Okay Temiz

Okay Temiz is a Turkish drummer/percussionist who has played on the international jazz stage since the early 1970s. In November 1969, he backed Don Cherry on the American trumpeter’s gig at the US Embassy in Ankara. A recording from this event was released on Sonet in 1978.

In 1971, Temiz backed Swedish arranger Bengt-Arne Wallin on the albums The Magic Box and Wallin / Wallin. The following year found the drummer integrated into Stockholm avant-jazz ensemble Sevda for the albums Jazz i Sverige ’72 and Live at Jazzhus Montmartre. That same year, he appeared on Cherry’s Organic Music Society and Orient albums.

In 1973, Temiz formed a surname-sake trio with Blue Notes/Brotherhood of Breath alumni Johnny Dyani (bass) and Mongezi Feza (trumpet). The trio released the album Music for Xaba, Vol. I that year on Sonet. Two further albums documenting this union would later appear in 1979 and 1988, each following the respective passing of the two South African members. The drummer and bassist would also issue a collaborative album, Witchdoctor’s Son, in 1976 on Yonca.

The mid-’70s found Temiz’s name on a number of albums by Swedish jazz soloists, including Bernt Rosengren, Björn J:son Lindh, and Lars Gullin. In 1975, the drummer released his first album as a leader, Turkish Folk Jazz, credited to the Okay Temiz Trio. The 1977 album Oriental Wind doubled as the nameplate for his new multi-national, ethno/avant-jazz ensemble. The band released five albums and two live sets between 1978 and 1984.

In 1981, Temiz released his popular Zikir album around the same time as Oriental Wind’s well-received Bazaar on Sonet.

Discography (See also Oriental Wind):

• Music for Xaba, Vol. I (1973 • Dyani Temiz Feza)
  
• Turkish Folk Jazz (1975 • Okay Temiz Trio)
  
• Witchdoctor’s Son (1976 • Okay Temiz / Johnny Dyani)
  
• Oriental Wind (1977 • Oriental Wind / Okay Temiz)
  
• Music for Xaba, Volume Two (1979, recorded 1972 • Dyani Temiz Feza)
  
• Drummer of Two Worlds (1980)
  
• Zikir (1981)
  
• Klasikleri (1983 • Okay Temiz & Saffet Gündeger)
  
• Rejoice (1988, recorded 1972 • Johnny Dyani, Mongezi Feza & Okay Temiz)
  
• Dervish Service (1989)
  
• Takalar (1989 • Senem Diyici Sextet – Okay Temiz)
  
• İstanbul’ da Eylül (1990 • Okay Temiz & Sylvain Kassap)
  
• Misket (1990)
  
• Green Wave (1992)