TPAO Batman Orkestrası (en. TPAO Batman Orchestra) was a Turkish popular music band active from 1963 to 2000. The band's name is derived from Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO), Turkey's national petroleum company, and the city of Batman, which is near the country's only oilfield. The city’s refinery, established in 1955, became a major hub for workers, many of whom lived in the area. The refinery administration sponsored a dance ensemble that eventually led to the formation of the band. Founded by Ahmet Akman in 1963, TPAO Batman initially played dance music and jazz. Over time, the band incorporated traditional folk music from the surrounding region, known as Türkü, into their performances. Although Akman left the group, the band continued to perform until 2000. The final lineup included İlhan Telli (keyboard and vocals), Semih Özmert (drums), Çetin Oral (bass guitar), Ünal Yiğitbaş (saxophone), and Atilla Akman (solo guitar). <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Tpao+Batman+Orkestras%C4%B1">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.