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!