Balkan trafik 2008
| Burhan Öçal et Smadj |
 Recognized worldwide as a virtuosic percussionist, Burhan Öçal has made the bridging of musical cultures his central mission. A native of Kırklareli in the Thrace region, he grew up in a musical family. From his father, he learned a variety of percussion instruments, while his mother introduced him to religious vocal music. After his first contact with Western music, he became interested in combining a multitude of genres and cultural traditions, such as jazz and Western classical music, with his own.
Burhan Öçal's instruments are as diverse as his music. In addition to a wide variety of percussion, such as the Darbuka (a vase-shaped drum played with the fingers), Kös (kettle drum), Kudüm and Bendir, he is a highly skilled player on a number of stringed instruments, including the Divan-Saz, Tanbur and Ud. His expressive voice adds to the spectrum of musical elements at his command.
Öçal has become widely known for touring and recording with his Oriental Ensemble, performers of traditional gypsy and Turkish folk music. As a much sought after musician, he has also performed with Maria, Joao Pires, Paco de Lucia, Sting, Kronos Quartet, Natacha Atlas, Seamus Blake Quartet, Joe Zawinul and Eliot Fisk.
Burhan Öçal made his US debut in February 1998 joining Eliot Fisk for performances in Los Angeles. Shortly after, he toured with George Gruntz Band, performing at the Montreal Jazz Festival, in Vancouver, at the Ravinia Festival, and at the Knitting Factory (NYC). A true showman, Burhan Öçal is an alumni of dozens of the world's most prestigious international festivals such as Montreal Jazz Festival where he played before an audience of 150.000 together with label-mate Mercan Dede, the Ravinia Festival, WOMAD Festival (U.K), and EXPO' 98 in Lisbon.
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