Talip Özkan (1939-2010) is a master musician who combines knowledge of the tradition with virtuosity and artistic integrity. The Saz has a pear-shaped body - and a long neck of fir with movable frets. It is plucked with the fingertips or with a plectrum made of cherry-tree bark. The name itself refers to a whole family of different sized and differently name long-necked lutes associated with Turkman music. The recital starts in traditional manner with a prelude 'Açis' which 'opens the path' for the following pieces. The instrumental improvisation introduce the mode and sets the mood for the first song which is a zeybek from Antalya. Following this dance, with its heroic and solemn character, come a sipsi in 9/8 metre from Acipayam. çoban an instrumental from the Azeri Turks. Come a suite of three songs used for the ecstatic ritual dancing called Semah. Talip Özkan highlights his talent for improvisation with a traditional dance tune from Tharce called Karsilama. This recording was made on the 4th of November 1986 in Paris. Artistic production and notes: Pol Huellou