Arto Tuncboyaciyan

 Arto was born in 1957, in Galataria, a town outside Constantinople. He is the youngest child of an Armenian family, with roots from Anatolia. Arto’s family had financial problems that were solved when the elder brother Onno, became a musician.

At the age of 11, Arto started His Professional music career playing and recording throughout Turkey and Europe. One of his main influences was his brother Onno, who Helped Him not only as a brother, but also as a friend and fellow musician.

In 1981, Arto moved to the United States to explore new musical directions. Since then he has recorded with Gerardo Núñez, Al DiMeola , Joe Zawinul, Bob Berg, Mike Manieri, Chet Baker, Marc Johnson, Dino Saluzzi, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Eleftheria Arvanitaki and many others.

In 1985, Keytone released two solo CDs by Arto: 'Virginland' and 'Main Root. He then started a creative collaboration with the Armenian ud player Ara Dinkjian, with whom he recorded in duo Tears of Dignity and Onno for the Greek label Libra Music. Onno was in fact an homage to Arto’s beloved brother, who was killed tragically in a plane crash in 1996.

With Ara Dinkjian, Arto was a member of the group NIGHT ARK and recorded Picture, Moments, Wonderland and Petals On Your Path. In 1998 he participated in the Italian project TRIBOH, conceived and co-led with the vocalist Maria Pia De Vito and the piano player 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 the Living Music label.

Currently, Arto is working with Armenian musicians with whom he founded his group THE ARMENIAN NAVY BAND, a small orchestra rooted in Armenian and Anatolian traditional music inspired by contemporary life. The project was conceived in 1998 after a meeting in Yerevan with young Armenian musicians from different musical backgrounds including ethnic and contemporary Armenian music. Since then, the idea to create a group to represent the sound of Armenia today was realised.

The two albums that represent the current aspects of Arto's musical discovery are Aile Muhabbeti, 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 sounds of generations past alongside those of modern life: this is what he calls 'avant-garde folk'. Of his music, Arto also says, “Without losing your identity you extend your imagination.”

 Since 1998, Arto Tuncboyaciyan has been a regular performer with Paul Winter and the Earth Band. He is the featured artist on Paul Winter's Grammy-nominated 'JOURNEY WITH THE SUN' (Living Music 2000).
 
During the years 2000 and 2001 the ARMENIAN NAVY BAND has been touring Europe to great acclaim from public and press alike. This experience is reflected in the latest CD 'New Apricot'recorded in Istanbul for the Turkish label Imaj Müzik.

Arto can be heard on various 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 Mojotor, 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, Paul Winter &The Earth Band Journey With The Sun, flamenco guitar master Gerardo Núñez Calima and Many other Great Recordings.
 
In 2002 he formed Serart, a collaboration with System of a Down's Serj Tankian. Serart released an album on Serjical Strike and Columbia Records on May 20, 2003.

                        Discography

                         1989 - Virginland (Keytone)

                         1994 -Main Root (Keytone)

                         1996-Tears Of Dignity (Libra)

                         1998 -Onno (Libra)

                         1998-AVC1 (Imaj Müzik)

                         1998-Triboh (Polosud)

                         1999 -Armenian Navy Band (Svota Music) 

                          2000-Every Day is a New Life (Living Music / Earth Music Production)

                        2001-New Apricot (Imaj Müzik) 

                          2003 -Serart (Serjical Strike/Columbia)