We spoke with legendary Turkish musician Erdal Erzincan before his U.S. debut as a soloist to a sold out crowd at The Graduate Center's Elebash Recital Hall. Playing a baglama, a long-necked lute from West Asia, Erzincan performed stunning improvisations on the folk music of the Alevi people, a mystical Sufi sect to which he belongs. The performance was part of the Live@365 world music series.

The interview and translation were completed with the help of Ozan Aksoy.