"True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue."
Martin Luther's words ring true for avant-garde folk and jazz multi-instrumentalist and singer Arto Tunçboyacıyan. When asked how winning a Grammy for the Paul Winter Consort album Miho: Journey to the Mountain impacted his career, he simply says, “It is a great honour that the people appreciate our work.”
Arto is known most widely for his percussion work with jazz artists, such as Chet Baker and Oregon. His 2001 album Aile Muhabbeti was used as soundtrack in two films: Hemşo (2001) and Mon père est ingénieur (2004). Meanwhile, Serart is a collaboration between himself and Serj Tankian (frontman of the metal band System of a Down), who have found common ground in shared Armenian backgrounds and a passion for completely new sounds.
Arto with rock legend Serj Tankian |
The US-based artist is coming to India for the Mahindra Percussion Festival on March 18 in Bengaluru. FPJ caught up with the famed percussionist for a brief chat.
Arto's candid reaction about playing at the first edition of the Mahindra Percussion Festival: "Surprises, enjoyment, and excitement."
Your music incorporates elements of various genres, including jazz, Armenian folk music, and rock. How do you decide which musical styles to incorporate into your songs?
I call myself an “avant-garde folk” musician. I describe avant-garde folk music this way: folk is the cultural seasoning, who you are, avant-garde is imagining the future. This is a borderless musical form; for me music has no border.
Your music often incorporates themes of cultural identity and heritage. Can you speak about the importance of these themes?
It is important because they (heritage and cultural identity) make me who I am. But it is more important that I blend the past now with the future in music, without having any fear about it. We live ‘today’ as the heritage of ‘tomorrow’.
You play the drums, duduk, sazabo and bular. How did you learn to play so many instruments?
With practise, patience and imagination. For a percussion player, everything can be an instrument.
How do you see your music evolving in the years to come?
As you get older, your creativity should become younger. Now I am doing ‘cyber folk’ music. I have a new band called Kamarama. We've already made two albums. A couple of more projects and videos are coming up. Also, today, we all need to adapt to the digital platform in the music industry. It is still in the beginning phase.
Know more about Arto Tunçboyacıyan:
Born to an Armenian family, life for Arto began in Turkey, where at a very early age he became a studio musician. By the age of 11, Arto was one of several percussionists in a band with Onno, playing traditional and popular Anatolian music. When his brother Onno formed his own band, playing in a more Westernized style, Arto joined him, playing trombone and percussion.
He immigrated to the United States in 1981, and since then has collaborated with an array of outstanding jazz and world music artists.
Arto has performed and recorded with Greek artists such as Eleftheria Arvanitaki, as well as the Spanish guitarist Gerardo Nuñez, and Joe Zawinul, Al Di Meola, Oregon, Joe Lovano, Wayne Shorter, Don Cherry, Arthur Blythe, Omar Faruk Tekbliek, Nan· Vasconcelos, and has recorded with Ara Dinkjian as a member of Night Ark. Since 1998, he's been a regular performer with Paul Winter and the Earth Band.
His unique blend of traditional Armenian music with contemporary jazz and world music has earned him worldwide recognition, and his commitment to social justice and human rights is an inspiration to many.
