{{Infobox musical artist | background = person | honorific_prefix = | name = Alper Tuzcu | honorific_suffix = | image = Bruna Shoot.Tuzco07.jpg | alt = | caption = Alper Tuzcu in València (2014) | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1990}} | birth_place = Istanbul, Turkey | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | genre = {{flatlist| * World music * ethnic electronica * lo-fi * folk * instrumental * Latin jazz * bossa nova * cumbia }} | occupation = {{flatlist| * Composer * music producer * songwriter * musician * guitarist * educator }} | instrument = {{flatlist| * Guitar * vocals * bağlama }} | years_active = 2014-present | label = | current_member_of = | past_member_of = | spouse = | partner = | website = {{URL|https://www.alpertuzcu.com}} | module = | module2 = | module3 = }}
'''Alper Tuzcu''' is a composer, music producer, and guitarist originally from Turkey. Tuzcu has released four albums: ''El Jardín'' (2025), ''Macondo'' (2021), ''Aurora'' (2018), and ''Between 12 Waters'' (2016).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palmarecords.com/featured-releases|title=Featured Releases {{!}} Palma Records|last=Records|first=Palma|website=Palma Records|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-22}}</ref> His music has been featured on NPR, BBC Radio, RTVE, and various international media channels.
Tuzcu is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where he is currently an assistant professor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alper Tuzcu|url=https://college.berklee.edu/faculty/alper-tuzcu|website=Berklee.edu}}</ref>
==Career== In 2012, Tuzcu performed at Umbria Jazz Festival, where he won the Berklee On The Road scholarship to study full-time at Berklee College of Music in Boston.<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkish lyricist Alper Tuzcu shares his world of music|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/161127/magazine/turkish-lyricist-alper-tuzcu-shares-his-world-of-music-217973.html|accessdate=20 October 2017|publisher=The Sunday Times|date=27 November 2016}}</ref>
In 2014, Tuzcu formed the Brazil-Mediterranean fusion music duo “Aigua” with Brazilian singer Bruna Lucchesi in València, Spain. Between 2014 and 2015, he also recorded twice with Grammy-winner producer Javier Limón (Paco de Lucía, Buika, Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Mariza, Aynur) in Spain.
In late 2015, he started a duo project called “Ark” with singer and composer Danielle Angeloni. The duo performed at YouBloom Festival in Los Angeles, Sidewalk in New York, and Hard Rock Cafe in Boston.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Estukyan|first1=Vartan|title=12 Suyun Hikayesi [The Story of 12 Waters] (in Turkish)|url=http://www.agos.com.tr/tr/yazi/14203/12-suyun-hikyesi|accessdate=3 March 2018|publisher=Agos (Armenian-Turkish Bilingual National Newspaper)|date=29 January 2016}}</ref> The duo released their first EP, ''Lately'', in 2016. With “Ark,” Tuzcu was featured on "502 Sessions" by Emmy-nominated Dedham TV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctn5.org/shows/502-sessions/502-sessions-10652|title=Dedham TV - 502 Sessions|publisher=}}</ref> and WEMF FM,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wemfradio.com/2016/03/19/band-on-band-ark-music-duo/|title= WEMF FM, Band on Band: Ark|website=wemfradio.com}}</ref> as well as various international media.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://muzikalia.com/ark-el-nuevo-proyecto-de-alper-tuzcu/|title=Ark, el nuevo proyecto de Alper Tuzcu|date=23 September 2016 |publisher=Muzikalia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bantmag.com/alper-tuzcunun-duo-projesi-arkin-epsi-lately-yayinlandi/|title=Alper Tuzcu'nun duo projesi Ark'ın EP'si "Lately" yayınlandı|date=4 August 2016 |publisher=bantmag.}}</ref>
Tuzcu's first album, ''Between 12 Waters'', was published by Palma Records in 2016, featuring songs inspired from 12 different cultures around the world. This work features collaborations with vocalists Ganavya and Pia Salvia, among others.<ref>{{cite news|title=Alper Tuzcu'dan sınırları kaldıran albüm [Album that crosses borders by Alper Tuzcu] (in Turkish)|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/kultur/alper-tuzcudan-sinirlari-kaldiran-album-1530968/|accessdate=2 February 2018|publisher=Radikal (Turkish National Newspaper)|date=17 March 2016}}</ref>
In 2017, Tuzcu released his first EP titled ''Lines'' and in 2018, he released his second solo album ''Aurora'', featuring vocalists LASYA, Micaella Cattani, and Kat Kennedy, among other musicians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/naim-dilmener/bizi-toplayin-sarkilardan-41006162|title=Bizi toplayın şarkılardan|date=3 November 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Alper Tuzcu|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/6376917-Alper-Tuzcu|website=Discography|accessdate=20 March 2018}}</ref>
The following year, Tuzcu composed and recorded a bossa nova song titled "Felicidade".
