Joseph Tayoun: Philly's Middle Eastern Music Scene
Release Date: 06/06/2019
Becca Stevens & The Secret Trio
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Becca Stevens, Ara Dinkjian, Ismail Lumanovski, and Tamer Pinarbaşi to discuss their new collaboration. Michael League, Snarky Puppy bandleader and founder of GroundUP Music, wrote most of the songs for the album along with producing it. The record focuses on blending Becca’s effortless vocal talent and exquisite compositions with The Secret Trio’s mastered musical traditions. Becca has worked with the likes of David Crosby, Jacob Collier, Brad Mehldau, Esperanza Spalding, and more.
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Aliya Cycon: Oud Player, Singer & Composer
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Talented young Oud player and singer Aliya Cycon joins the podcast. Singing in Arabic, Spanish and English. Notable collaborations include Jordanian music stars Tareq Jundi, Nasser Salameh and Yarub Smirat. Tunisian icon Zied Gharsa, and LA-based pop singer Naïka.
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Emad Shakouri: Persian Kanun & World Music
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Persian Kanun Master Emad Shakuri joins the podcast. He discusses how he started playing the kanun, performing with a multitude of musicians, world music and his approach to arranging music.
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Nune Melik: Violin, Babajanian & Buffett
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Violinist, Educator, Producer & Writer Dr. Nune Melik joins the podcast. As a soloist she has performed at Carnegie Hall and founded the Hidden Treasure International, which comprises research, performance, and lectures of rarely heard music. Recently she received her doctorate from McGill University, defending her thesis on Arno Babajanian. She also recently performed as a featured soloist with Jimmy Buffett.
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Danny Shamoun: Drums, Darbuka & Ney
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Danny Shamoun discusses playing Drums, Darbuka, performing with System of a Down (SOAD), Scars of Broadway, learning the Arabian Ney Flute, music theory & Makam modal music. He discusses being exposed to Chaldeans, Lebanese, Syrians, moving to LA & meeting hard rock band One Side Zero, Ray Mayorga, John Dolmayan from System of a Down, Viza & The Apex Theory, and even Metallica. His relationship with Daron Malakian and joining Scars on Broadway. Became friends with Mike Bordin from Faith No More on Ozzfest
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Hachig Kazarian: Detroit's Clarinet Virtuoso
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Detroit native Hachig Kazarian's clarinet defines the Armenian-American clarinet sound. He attended Cass Tech (Diana Ross Temptations). While at Julliard he covered his expenses by playing in middle eastern music clubs such as Egyptian Gardens, Arabian Nights, Istanbul, Port Said (Leonard Bernstein), the Britannia, Kifisya (Udi Hrant) and others. He performed in San Francisco, Las Vegas (Flamingo Bonanza Frontier Hotel), Fresno, Hartford and Detroit.
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Joseph Tayoun: Philly's Middle Eastern Music Scene
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Joseph Tayoun, Middle Eastern & World Music percussionist discusses the Philadelphia The Middle East Night Club and Star Trek band The Roddenberries. Playing with Belly dancers, Arabs, Armenians, Turks, Greeks. Ray Merjanian (oud), Najib Nassar (organ), Chick Ganimian (Herbie Mann), Farhak Alpar (Saz), Edmund Joseph (vocals), Joseph Budway (oud), Bobby Sarkissian (clarinet), Hamid (zurna ney), Roger Mgrditchian (oud), Jaffna (tabla). No Doubt & Bo Diddley. Star Trek Anniversary with Rod Roddenberry (Gene)
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Peter Deneff: Greek Jazz Fusion Pianist
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Peter Deneff, accomplished Jazz Fusion Pianist discusses his background, involvement in the Los Angeles Middle Eastern Music club Scene, approach to microtonality and Jazz music, impact of the bouzouki, the live cabaret belly dance scene, Greek Gypsy Turkish (Skilarika), Pontic Greek, Arabic, Lebanese & Thessaloniki music. Working with Enrico Macias, Harout Khatchoyan, Yervand Kalajian, Vik Momjian, Hratch Yacoubian, Hovig Krikorian. Studying with Mike Garson (David Bowie).
