OttoMani is a musical project that blends European Jazz with elements from traditional music from around the Mediterranean sea. The compositions are all written by Tolga During, a Dutch-Turkish guitarist who’s playing a unique instrument built specially for him; an acoustic double neck guitar of which one of the necks is fretless.

Although the music is meticulously arranged, there’s also much space for improvisation and dialogue between the instruments. The result is a music of difficult classification, aware of tradition but contemporary.

Line up Trio:
Francesco Giacalone – bass clarinet
Tolga During – guitar, fretless guitar
Giuseppe Dimonte – double bass

Line up Quartet:
Francesco Giacalone – bass clarinet
Tolga During – guitar, fretless guitar
Giuseppe Dimonte – double bass
Francesco Savoretti – percussion

“boundless and timeless music of unbelievable beauty” Moors Magazine

“Acoustic music with links to Jazz, contemporary and middle eastern music. The sound of Tolga’s guitar sometimes resembles that of an ud, reminding one of Renaud Garcia Fonds. The pieces are ambitious, well-worked compositions, that let the music breathe and invite us to a dreamlike travel. Tolga shows a very natural, nicely phrased, clear sound, and plays inspired improvisations that are disciplined and deeply musical.” Francis Couvreux, Etudes Gitanes 2011

“deserves a lot, a lot of airplay, because it is very refined, flawless and above all breathtakingly beautiful!” Rootstime

“Music of rare beauty” Alessandro Nobis, Folk Bulletin

“Tolga is a musician who combines a unique and arresting style with a masterful technique. His music is striking yet remains pure and uncluttered.” Turkish Daily News

Montreux Jazzfestival (Switzerland), Shanghai World Music Festival (Cina), Bologna Jazz Festival (Italy), Royal Albert Hall (UK), International Jazzfestival Terrassa (Spain), Shetland Folk festival (Scotland), Nardis Jazzclub (Turkey), PIT (Norway), Django Festival (Poland), Killarney Summerfest (Ireland), Bansko International Jazz Festival (Bulgaria), Mavrovo Winter Festival (Macedonia), Pori International jazz Festival (Fnland), Pennabilli Django Festival (Italy), Calagonone Jazz Festival (Italy), Stranger Than Paranoia Festival (Holland), Baska Guitar Festival (Croatia), Ferrara Jazzclub (IT), Ravenna Jazz Festival (IT), Sarzana Acoustic Guitar Meeting (IT), Meer Jazz Festival (Holland), Skopje Jazz and Wine (MK), Akbank Istanbul concert series (Turkey), Paradiso (NL), Bari Jazz Festival (IT), Teatro Comunale Imola (IT), Veszprem Utcazene (Hungaria), La Stanza della Musica Rai Tre (IT), Artusi Jazzfestival (IT), Fano Jazzfestival (IT), Vicenza Jazz Festival, Town Hall Maribor (Sl),