6.7.12 “1 to 3″ [Arto Tuncboyaciyan + Vardan Ovsepian + Artyom Manukyan]

Arto Tunçboyaciyan, percussionist and singer, was born in Turkey in 1957 of Armenian descent of the Anatolian root. One of his greatest influences of music and life was his brother Onno, musician himself, who encouraged Arto to develop his character not just as a brother but as a friend and as a musician. At the age of 11, he began his career playing and recording traditional music with his brother establishing himself as a professional musician throughout Turkey and Europe. Music is a fundamental element of his life, by which he tries to communicate his great values: love, respect and truth. In 1981 Arto moved to United States to explore new creative influences and to add a new dimension to his own vision of life. Since then, he has given solo concerts of his own music throughout the world. In 1985 two solo albums were released on the Dutch Keytone Label: Virginland and Main Root. He started a meaningful cooperation with the Armenian oud player Ara Dinkjian, with whom he recorded in duo Tears of Dignity and Onno for the Greek label Libra Music. Two wonderful albums in which music “has the sound of my life” using Arto’s words. Onno is the homage to his brother Onno Ohannes Tunçboyaciyan suddenly disappeared in 1996, in which compositions are a clear expression of Arto’s memories of his brother when he was alive and after his death. With Ara Dinkjian he founded as well the group NIGHT ARK and recorded the following albums: Picture, Moments, Wonderland and Petals On Your Path (released in February 2000 by Universal Music). In 1998 he participated at the Italian project TRIBOH, conceived and co-led with the vocalist Maria Pia De Vito and the pianoplayer Rita Marcotulli, recording the CD Triboh for the Italian label Polosud. He is a member of the group WALKING FISH together with Matthew Garrison, Jim Beard, Gene Lake and Bob Malach. Recently his latest album with Paul Winter Every Day is a New Life has been released by Living Music. .. .. .. .. .. Currently he is working with Armenian musicians with whom he founded his new group THE ARMENIAN NAVY BAND, a small orchestra rooted in Armenian and Anatolian traditional music with the inspiration and sound of today. The project was born in 1998 after the meeting in Yerevan with young Armenian musicians coming from different music experiences (ethnic and contemporary Armenian music). Since then the idea to create a group which could represent the sound of Armenia of today became concrete. The two albums that represent the current aspects of Arto’s music search are Avci, a movie soundtrack composed by the artist, and Bzidik Zinvor. Bzidik Zinvor has been recorded in Armenia and is the result of the very first meeting with several musicians from Yerevan. Arto’s original compositions express the sound of the past generations along with today’s life: this is what he calls “avantgarde folk”. During the year 2000 THE ARMENIAN NAVY BAND has been touring Europe receiving great acclaim from the audience and enthusiastic music criticism. This experience will be collected in the next CD recorded in Istanbul for the Turkish label Imaj Müzik. Arto can be heard on variuos recordings including those of Chet Baker The Best Thing For You, Arthur Blythe Hipmotism and Night Song, Jim Pepper The Path, Marc Johnson Right Brain Patrol and Magic Labyrinth, Dino Saluzzi Mojotoro, Al Di Meola World Sinfonia, Heart of the Immigrants and Kiss Me Axe, Bob Berg Virtual Reality and Riddles, Hank Roberts Little Motor People, Mike Mainieri An American Diary, Joe Zawinul Stories of the Danube and My People, Oregon Oregon 97 and many other great recordings and featurings.

Arto Tuncboyaciyan website

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Like most Armenian musicians, Artyom Manukyan is a full-time musician, in the true sense of the word. Music isn’t just something he does on the side, or in between part-time jobs – it’s his livelihood, his sole source of income, and his lifelong passion. “I think in musical terms,” says the young musician. “I see everything through music.” His latest project is a jazz quartet called Nooz, where he presents the cello, classically used in chamber music, as a modern instrument. I recently went to a Nooz show and was absolutely in awe of the sounds that the talented artist was able to produce from an instrument I always associated with Bach and Brahms.

From baroque to hip hop, Artyom Manukyan’s musical flair seems to have no limits. Somehow, between practices and gigs with three different bands, the multi-talented artist has found time to nurture yet another one of his musical passions, hip hop. He and a friend from Los Angeles are starting a productions company called New People in Yerevan. They have created arrangements for some of Armenia’s biggest hip hop and pop stars, like Hay Tgheq and Inga & Anush. It may seem a bit unusual for a classically trained cellist to branch into hip hop, but hip hop has been a driving force in Manukyan’s life for as far back as he can remember. Now that he is actually creating and working in the field, it’s like his childhood dreams are coming true. “Hip hop is my second life,” he says with a smile.

At 25, Manukyan still has a long career ahead of him, and considering he started playing cello almost by chance, who knows what exciting twists and turns the future will bring. Cello is one of those instruments that sort of got left behind with the classical era. With the rise of jazz and rock, it just didn’t make the cool list. There’s no shortage of drummers and guitarists out there, but when was the last time someone told you they played the cello? Manukyan, who started playing when he was nine, is something of an advocate for the versatility and modern relevance of the antiquated instrument, but his love affair with music and with the cello had a not so glamorous start.

Artyom Manukyan website

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“…There’s a pianist out of Boston who made a beautiful record for the Fresh Sound label called ‘Sketch Book’; his name is Vardan Ovsepian…” -Brad Mehldau (JazzReview.com)

“Vardan brings his own sound and ingredients… I have never heard any musician quite like him in terms of harmonic awareness and melodic power. I suspect that he will prove to be quite a sensation…”- Peter Erskine

“…Anyone with an allegiance to the ECM sound will find a great deal to like on these two quartet albums – the windblown pastels, the serious dramas and the clear thematic arcs…” - Greg Buium (Downbeat.com)

Performs solo as well as with artists such as Mick Goodrick, Peter Erskine, Jerry Bergonzi and many others. In addition to teaching at The Musical Suite in Newburyport, MA, performed and taught master classes at Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Maine Jazz Camp (ME), Towson University (MD), Susquehanna University (PA), Bucknell University (PA), Wheeler School (RI), Estonian Music Academy (Tallinn, Estonia).

A “Fresh Sound New Talent” recording artist who has released 4 CDs with the Barcelona-based label, plus an independent release of Vardan Ovsepian Chamber Ensemble (VOCE)

Vardan Ovsepian website