In 2020, he released several singles, including a lo-fi song titled "Uzaklarda," which made it to Spotify’s editorial playlist “Turkey Viral 50.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thediplomatinspain.com/en/2020/02/latin-american-music-and-culture-in-alper-tuzcus-new-work/|title = Latin American music and culture in Alper Tuzcu's new work|date = 21 February 2020}}</ref> That same year, Tuzcu also released two EPs, ''Migrante'' and ''Imagina'', which were the first two parts of a larger project consisting in an EP trilogy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://themusicandmyth.com/2020/02/21/news-guitarist-and-composer-alper-tuzcu-releases-his-new-ep-migrante/|title=News: Guitarist and composer Alper Tuzcu releases his new EP, Migrante|date=21 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://themusicandmyth.com/2020/06/01/news-guitarist-and-composer-alper-tuzcu-releases-imagina-part-two-of-his-ep-series/|title=News: Guitarist and composer Alper Tuzcu releases Imagina, part two of his EP series|date=20 June 2020}}</ref> On his 2020 EP, ''Migrante'', Tuzcu composed music for a poem by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, called "Con Ella."<ref>{{cite web|last=Parys |first=Bryan |url=https://www.berklee.edu/news/berklee-now/alper-tuzcu-translates-poetic-wisdom-con-ella |title=Alper Tuzcu Translates Poetic Wisdom on 'Con Ella' | Berklee |publisher=Berklee.edu |date=2020-04-07 |accessdate=2022-05-06}}</ref>
Tuzcu's EP ''Raíz'', the final part of the trilogy, came out in 2021, featuring a collaboration with the percussionist of Snarky Puppy, Marcelo Woloski.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.aldianews.com/culture/music/multicultural-dreams | title=Alper Tuzcu: 'My new dream is to use my music to support multiculturalism'| date=9 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://themusicandmyth.com/2021/02/25/news-guitarist-and-composer-alper-tuzcu-releases-raiz-the-final-part-of-his-ep-trilogy-paying-homage-to-latin-american-culture/|title=News: Guitarist and composer Alper Tuzcu releases Raíz, the final part of his EP trilogy paying homage to Latin American culture|date=25 February 2021}}</ref> This EP was selected as one of the Top 10 EPs of 2021 by NPR-affiliate Latin Alt HD3, and one of the songs on this EP, "Afortunado," was selected for the NPR show World Cafe’s Best of 2021 LatinX playlist. A full length album compiling all three EPs, titled ''Macondo'', was released the same year.
Between 2022 and 2023, Tuzcu released several singles, including a collaboration with Uruguayan-Canadian singer Gisun, "Tramuntana" featuring LASYA on bansuri and Tuzcu himself on bağlama,<ref>{{cite news|title=Alper Tuzcu'dan Yeni Tekli: "Tramuntana" [New Single by Alper Tuzcu: "Tramuntana"] (in Turkish)|url=https://www.artfulliving.com.tr/gundem/alper-tuzcudan-yeni-tekli-tramuntana-i-26506|accessdate=August 20, 2023|publisher=Artfulliving.com.tr|date=October 25, 2022}}</ref> a lo-fi track with South American folkloric influences titled "La Cordillera,"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.artfulliving.com.tr/gundem/alper-tuzcunun-yeni-teklisi-la-cordillera-yayinda-i-28497 |title=Alper Tuzcu'nun Yeni Teklisi "La Cordillera" Yayında [Alper Tuzcu's New Single "La Cordillera" Is On Air] (in Turkish) |publisher=Artfulliving.com.tr |date=August 20, 2023 |accessdate=2023-08-20}}</ref> and "Espírito," which mixes Brazilian samba and Uruguayan candombe rhythms.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://enchufate.com/espirito-alpertuzcu/ |title=Alper Tuzcu Debuts "Espírito" |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 10, 2023 |website=enchufate.com |publisher=Enchúfate}}</ref>
In 2025, Tuzcu has released his fourth album El Jardín featuring collaborators such as Maria Rodés and Ana Rossi. The album got featured in editorial Spotify playlists such as "Cancioneros" and "New Music Friday Spain".<ref>https://www.cancioneros.com/co/12674/2/alper-tuzcu-lanza-el-jardin-un-disco-marcado-por-la-transformacion-vital-y-el-mestizaje-sonoro</ref>
== Discography == === Albums and EPs === * ''El Jardín'' (2025) (Morning View Music) * ''Macondo'' (2021) (Palma Records) * ''Raíz'' (2021) (Palma Records) * ''Imagina'' (2020) (Palma Records) * ''Migrante'' (2020) (Palma Records) * ''Aurora'' (2018) (Palma Records) * ''Lines'' (2017) (Palma Records) * ''Between 12 Waters'' (2016) (Palma Records)
=== Singles === * "Déjame al Mar" (2025) * "Recuerdo de Jacarandas" (2024) * "Şehir Akşam ve Sen" (2023) * "La Cordillera" (2023) * "Espírito" (2023) * "Tramuntana" (2022) * "Azul" (2021) * "Uç" (2020) * "My Life Is Going On" (2020) * "Uzaklarda" (2020) * "Felicidade" (2019) * "Morning View" (2019) * "Guide Me Away (Instrumental)" (2019) * "Joga" (2018)
=== Collaborations === * "Ancla" with Gisun (2022) * "Singing In My Own Key" with Valerie Giglio (2017) (Forza Press) * "Lately" by Ark (Alper Tuzcu and Danielle Angeloni) (2016)
==References== <references/>
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuzcu, Alper}} Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:21st-century Turkish songwriters Category:Turkish jazz singers Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Istanbul Category:21st-century Turkish singers Category:1990 births