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_outlineWe’re huge fans of the Oud – a fretless pear-shaped instrument that’s similar to a lute and known as “the grandfather of the guitar”. We love the dynamics and microtonal flexibility it affords players – not being restricted to frets can be liberating and offers so much in terms of tone and sound that you simply can’t get anywhere else! Especially when it’s in non-Middle Eastern contexts. We’ve compiled a list of 7 notable oud players you need to listen to if you’re just getting to know the instrument.
Topics Include:
- Discussion of TAQS.IM's blog entry for the "7 oud players you need to listen to" post
- Purpose to raise awareness and promote education on these influential musicians
- Philadelphia roots
- George Mgrdichian - fusion and classical expertise
- John Berberian - role as musician who was the son of immigrants
- Yurdal Tokcan - prominent Turkish oud player and fretless guitar
- Farid el Atrache - famous Arab oud player and actor/singer
- Simon Shaheen - virtuosic Palestinian concert player
- Ara Dinkjian - globally renown oud player and composer
- Naseer Shamma - influential Kurdish oud player
- The list is only of 7 oud players, there are so many others that could have been included
- It's a good approach to listen to as many different players as possible to appreciate all the different styles