Volkan Öktem was born on 25 June 1970 in İzmir, Turkey. His interest in music started at the age of 7.
In 1985 he moved to Ankara. With his growing interest and success in music, he had the opportunity to work with many rock and pop bands there. He developed the basis of his unique and exceptional style by playing in several genres, including Turkish music forms (Turkish classical music and Turkish folk music). His enthusiasm for jazz music soon showed itself and he played drums in various jazz gigs.
He moved to Istanbul in 1994 due to the offers that followed the spread of his fame and played in over 200 albums, such as “Tarkan, Şebnem Ferah, Mirkelam, Sezen Aksu, Kenan Doğulu, etc.” In 1996 he signed his first project with the ethnic jazz band Habbecik and took part in many concerts and festivals with them and made the album “An Meselesi”.
In 1999 Volkan had the opportunity to exhibit his different style by joining the band Laço Tayfa, which blended traditional forms of Turkish music with western forms such as jazz, funk, and reggae. He appeared in the albums “Bergama Gaydası” and “Hicaz Dolap” with Laço Tayfa. He played in clubs, concerts and festivals with many singers, bands, and musicians in Turkey and abroad, including Muvaffak Muffy Falay, Sibel Köse, Elvan Tool, Aydın Esen, Aşkın Arsunan, Bendik Hofseth, Dave Allen, İlhan Erşahin, Quartet Muartet, John Scofield, Dianne Reeves, Guillaume Perret, Nils Petter Molvaer, Marius Neset and Erik Truffaz.
Currently, Volkan performs with various musicians in Turkey and abroad while touring and recording with top Turkish pop artist Tarkan as well as his own projects.