ArmenPress
March 10 2004

ARMENIAN NAVY BAND TO PERFORM IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Navy Band of Arto
Tuncboyacian, founded by the percussionist and vocalist of Armenian
descent, has again come to Armenia to celebrate here on March 13 the
opening of Avant-garde Folk Music Club and present their latest CD
called The Voice of Our Life.
Arto Tuncboyacian, percussionist and singer, was born in Turkey in
1957 of Armenian descent. 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. 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.
The group has performed very successful for the first time in
Europe in February/March 2000 in Italy, Germany, Austria and Spain
and during the second tour in October/November 2000 in Sardinia,
France, Brussels and Holland, after a stay in Istanbul for the
recording of the new album to be released in January 2001 for the
Turkish label Imaj Muzik.
The group is composed of twelve young Armenian musicians. The
compositions are all original of Arto Tuncboyacian which – using his
words – “have the sound of my life”; this music is pervaded by
sonorities taken from the Armenian and Anatolian tradition fused with
elements coming from different musical experiences, such as jazz,
among them. The Armenian Navy Band will stay in Armenia until April
10 to perform at the club.