Travel Pick: Jazz in Turkey
İstanbul Jazz Festival 2008

Turning İstanbul into a city of jazz for two weeks, the 15th International İstanbul Jazz Festival features  over 40 bands and over 200 local and foreign musicians to 17 different venues around the city. This year's festival lineup includes Herbie Hancock, Carla Bley, Marcus Miller, Lenny Kravitz, Omara Portuondo, Al Jarreau , Dianne Reeves, Rufus Wainwright, Caetano Veloso, Maffy Falay, Raul Midón, The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra, Tito Rodriguez Jr, Burak Bedikyan, Zakir Hussain, Yasmin Levy, Pink Martini among others.

“The Lifetime Achievement Award” has been given to composer, pianist and saxophonist Tuna Ötenel. Tuna Ötenel has been contributing to the establishment of Turkish Jazz Music since the 1960s. Having worked with the most important musicians of the Turkish jazz scene from Metin Gürel to Okay Temiz, Ötenel also has shared the stage with world stars such as Herbie Hancock and Benny Carter. Ötenel released the first jazz album in Turkey, “Caz Semai”, together with Kudret Öztoprak on the bass guitar and Erol Pekcan on the drums in 1978. Also an academician, Ötenel has recorded five albums.