Ferit Odman

Ferit Odman is a Jazz drummer based in Istanbul, Turkey.

Odman started his music studies in Sweden as an AFS exchange student in 1999, then received a full scholarship to Istanbul Bilgi University in 2001, where he obtained his B.A. in Music.

Odman began his professional career in 2000 at the age of eighteen.

He spent two years playing in New York City while pursuing his graduate degree, performing and recording with Brian Lynch, Vincent Herring, Peter Washington, Benny Golson, Jacky Terrasson, Mike Moreno, Sean Jones, Ernie Watts, Stefano di Battista, Bertha Hope, Jim Rotondi, Alan Broadbent, Alex Sipiagin, and David Berkman.

Odman also played with a number of vocalists, including Sheila Jordan, Kevin Mahogany, Allan Harris, Mark Murphy, Deborah Davis, Ive Mendes, and Hilary Kole.

He has played at many New York City clubs and festivals.

Since returning to Istanbul, Odman has been a mainstay on the Turkish Jazz scene, performing and recording with Kerem Görsev and TRT (Turkish Radio Television) Big Band, among others.

He was invited to a number of international festivals as a bandleader, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Istanbul Jazz Festival, the Prishtina Jazz Festival in Kosovo; the International Ankara Jazz Festival, and the Rabobank Amersfoort Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.

In 2004, he attended workshops at the School for Improvisation in New York City.

He was given a Fulbright Scholarship to study at William Paterson University from 2006 to 2008.

In 2010, he released Nommo, featuring trumpeter Brian Lynch, saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Burak Bedikyan and bassist Peter Washington.

Odman was featured in the May 2011 issue of Jazz Inside magazine.

In 2011, he released Autumn In New York, featuring trumpeter Terell Stafford, saxophonist Vincent Herring, pianist Anthony Wonsey and bassist Peter Washington.

In 2016, he released an all analog (AAA) Vinyl Dameronia With Strings, which is a tribute to Tadd Dameron with six strings and featuring trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Danny Grissett and bassist Peter Washington.

Down beat magazine gave four stars to Dameronia with Strings, four stars to Autumn in New York, and three and a half stars to Nommo.