Armenian Navy Band: Arto Tuncboyaciyan’s World Music Project

Wednesday, January 04, 2012 in Armenian Music, Armenian Navy Band, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Ethno Jazz, Jazz

Have you ever heard anything about Arto Tuncboyaciyan? He is an Arnmenian multi instrumentalist musician, composer, songwriter, and producer. I could say he is folk, ethno jazz and world music master. I would like to write more about Arto Tuncboyaciyan. Today, we will know more about one of his projects Armenian Navy Band. You could suppose that the group is a military chorus like Red Army Chorus. There is neither sea nor navy in Armenia. It is an interesting irony. If you like ethno jazz and world music merged with local elements, Armenian Navy Band will satisfy your expectations from this kind of music. I also have an article about another Arto Tuncboyaciyan project Katuner composed of some of Armenian Navy Band Members. You could click here to read it.

Arto Tuncboyaciyan is very famous composer, songwriter and producer on the world. He and his brother Onno Tunc is also high reputed musicians in Turkey. Arto Tuncboyaciyan was involved in many projects with famous groups and artists like Al Di Meola and Haris Alexiou. He is also multi-instrumentalist musician that he is able to play almost all types of percussions. He also plays sazebo which is a six stringed traditional instrument.

Armenian Navy Band is an Arto Tuncboyaciyan project that he found the group after he met with an Armenian musician/pianist Vahagn Hayrapetyan during his Armenia visit. The band consists of twelve Armenian musicians with wide range of instrument variety. Some of Armenian and Turkish traditional instruments like kanun, kemanche, blul, duduk, zurna, and percussions and some of modern music elements like guitar, bass, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, drum, piano and keyboard are played in Armenian Navy Band. Blul and Duduk is Armenian traditional wind instruments that sound is peaceful.

Armenian Navy Band performs ethno jazz music with Armenian and Anatolian elements. They have fully traditional songs, jazz songs, and songs fusing modern and traditional elements. You also could find Funk elements in their songs. They are very successful to create unique melodies and to fuse Armenian and Anatolian elements to contemporary world music. Instrumental variety and traditional instruments load feelings to their music. Almost all songs were composed by Arto Tuncboyaciyan.

Armenian Navy Band’s debut album was released in 1999 named in Bzdik Zinvor. Although studio techniques are a bit poor, it is a very successful debut album. In 2001, New Apricot album was released in Istanbul. There are some nice songs in Turkish language. Natural Seeds album was released in 2004. The band made How Much is Yours album in 2005. Finally, Under Your Thoughts album was released in 2009.

Natural Seeds album is a good album to introduction to Armenian Navy Band. It is technically perfect album and contains more modern elements. Ocean, Fire and Air are my highlighted songs for you. Apricot and How Much is Yours albums should be listened. Let's Not Become a Copy from a Copy, Kef Kef (Celebration) and Oleaman from Natural Seeds are my favorites. New Apricot is also appreciated album. Don’t lose it.

If your expectation is to listen to ethno jazz and world music, Armenian Navy Band will satisfy your expectations. You will enjoy with their unique melodies contemporary line. You could find Armenian Navy Band’s official MySpace profile to find song previews and more information. Please visit Arto Tuncboyaciyan’s official website to listen preview songs from his other projects and solo career.

http://www.myspace.com/officialanb

http://www.naregatsi.org/Artoistan/links/about.htm

Bye for now!

 

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John Berberian: Ethno Jazz and Rock Dance with Middle East Music

Monday, December 26, 2011 in Armenian Music, Ethno Jazz, Fusion, Jazz, Middle East Music, Rock

If I say Middle Eastern music, oud, psychedelic rock and jazz, do you say he must be kidding us? Of course, I am not kidding. Today I introduce very impressive world music project from John Berberian who is one of the best oud virtuosos of the world from Armenia. You will not hear only Armenian music on rock and jazz, you will hear melodies and rhythms from Middle East. Turkish and Arabic melodies dance on rock and jazz. This kind of fusion albums could be very impressive if songs and musicians consist of reputed ones. A small mistake can drive the album poor quality and sound. However, today you will get to know a perfect world music album. If you like, those kinds of East and West concept albums, you can click here to read about an ethno jazz album from a Turkish jazz ensemble Hijazz.

Let us know more about John Berberian and oud. Oud is a stringed middle east instruments shaped like lute. Its sound is clear and impressive. He is one of the main instruments of Middle East music. John Berberian from Armenia is one the most famous oud virtuosos on the world. He lives in the United States and he had some Middle East based albums recorded by reputed music producers. He performs Arabic, Armenian, and Turkish music successfully in his albums. Many of lyrics are in Turkish language. Armenian musicians are very important persons in Turkish music that there are so many Armenian composers making music in Turkey even today.

