағат): The vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter for Urker, he studied in a conservatory in his youth, but initially dreamed of becoming a conductor rather than a songwriter.<ref name="KPravda"/>
• Rustam Musin (Рустам Мусин): The guitarist for Urker, he has no formal musical education, and originally trained as an engineer.<ref name="KPravda"/>

History and development

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.<ref name="KPravda">Template:Cite news</ref> 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 Rezeda Galimova, was also recorded in Hong Kong.<ref name="Nurgalieva"/><ref name="Liter">Template:Cite news</ref> Saghat has stated that their visuals and cinematographic technique are highly influenced by British musician Peter Gabriel.<ref name="Liter"/> 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.<ref name="Nurgalieva"/>

Discography

• Ansarym, 1997<ref name="UrkerEnglishAbout">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Toi Bastar, 1998<ref name="UrkerEnglishAbout"/>
• Urker, 2001<ref name="UrkerEnglishAbout"/>
• Made in Kazakhstan, 2002<ref name="UrkerRussianAbout">Template:Cite news</ref>
• The best of Urker, 2004<ref name="UrkerRussianAbout"/>
• Tolgau, 2008