Poet and folk
music artist (b. 1957, Müftükışla / Boğazlıyan / Yozgat). He graduated from Gazi University,
Faculty of High Technical Education (1979). He worked as a radio speaker in the
Ministry of National education, Film, Radio and Television Training
Center. He also worked as
a advisor and creative writer in the music program called "Bizim Eller" (Our
Countries) and "Radyo Sanatçıları Konseri" (The Concert of Radio Artists) which
both continued in the Turkish Radio Television Association for three years.
Beginning from 1986, he has performed his art as a Ministry of Culture, State
Folk Music Community artist. In 2003, he became Ministry of Culture Fine Arts
General Vice-president. He also has charged as a general secretary and vice-president
of the Writers’ Union of Turkey.
Being as an artisan folk music performer, he has made and presented
television programs. By interpreting our musical agenda from the perspective of
history and culture, He has advised new point of views and different approaches
in his articles, of which the moment was consisted of folk songs and folk
music. Tokel, who gave solo concerts both in Turkey
and abroad, went to the United States
in 1989, began to give baglama and folk music lectures in the Maryland University, Department of ethnomusicology. When he
was in the United States,
he recorded a CD called Bayram (The Festival) in which he composed
anonymous folk songs (1991). He has made documentaries called “Bozkırın Tezenesi” (The Plectrum of
Steps), “Şen Olasın Ürgüp”(Be Happy
Ürgüp), “Bir Garip” (A Lonely) for
Turkish Radio Television Corporation and also he made the songs of the
documentary called “Gurbet ve Yemen”
(Abroad and Yemen).
He began to
literature by publishing his poems in the Hisar
review(1977). In addition
writing essays, poems and critiques in Türk
Edebiyatı, Divan, Töre, Doğuş, Dolunay, Erguvan, Türk Yurdu, Yörünge, Son
Duvar, Polemik, etc. reviews, he also has written articles on music.
WORKS:
POETRY: Bir Yer Üşür (A Palace Feels Cold, 1996).
STUDY: The High Region of Islam (Drama For
Children, 1988), Neşet Ertaş Kitabı (The
Book of Neşet Ertaş, 2000), Bağımıza
Gazel Düştü-Müziğe Dair (Ode Is Falling into our Share, essay, 2002).
SOLO ALBUM: Bayram / The World of Music (The
Festival, the United States, 1990), Türk
Folk Ezgileri (Turkish Folk Melodies, 1999), Yanık Havalar (The Touching Songs, 2000).