john bilezikjian . gor mkhitarian . john berberian . vardan ovsepian
arto tuncboyaciyan . arev folk ensemble . cascade folk trio
all notes by Raffi Meneshian
arto tuncboyaciyan . arev folk ensemble . cascade folk trio
all notes by Raffi Meneshian
John Bilezikjian (Oud) is one of the most influential and innovative "oud masters" in the United States. Known for his colorful arrangements of folk and popular songs, nimble fingers, and a long list of recordings, John is a true legend. His career highlights include touring with Leonard Cohen, appearing on a recording with Placido Domingo, and having performed with LA Philharmonic as a soloist. Mr. Bilezikjian lives in Laguna Hills, CA. For more information on John Bilezikjian, please visit www.dantzrecords.com.
Gor Mkhitarian (singer/songwriter) was born in Vanazor, Armenia and has recently found modest fame as a unique singer/songwriter spearing-heading the Armenian underground musical movement. Gor's trademarks include insightful original lyrics (Armenian), an acoustic guitar sound, and modern arrangements of Armenian folk music. His style is closely akin to Dave Matthews or Bob Dylan, with a dash of Armenian troubadour Roupen Hakhverdian. He often performs with his collaborator Aaron Stayman (banjo and guitar) and has developed a strong following of former United States Peace Corp volunteers who served duty in Armenia. For more information on Gor Mkhitarian please visit www.gormusic.com or www.pomegranatemusic.com.
Born in New York City, John Berberian has electrified audiences on the oud for over forty years. Best known for his "Middle Eastern Rock" album on the Verve Forecast Label in the late 1960's, Berberian's fusion of Near Eastern sounds with contemporary American music defined a generation of world music enthusiasts. John is one of the only handful of musicians given the title of Udi (Oud Master) by the famous blind oudist, Hrant Kenkulian. Mr. Berberian lives in Shrewsbury, MA and maintains an active performance schedule. John Berberian is accompanied by Ara Dinkjian on keyboard and guitar, Carnig Mikitarian on clarinet, Bob Mougamian on dumbeg, and Leon Manougian on drums. For more information on John Berberian, please visit www.johnberberian.com.
Vardan Ovsepian (Piano/composer) was born in Armenia in 1975 and is one of the fresh new faces on the US current jazz scene today. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Ovsepian has released two albums to critical acclaim. Grammy Nominated pianist Brad Mehldau proclaimed Ovsepian's most recent CD (Sketch Book), one of his favorites in 2003. Vardan composes and performs his own pieces with clear influences form Phillip Glass, Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett, and even Prokofiev to name a few. Vardan Ovsepian lives in Newburyport, MA and currently teaches piano and composition while maintaining an active performance schedule. Please visit www.vardanovsepian.com for more information.
Arto Tuncboyaciyan (Percussion, Voice, Sazbo) was born in Galataria, Turkey and has lived in the United States since 1981. Currently the leader of the Yerevan-based Armenian Navy Band, Tuncboyaciyan is a percussionist, composer, and vocalist. During a long a varied career, Arto has recorded with the likes of jazz guitarist Al DiMeola, System of a Down, Joe Zawunal, Paul Winters, Ara Dinkjian, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Serj Tankian and Night Ark. At last count, he has been featured on well over two hundred albums. Arto has coined the phrase "Avant Garde Folk" to describe his music. Arto Tuncboyaciyan lives in New Jersey and tours extensively when not performing in Armenia. Please visit www.albakultur.de to learn more about Arto Tuncboyaciyan.
The Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble was established in 1989 and since then it has been performing traditional Armenian songs for a variety of audiences. The goal of the ensemble is to present the musical traditions of the Armenian people to the world community by incorporating both traditional folk as well as contemporary instruments, a union that reflects the ever-evolving nature of music in the Armenian Diaspora. For more information about AREV, please visit www.arevensemble.org. Arev is : Martin Haroutunian, Ani Zargarian, Tamar Melkonian, Garo Der Hagopian, John Kozelian, Markos Shahbazyan and Vazken Kroshian. (notes courtesy of Arev Armenian Folk Ensemble)
Cascade Folk Trio (vocalists) Yerevan born members Ohanna Mtghyan, Armen Papikyan, and Arman Aghajanyan formed Cascade Folk Trio in 1999 in NYC and have released two CD's thus far. Their urban pop flavor combines the ancient sounds of Armenia with today's modern flavor of music. Known for their distinctive voices and rousing live shows, Cascade is the choice for people who want folk music with a modern edge. For more information, please visit www.cascadefolktrio.com or www.bandaz.com.