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John Berberbian: Oud Master
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
Oud master John Berberian discusses his life, 50-year career in music, balancing work and the arts and performing throughout the country. He talks about working with Mainstream Records, Verve Forecast, RCA and MGM. New York's thriving Middle Eastern music scene and collaboration between Armenians, Arabs, Greeks, Turks & Jews. Starting with Violin and using western classical approaches to play microtonal Middle Eastern music. Comparison of Ravi Shankar and the Sitar to the oud. The landmark oud rock album
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The 7 Oud Players You Need to Listen to Now
TAQS.IM Middle Eastern Music
We’re huge fans of the Oud – a fretless pear-shaped instrument similar to a lute and “the grandfather of the guitar”. We love its dynamics & microtonal flexibility. Here are 7 notable oud players. George Mgrdichian: Classical fusion. John Berberian: Rock Fusion. Yurdal Tokcan: Turkish oud & fretless guitar. Farid el Atrache: Arab oud player. Simon Shaheen: Palestinian concert player. Ara Dinkjian - Composer. Naseer Shamma - Kurdish oud player.
info_outlineJoseph Tayoun, an accomplished percussionist and educator specializing in Middle Eastern and World music based in Philadelphia discusses the history of Philadelphia's Middle East Night Club, his experience playing in a multitude of world music projects and his Star Trek Party band, The Roddenberries, upcoming release.
Topics include:
- Tayoun as the torchbearer of the Philadelphia middle eastern music scene, an accomplished percussionist and the time spent at his family’s establishment “The Middle East” restaurant as part of the trendy middle eastern music scene.
- Discussion of the diverse array of middle eastern cultures playing music together.
- Tayoun’s background starting up as a drummer playing with various musicians of different backgrounds.
- Belly dancing and live music 7 nights a week was truly a special time for Tayoun as a youngster
- Tayoun’s father played the oud and he was immersed in live performance of Arabs, Armenians, Turks, Greeks, etc.
- Ray Merjanian (oud), Najib Nassar (organ), Chick Ganimian (oud) and Tayoun played with Chick when Tayoun was only 14 years old. Chick was known for his expressive and unique style of playing featuring syncopation and Tayoun was impacted greatly by this. Chick also played with Herbie Mann.
- Tayoun also played with Farhak Alpar (Saz), Garip (violin), Edmund Joseph (percussion/vocals), Joseph Budway (oud), Bobby Sarkissian (clarinet) and various others.
- The Middle East restaurant was the music hub for this style for many years (along with Café Yaz) until about 1997, and how some other restaurants offered late night music (Greek spots like Little Pete’s and also Buffalo Bills in West Philadelphia), and the emergence of the Nile restaurant. The Middle East booked shows with No Doubt and Bo Diddley, in addition to the standard Middle Eastern scene.
- Edmund Joseph’s arrival from Iran and his impact on the Middle Eastern music scene in both Philadelphia and New York City.
- Tayoun’s early years developing as a percussionist watching his father and the older musicians, and starting with tambourine and then percussion.
- Hamid Dolbashi’s performances with ney and zurna and his command of the music and how easily he fit in with other musicians.
- Tayoun’s time playing music with his future brother-in-law Roger Mgrdichian, and their strong onstage chemistry.
- Going from rock to fusion, with projects like Barakka and also Jaffna which features a tabla, oud and guitar, and how this has had an impact on his playing and keeping him sharp.
- Tayoun works with emotionally disturbed children in Morrisville, PA and shares his music and drumming which is very beneficial to the brain.
- Works with various musicians from all over the world, including Chinese and even sci-fi related artists (a Star Trek tribute band named “The Roddenberries”) at Fringe Festival.
- For the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Star Trek, Rod Roddenberry (Gene Roddenberry’s son) hired Tayoun and the band to perform in Las Vegas.
- Tayoun’s advice for playing percussion in the Middle Eastern style.
- The upcoming Middle East tribute night at Frankie Bradleys on June 13th with live music and belly dancers
- The upcoming CD Release party on June 27th at the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia for The Roddenberries