John Berberian
Encyclopedia
John Berberian is an American
musician known for his virtuosity on the oud
, the Middle Eastern stringed instrument.
Berberian was born in New York City; his parents were Armenian immigrants. His father was an accomplished oud player, as well as instrument maker, and oud masters of Armenian, Turkish, Arabic and Greek heritage frequented his family's home.
He first recorded traditional oud music with violinist Reuben Sarkisian, when a student at Columbia University
in the mid 1950s. He subsequently recorded for a variety of labels including MGM, RCA, Roulette, Verve and Mainstream Records.
He expanded beyond the ethnic music market in the mid to late 1960s, decades before "world music
" became fashionable, with a series of LPs which explored fusions between traditional Middle Eastern music, psychedelic rock and jazz. These included "Expressions East" (1964), "Music of the Middle East" (1966), and "Middle Eastern Rock" (1969) with guitarist Joe Beck
.
Berberian has commanded the respect of musicians worldwide. He has been featured in numerous concerts and dances throughout the USA, Canada and South America, and is one of only a handful of musicians worldwide given the title of Udi (oud master). He now lives in Massachusetts and maintains an active performance schedule.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician known for his virtuosity on the oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
, the Middle Eastern stringed instrument.
Berberian was born in New York City; his parents were Armenian immigrants. His father was an accomplished oud player, as well as instrument maker, and oud masters of Armenian, Turkish, Arabic and Greek heritage frequented his family's home.
He first recorded traditional oud music with violinist Reuben Sarkisian, when a student at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in the mid 1950s. He subsequently recorded for a variety of labels including MGM, RCA, Roulette, Verve and Mainstream Records.
He expanded beyond the ethnic music market in the mid to late 1960s, decades before "world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
" became fashionable, with a series of LPs which explored fusions between traditional Middle Eastern music, psychedelic rock and jazz. These included "Expressions East" (1964), "Music of the Middle East" (1966), and "Middle Eastern Rock" (1969) with guitarist Joe Beck
Joe Beck
Joe Beck was an American guitarist who had been notable in jazz for more than 30 years.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Beck also briefly flirted with rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
.
Berberian has commanded the respect of musicians worldwide. He has been featured in numerous concerts and dances throughout the USA, Canada and South America, and is one of only a handful of musicians worldwide given the title of Udi (oud master). He now lives in Massachusetts and maintains an active performance schedule.