John Berberian has some albums like, Ode to an Oud (Oud Artistry of John Berberian), A Mid Eastern Odyssey. Each album is such a good albums to know more about Eastern music and Berberian’s virtuosity on the oud. He had some concept albums integrating Middle East music on Jazz and Psychedelic Rock with some American musicians. This world music concept was very fashionable in the middle of 60’s. Those three albums Expressions East (1964), Music of the Middle East (1966), and Middle Eastern Rock (1969) contain the fashionable concept but one of the most successful ones. They are very good psychedelic rock and ethno jazz oriented Middle East music albums and extremely recommended by music authorities.

My favorite Middle Eastern Rock released in 1969. This album recorded by John Berberian and the Rock East Ensemble with jazz-based rock guitarist Joe Back. I could say it is a real masterpiece. Sound and harmony between rock, jazz and Middle East music elements are perfect and flawless. Instrument variety is also wide. Although the oud is the major instrument in this album, other local instruments make the musicality higher with eastern instruments and elements.

There are seven perfect songs in the album. The track list of the album given with explanations below,

• The Oud and the Fuzz is one of the best songs in the album. The song begins with eastern melodies and suddenly turns to oud rock.
• Tranquility is a nice eastern music oriented ethno jazz song.
• Chem-oo-Chem is an eastern rock.
• Iron Maiden is a perfect fusion. I remember Iron Maiden the heavy metal band necessarily.
• Flying Hye contains excellent eastern melodies, and a bit rock element.
• 3/8 + 5/8 = 8/8 is a nice rock oriented song.
• The Magic Ground is a perfect jazz fusion.

Finally, perfect album fuses ethno jazz and psychedelic rock elements successfully. I believe that it is a good discovery, if you have never listened to John Berberian and the Rock East Ensemble. This album really deserves your attention. Do not lose it and buy the album. You will never feel regret. Believe me!

Bye for now

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Katuner: Perfect Ethno Jazz from Armenia

Friday, December 16, 2011 in Armenian Music, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Ethno Jazz, Jazz, Katuner

Do you like cats? I can hear that you asked yourself what is the connection between music and cats. Today we will know more about Armenian cats Katuner. Katuner means cats in Armenian language. Many of people think Jazz is a boring music. Actually, I think in the same way sometimes. Ethno jazz is a bit different. You could some local instruments formed in Jazz music. Ethno jazz is one of the most famous members of World Music. Aziza Mustafa Zadeh, Trilok Gurtu, Ravi Shankar and Ian Garbarek are reputed performers in this kind of music. Modern music forms, local instruments, and successful blending of those items make the music different.

There are so many groups and performers in Ethnic Jazz. We will know some of them which their musicality is very high. Katuner is one of them. Group members consist of Armenian Navy Band members. So, musical infrastructure was affected by Armenian Navy Band. We should talk about Arto Tuncboyaciyan. He is an Armenian musician lives in Turkey. He and his brother worked with some famous Turkish singers. He also supported Armenian music groups or artists who live out of Armenia. He is founder of Armenian Navy Band. Actually it is very ironic that there isn’t any sea and navy in Armenia. You could read my article about Armenian Navy Band, if you click here. 


Katuner is Arto Tuncboyaciyan supported project founded by Vahagn Hayrapetyan, is one of the most famous and popular jazz musicians performing in Armenia. The group integrates some local instruments like Duduk, Zurna, Blul to modern instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone and percussion. They perform instrumental music the all the musicians in the group are reputed musicians in Armenia, Yerevan.


They have two albums arranged by Arto Tuncboyaciyan named in Norevan. Although the group joined some festivals in different points of the world since 2005, the album was released in 2007. There are seven instrumental songs in the album. Each songs are more beautiful than each other. This album and group is extremely recommended group. Please see the track list of the album.

Welcome Back - December 23
New Ballade
Zela
Norevan
Oror
Nanan
After The Phone Call


Welcome Back - December 23 is a typical jazz session without some local instruments. We can say it is a very good introduction. Norevan is also typical Jazz, but long music contains local instruments like Zurna. Zurna is also one the most typical instrument of Turkish music. The song is very fluent and easy listening. My favorite song is Oror in this album. A nice introduction by cello and piano bring me to the another world. In the middle of the song Duduk’s sound makes me feel very good. It is extremely suggested. Listen it one time. It is a satisfaction guaranteed song. The song’s video clip is a very nice animation. Cats are playing instruments in some places and they look very cute. You will enjoy with the music and video clip. You can watch it on any video sharing website.


They also have an album named in Red Sun was released in 2009. The album contains more modern jazz elements although it contains some local elements. It is highly recommended album that Ani song must be listened.
Katuner is really valuable and high quality group that it deserves your attention. Listen them enjoy with Armenian cats. Don’t forget to buy their album to support them.
Bye for now.

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