Mehmet Uluğ
Who is he ?
A founder of Turkey’s leading culture, arts and entertainment company Pozitif, the music production company Doublemoon and the music club Babylon, Mehmet Uluğ was born on April 13, 1959, in Istanbul, the first child of Semrağ Uluğ and Şahap Uluğ. After the completion of his education at Yeşilköy Primary School and British High School, he graduated from the Istanbul Robert College in 1978. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in electronic engineering at Clemson University in the U.S.A. He worked in Baltimore between 1984 and 1987 as a research engineer. After leaving the U.S in 1988, he took a trip in the Far East and returned to Turkey.
Extraordinary path instead of engineering
The dream of Mehmet Uluğ, who preferred taking the road less travelled to building up a career in engineering, was to connect jazz music with its listeners in Turkey and to take the cultural atmosphere of Istanbul, which was quite moribund towards the end of 1980’s, to a new level.
With his close friend from high school, Cem Yegül, he founded Pozitif, Turkey’s biggest culture, arts and entertainment company, in 1988. His brother, Ahmet Uluğ, also joined them in 1989 and the partnership of this trio continued uninterrupted for 25 years until Mehmet Uluğ’s death.
With Mehmet Uluğ as a founder, Pozitif has played a key role in Turkey’s music and art-event scene since its beginning. Leading the way in transforming Istanbul’s arts and culture life with its events and changing the Dynamics of the entertainment industry, the Pozitif team has brought to life the largest and most extensive festival organizations in Turkey, some of which, like the Akbank Jazz Festival, Blues Festival, One Love Festival and Rock’n Coke, continue to this day. The first instance of Cappadox, a festival initially masterminded by Uluğ to feature a collection of music, contemporary arts, gastronomy and open-air events, took place in Cappadocia in May 2015, one-and-a-half years after his death.
With his close friend from high school, Cem Yegül, he founded Pozitif, Turkey’s biggest culture, arts and entertainment company, in 1988. His brother, Ahmet Uluğ, also joined them in 1989 and the partnership of this trio continued uninterrupted for 25 years until Mehmet Uluğ’s death.
With Mehmet Uluğ as a founder, Pozitif has played a key role in Turkey’s music and art-event scene since its beginning. Leading the way in transforming Istanbul’s arts and culture life with its events and changing the Dynamics of the entertainment industry, the Pozitif team has brought to life the largest and most extensive festival organizations in Turkey, some of which, like the Akbank Jazz Festival, Blues Festival, One Love Festival and Rock’n Coke, continue to this day. The first instance of Cappadox, a festival initially masterminded by Uluğ to feature a collection of music, contemporary arts, gastronomy and open-air events, took place in Cappadocia in May 2015, one-and-a-half years after his death.
A pozitive life
During the period when Mehmet Uluğ was the manager of the company, the Pozitif team, which has also organized many outstanding concerts and events in addition to festivals, has brought the audience in Turkey together with numerous superstars and bands like U2, Rihanna and Red Hot Chili Peppers, world-famous performances like Cirque du Soleil and avant-garde artists from the alternative scene like Patti Smith, Cecil Taylor and John Zorn.
One of Mehmet Uluğ’s key initiatives in Pozitif was his foundation of Babylon, which drove the music and entertainment life in Asmalımescit and the city of Istanbul as a whole. Babylon has hosted many local and international musicians and artists from various genres since the day it opened its doors. Carrying Babylon’s music to Çeşme, one of his favorite places, Mehmet Uluğ also led the way for Soundgarden to be brought to life and for Radio Babylon, which takes Babylon’s music outside the borders of the club, to start broadcasting.
One of Mehmet Uluğ’s key initiatives in Pozitif was his foundation of Babylon, which drove the music and entertainment life in Asmalımescit and the city of Istanbul as a whole. Babylon has hosted many local and international musicians and artists from various genres since the day it opened its doors. Carrying Babylon’s music to Çeşme, one of his favorite places, Mehmet Uluğ also led the way for Soundgarden to be brought to life and for Radio Babylon, which takes Babylon’s music outside the borders of the club, to start broadcasting.
One of Mehmet Uluğ’s key initiatives in Pozitif was his foundation of Babylon, which drove the music and entertainment life in Asmalımescit and the city of Istanbul as a whole. Babylon has hosted many local and international musicians and artists from various genres since the day it opened its doors. Carrying Babylon’s music to Çeşme, one of his favorite places, Mehmet Uluğ also led the way for Soundgarden to be brought to life and for Radio Babylon, which takes Babylon’s music outside the borders of the club, to start broadcasting.
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