Home » Jazz Articles » Take Five With... » Take Five With Ferit Odman

6

Take Five With Ferit Odman

By

Sign in to view read count
About Ferit Odman:
Ferit Odman is an on demand and busy jazz drummer based in Istanbul. He started his music studies in Sweden as an AFS exchange student (1999), got a full scholarship to get his B.A. in Music at Istanbul Bilgi University (2001), attended the School For Improvisation workshops in NYC (2004), and has been granted a Fulbright Scholarship to further build on his studies at William Paterson University (2006). He spent / played two years in NYC and holds a M.M. (Master of Music) degree in Jazz Performance. He has three albums as a leader and played over 30 recordings. Odman recently performs with TRT Big Band and Turkish pianist Kerem Görsev, while leading his own quintet and touring around Europe.

Instrument(s):
Drums

Teachers and/or influences?
Max Roach, Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...
When I was 11.

Your sound and approach to music:
Swinging.

Your teaching approach:
Back to the basics.

Your dream band:
Just recorded my last album with my dream band.

Favorite venue:
North Sea Jazz Festival, Nardis Jazz Club

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
Dameronia With Strings. The use of string arrangements, which is very rare for a drummer's album as well as the fact that it's recorded, mixed and mastered purely analog to vinyl. That means you'll hear exactly what we played that day, without any digital corrections. This is a tribute that I worked on meticulously in honor of my favorite pianist/composer Tadd Dameron.

The first Jazz album I bought was:
Wynton Marsalis, Levee Low Moan.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?
Keeping the tradition alive.

CDs you are listening to now:
Nicholas Payton, Letters (Paytone)
Otis Brown III, The Thought Of You (Blue Note)
David Binney, Graylen Epicenter (Mythology Records)
Clifford Brown, With Strings (Verve)

Desert Island picks:
Roy Haynes, Out Of The Afternoon (Impulse!);
Wynton Kelly, Kelly At Midnight (Vee Jay Recordings);
Hank Mobley. Roll Call (Blue Note);
Clifford Brown and Max Roach, Study In Brown (Polygram);
The Engine Room, A History Of Jazz Drumming From Storyville to 52nd Street (Proper Records).

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?
People to go out, check out live music and buy hard copies.

What is in the near future?
Just released my third album as a leader: Dameronia With Strings.

What's your greatest fear when you perform?
No fears

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:
A lost soul.

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Jazz article: Take Five with Saxophonist Nick Stefanacci
Jazz article: Meet Tubist Jim Shearer
Take Five With...
Meet Tubist Jim Shearer
Jazz article: Take Five With Pianist Olivia Perez-Collellmir
Jazz article: Take Five With Bassist / Composer Jakob Dreyer

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.