From Turkey to L.A., Meltem Ege Finds Perfect Harmony with SOLITUDE

“Truly a musical citizen of the world, Meltem Ege brings fascinating cross-cultural life experiences – and rich, exotic elements of her Turkish roots, including songs sung in her native language – to her endlessly fascinating, easy swinging and coolly jazzy debut album, Solitude.”

—Jonathan Widran, JW Vibes

Jazz has always been a global language, and with her debut album Solitude, Turkish American vocalist Dr. Meltem Ege adds her own beautiful chapter to the story. Recorded in both the U.S. and Turkey, the album blends cultures and traditions seamlessly. Ege sings in both English and Turkish, creating a collection of songs that feel both intimate and expansive, rooted in jazz but touched with the unique character of her heritage.

Half of Solitude was recorded in Los Angeles with an American band, while the other half was captured in Turkey with musicians Ege has collaborated with for years. This duality gives the album a rich, cross-cultural flavor, where each track feels connected by emotion and artistry rather than geography. Whether in English or Turkish, her voice shines with clarity, warmth, and soul—making every song universally understood.

Dr. Meltem Ege is a Turkish American jazz vocalist, composer, and educator whose career spans two decades of performances on international stages and first-place wins at vocal jazz competitions in Turkey, Finland, and Lithuania. Now based in Los Angeles, she brings together her background in classical piano, jazz vocals, and experimental music—earning degrees from Bilkent University, Berklee College of Music, and CalArts—into a sound that’s both innovative and deeply emotional. In addition to performing, Ege is a full-time faculty member at the Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, where she shares her passion for music, self-expression, and human connection with the next generation of artists. With Solitude, she invites listeners into a world where boundaries disappear, and music speaks directly to the heart.

For more information on Meltem Ege, visit her website at MeltemEge.com.

REVIEWS

Paris Move “Solitude, the latest offering from Turkish-born, Los Angeles–based vocalist and composer Meltem Ege, is one of those rare works that feels timeless from the first note. Opening with a breath of vocal improvisation bordering on scat, the album draws the listener into a soundscape both intimate and vast, rooted in jazz but unconcerned with its boundaries.” —Thierry de Clemensat

Music Connection “Ege’s agile voice dances nimbly between English and Turkish, her ethereal vocals leaving plenty of space for the music to sprawl elegantly... it’s rewarding: part smoky lounge, part avant-garde recital. There’s nowhere to hide in a record like this, and Ege doesn’t need to.” —Ruby Risch

Jazz Weekly “A demitasse cup of strong grounds.” —George W. Harris

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