On the eleventh anniversary of his passing, we will gather at Babylon to commemorate Mehmet Uluğ and honor his legacy and profound influence on Istanbul’s music scene.

Each year, the Akbank Jazz Festival organizes a Mehmet Uluğ Tribute Night, and this year two living legends, Burhan Öçal & Jamaaladeen Tacuma along with their Trakya Funk project and guests, will take the stage. Trakya All Stars is a particularly special project, where Öçal collaborates with master musicians from the Thrace region, paying tribute to the musical heritage of his birthplace, Kırklareli, Turkey. Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Burhan Öçal will reunite at this event, marking a return to their influential 1998 album, Groove Alla Turca, and offering a reinvented version of Burhan Öçal’s Trakya All Stars, with special appearances by King Noli and Gazapizm. As the project’s name, Thracian Funk, suggests, this night will transport audiences into a dynamic fusion of tradition and modernity, delivering an unforgettable musical experience that travels beyond cultural boundaries.

Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Bass
Burhan Öçal: Percussion
King Noli: Keyboard, vocals
Gazapizm: Vocals
Trakya All Stars
Ümit Adakale: Darbuka
Yaşar Çakırlar: Clarinet
İsmail Papis: Violin
Ahmet Demirkıran: Cümbüş
Recep: Zurna