Mehmet Uluğ

Early life

Mehmet Uluğ was born in Istanbul as the eldest of two children of Semra Uluğ and Şahap Uluğ. Mehmet Uluğ graduated from Robert College in 1978 after being educated at Yeşilköy Primary School and British High School. Uluğ attended Clemson University in the United States of America, completing his educational life in 1984 with an undergraduate and graduate degree in Electronic Engineering.

Career

Uluğ worked in Baltimore as a research engineer between 1984 and 1987. In 1988 moved from the US and after a 6-month-long trip to the Far East, he returned to Turkey. Dreaming of building a bridge between jazz music and Turkish music listeners and adding a new dimension to Istanbul’s very static cultural state, Mehmet Uluğ chose to march in a more unconventional path than building a career in engineering.

In 1988, Mehmet Uluğ founded Turkey’s biggest music and event company Pozitif along with his highschool friend Cem Yegül. In 1989, Mehmet Uluğ’s brother, Ahmet Uluğ joined this duo forming the partnership that will continue for 25 years until Mehmet Uluğ’s death.

Beginning from its early years, Pozitif was one of the important building blocks in Turkey’s music and artistic event arena. Being the leader in transforming Istanbul’s cultural scene with its events, Pozitif team organized Turkey’s biggest and most inclusive festivals such as Akbank Jazz Festival, Blues Festival, One Love Festival and Rock’n Coke. Mehmet Uluğ’s dream festival Cappadox was brought to life one year after his death, in Kapadokya.

Aside from the festivals, in the period of Mehmet Uluğ’s management, Pozitif team brought together the Turkish audience with many megastars like U2, Rihanna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, world renown shows like Cirque Du Sloeil and the avant garde artists of the alternative world Patti Smith, Cecil Taylor and John Zorn.

Mehmet Uluğ’s most important venture under the framework of Pozitif was to establish -the most known club to be- Babylon. Being a very uninhabited neighbourhood in the year the club was founded (1999), Asmalımescit rapidly transformed into a lively district with the leadership of Babylon. From the day Babylon opened its doors, the club welcomed many local and international artists from various disciplinaries. Mehmet Uluğ carried his passion for “good music” with the help of Babylon to Alaçatı and Çeşme leading the foundation of Babylon Çeşme and Babylon Alaçatı. Uluğ contributed to the organization of Babylon Soundgarden Festival, publishing of Babylon Magazine and Radio Babylon.

Another enterprise of Mehmet Uluğ was the creation of the independent record label Doublemoon Records with the Pozitif team in 1998. With the aim of bringing together music from different roots, Mehmet Uluğ worked on 13 important albums as the executive producer and published more than 50 albums with his partners.

Personal life

Mehmet Uluğ’s son Ali Uluğ was born in 1998. Being diagnosed with cancer in 2012, Mehmet Uluğ lost his battle with cancer in November 20, 2013.