Founded in 1982, TRT İstanbul Big Band has played in countless radio and TV shows, presenting the country in national and international festivals and other platforms. Conducted by Süheyl Denizci between 1982-1998 and by Neşet Ruacan between 1998-2011, the orchestra’s new maestro is Kâmil Özler since 2011. Boasting an outfit of master soloists and young talents, the orchestra has featured many world jazz stars, apart from those from Turkey.
In this year’s Akbank Jazz Festival programme, the orchestra will appear with a guest vocal, a Turkish jazz idol, Sibel Köse. Starting to sing jazz when studying architecture at Middle East Technical University, Köse attended workshops in Poland, won first prize at 1992 Zamość International Jazz Vocalists Competition, shared the stage with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Raul Midon and Stacey Kent in the 2008 “Nina Simone Tribute” concert.
If you want to listen to these people, who left a mark in the last 30 years of Turkish jazz, don’t linger to note the date November 14 in your calendars.