Roman Bunka

Roman Bunka (born December 2, 1951) was a German oud player, guitarist, and composer from Frankfurt am Main. A pioneer of world music and jazz fusion, Bunka joined the group Embryo in the 1970s and toured Morocco, India, and Afghanistan. He also performed with the band Aera. In 1980, Bunka released his debut solo recording, Dein Kopf ist ein schlafendes Auto. Bunka collaborated with musicians including Mohamed Mounir, Abdu Dagir, and Fathy Salama. His discography included Color Me Cairo (1995) and the recording “Yasmine” (2010) with Ich + Ich. He composed film scores for directors including Doris Dörrie and Frieder Schlaich. Bunka received the Prix Futura (1993) and the Schwabing Art Prize (2014). Bunka died of cancer in Munich on June 12, 2022. The posthumous recording Wah Wah! by the group Jisr was released in 2023.