The 1994 Berlin Jazz Festival featured the guitarist and composer Roman Bunka as one of Germany´s most accomplished oud-players. According to music-magazine "Stereo":
"With his enchanting solo on the Arabic lute, Roman Bunka unites
all peoples and cultures!"
In fact, born in 1951, Bunka´s biography may be considered a chapter in contemporary German music history. Working with the pioneering German avant-garde / rock / jazz and world-music group Embryo (portrayed in "Vagabundenkarawane", a documentary by director Werner Penzel) Roman Bunka broke new ground with his Eastern-influenced guitar playing and composing (featured on "Embryo´s Reise", Schneeball Rec.).
In India, in 1976 he performed in concert for the first time with world-renowned percussionist and composer Trilok Gurtu. To pursue his musical development in a microtonal and modal direction, Bunka searched for a second, more suitable stringed instrument. He discovered the Arabic lute or "oud", the fretless mother of the guitar.His first solo album ("Dein Kopf ist ein schlafendes Auto" recorded in 1980 re-released by ATM-records) presented a blend of avant-garde rock with Oriental melodies. Released in the same period was the more jazz / rock fusion oriented album "Live!", rec. 1979 with the grup Aera. After concerts with Okay Temiz in Turkey, Bunka chose Cairo as his musical refuge in the Arab world during the 1980's.
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