Burhan Öçal
Burhan Öçal is a Turkish-Swiss percussionist and multi-instrumentalist born on
April 25, 1959, in Kırklareli. He began performing as a concertist at age six
and relocated to Switzerland in the late 1960s. Öçal collaborated with jazz
musicians including Pierre Favre, George Gruntz, and Maria João Pires. He
founded the Burhan Öçal Group and the Istanbul Oriental Ensemble, which combined
Turkish and Romani influences. His career featured collaborations with Joe
Zawinul, Trilok Gurtu, Sting, and Natacha Atlas. Öçal performed at festivals
including the Montreux Jazz Festival and the N...
