Sven Cizmeli Mehmet – Drums

Crown Prince Cizmeli-Mehmet has travelled the world bringing his unique take on jazz percussion to enthralled audiences from Turkey to Bangladesh and beyond. Of Royal blood, and sharing both Swedish and Turkish ancestry, Cizmeli-Mehmet studied under the finest Mediterranean musicians in his youth, graduating with high honors from the prestigious Üsküdar Musiki Cemiyeti in Istanbul. Later in life he became enthralled with music of the American Revolution and Civil War. After studying the various patterns and styles of music in this era, he sequestered himself away for many months and wrote the definitive book on military drumming. His prowess in this field has earned him the title “The Don Knotts of Percussion” for his contributions to the disciplines of fife drumming worldwide.

Unfortunately, Sven will not be performing further with the Sleepless Knights due to his untimely passing just before their second album was due to be recorded. In true musician’s style, Sven was killed in an unfortunate gardening accident: while returning from Home Depot with potting soil for his highly acclaimed tulips, he was run over by a Scott’s truck. In addition to his storied career, which includes over a dozen music and instructional recordings, Sven leaves behind a legacy of mentoring students through drumming workshops and master classes on touring, as well as his beloved and award-winning tulip garden. While the Sleepless Knights search for a permanent new drummer, this page will remain up as a memorial to the legacy and legend of the inimitable Sven Cizmeli-Mehmet.