Chettini and the Turkish Trio – Oriental Soul (Ironhand Records, 2025 reissue)
Oriental Soul, the 1972 album by Turkish multi-instrumentalist Çetin Bükey, credited here as Chettini, has been reissued by Ironhand Records in a limited-edition run of 500 copies. The joyful album was known for its distinctive fusion of soul, jazz, and psychedelic sounds, exemplifying a form of East-West musical cross-pollination.
Recorded with the Turkish Trio, Oriental Soul reflects Bükey’s wide-ranging artistic life across Istanbul and London. A prolific composer and arranger, he collaborated on film scores with his brother Metin Bükey and performed alongside iconic figures such as Barış Manço, a pioneer of Anatolian rock. In the UK, Bükey’s work extended to a spontaneous jam with George Harrison and a featured performance on Barbra Streisand’s 1973 album …And Other Musical Instruments.
This reissue presents the album’s masterful arrangements, mixing modal improvisation with soul-driven danceable grooves and electric jazz. The recording has been newly remastered and packaged with updated liner notes.
Buy Oriental Soul.
Author: Tyler Bennet
