His musician friends from Turkish jazz scene celebrated Mehmet Uluğ’s music-driven life through the ‘jam session’ they organized on the memorial of his as a part of the 24th Akbank Jazz Fesitival. All of the proceeds from the night were donated to Dreams Academy Kaş on behalf of Mehmet Uluğ to support MUME, founded in Kaş.

The Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist David Murray, a leading musician of the last 40 years in the scene of post-bop and free jazz, took the stage on these two special nights, during which his friend Mehmet Uluğ and his contibutions to music were celebrated. At Babylon, Murray staged the ‘Mehmet Uluğ Suite’, which he had composed in memory of Uluğ. The music that came out during this performance was so powerful and meaningful that it turned into an album project.

Mehmet Uluğ’s dream to bring Cappadocia’s nature, history and music together was brought to life by the Pozitif team, inspired by his vision and memory, as Cappadox. Cappadox was organized for the first time in 2015 in Cappadocia, combining music, contemporary arts, gastronomy and open-air events.

“There’s a phrase spreading about you: “Connecting nature with music”. What does it mean?

Mehmet: It was actually the primary goal of Pozitif to organize jazz festivals at ancient cities in Turkey, to bring together natural beauty and music, to unite tourism and entertainment. Our job is to create the right energy. And what does this depend on? First of all, music, which is our job, is a very good source of energy. Secondly, where you are making it is very important. Thirdly, the people attending it are important sources of energy. When these three factors are balanced correctly, the result is just wonderful. Let me give you a simple example. Organizing a festival in Cappadocia is a great idea. There’s no project like this now – it’s just a fantasy. “

‘Mehmet Uluğ: We Wouldn’t Even Dream, But It Became’ Mert Emcan,
Interview: Radikal Culture, 17.06.2009

Mehmet Uluğ Music House (MUME), another project which makes Mehmet Uluğ’s dream to connect nature with music a reality, was founded with the proceeds from the Memorial for Mehmet Uluğ, which took place as part of the Akbank Jazz Festival in 2014. MUME, which became a part of Dreams Academy Kaş, which aims to include disabled and socially disadvantaged individuals in social life through arts, has a recording studio in the camping area.

On this night in memory of Mehmet Uluğ during the 25th Akbank Jazz Festival, Uluğ’s close friend David Murray and his ensemble, Infinity Quartet, gave a very emotional and special concert at Babylon Bomonti, with Craig Harris on trombone, Saul Williams on vocals and Jaribu Shahid on double bass. The concert’s set list included the ‘Mehmet Uluğ Suite’, which Murray composed for Mehmet Uluğ, along with a song he composed for Butch Morris, a mutual friend of his and Uluğ’s, and Sun Ra, which he dedicated to Pozitif.