User:The Bambir

About The Bambir

Caption

The Bambir (created in 1992) is the most famous and professional rock quartet in Armenia playing music with folkish twist. The group became twice (2003 and 2004) the winner at the Armenian National Music Awards in the category of Best Rock Band, has successfully and proudly presented Armenia in some foreign countries.

The Bambir has the necessary qualities to begin a real international career – talented and charismatic musicians, interesting and attractive songs' repertoire, the very style of its own. They create and sing also in english, which is better adapted to a large foreign public. Even when they sing in English, the source of inspiration remains Armenian, that music comes from ancient times and Armenian traditional musical heritage. This makes a strong point of differentiation marking the uniqueness in style of the Rock Quartet.

For 10 years The Bambir has been creating its own, outstanding music and style, performing in different regional stages (Georgia, Lebanon, Armenia, Poland, USA), participating to festivals. Thus, The Bambir is also a true representative of the Caucasus connecting East and West.

First of all, The Bambir artists are driven by the love for music and humanity, peace and love, the will to make their music, thoughts and feeling known, and the will to share all this with others. Universality, love and humanism are leading the lyrics of The Bambir.

The Bambir

Do you think I know what I’m doing? That’s for the half breath I belong to myself As much as a pen knows what it’s writing Or the ball can guess where it’s going next.

For years copying other people I tried to know myself Unable to see Heard my name being called I walked outside

The Bambir and our music - of stone

Let’s name it “a rock quartet… with folkish twist… and with the concentration of a dervish in the highlands of Armenia…..”. …

In our beginnings were playing folk rock music coming from Armenian traditional musical heritage. The roots of our music come from ancient times when the wild lyrics and the music were a way of falling into a trance and dreams. …Relationship between the person and the society - many of our lyrics are dedicated to this subject. Of course not to forget love for it occupies the important part of our music and leads all our lyrics.

We are often inspired by 13th century mystics, poets, and musicians known to the English speaking world simply as Rumi. Their philosophy helps on the way of investigating and revealing ourselves, the deepness and secrets of our inside.

Our music is a journey and we are travelling together...We invite you to share and to joint our journey with…

Members

Narek Barseghyan – vocals, guitar Narek is the lead singer and the songwriter of the band, a charismatic and theatrical artist living his love with the music intensively, contaminating the public with the same intensity. Narek has studied at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography and was graduated with the diploma of a theatre director.

Arman Kotcharyan – bass, vocals

Arman is a classical bass player, calm and concentrated at the same time. His concentration is so organic, powerful and captivating that you can’t see his efforts. Arman has studied at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography and was graduated with the diploma of a movie director.

Arik Grigoryan – flute, woodwinds, percussion, vocals

Arik, the flutist and the songwriter, masters many other musical instruments with passion and power, with an addicting stage presence and spirited energy. Arik has studied in the musical department of the Yerevan State Pedagogical University and was graduated with the diploma of choir conductor

Vardan Paremuzyan – drums, vocals

Vartan is the calmest member of the band in real life but on the stage he transforms himself into an energetic character that masters his drums with “pagan punch” and attractiveness of his own. Vardan has studied in the musical department of the Yerevan State Pedagogical University, choir conductor

Roots

The Bambir is a true representative of the Caucasus “In Between” connecting East and West, with an inimitable and exceptional style the group outstands with its music and lyrics.

“He was brought up with east on his mind With west on his heart, but could use none”.

The Bambir is one of these exceptional groups that have rich history and strong roots representing and continuing proudly and originally the work of the old Bambir, which means 30 years of creative history behind.

Creation

Narek and Arman

At the age of 9 Narek and Arman, who would spend most of their time in the backstage of the Gyumri theatre, decided to start learning playing…This was the end of 1992 and electricity cuts had already started. The only place that had electricity was the garrison of the Russian Army where “The New Bambir” (by that time they would call themselves N.A) had its first stage appearance. As in their minds English was the language of the music (from rock’n roll culture of 60-70s on which they were grown).

“International language is English If you want to survive and not to die You must speak English. But my English is so bad….”

As a result, they had 3 songs and would play everywhere where they could find electricity plugs….

Arik

In the New Year’s Eve of 1993, they met Arik (flute). This was that, the first time when they felt they could make some noise, which people would call music.

I see your world And notyou Hear your flute But can’t see you.

From 1997 to 1998, as the old Bambir was in concert tours the younger guys had the studio for themselves and would create and rehearse all the time. They would play their own and old Bambir songs, improvise, create and cover rock and folk music. In 1998, the old Bambir was invited to participate in the Rock festival of Yerevan. Jag, the leader of the group, proposed the young guys to take part in the festival and by “accident” gave them the name of Bambir.

In1999, the band went to the USA and gave its first solo concert in New-York. By that time the Band was composed of 3 people and was mostly playing acoustic music, Armenian folk tunes (Komitas). The Bambir recorded its first album, which was not released. Afterwards, the Band gave concerts in New Jersey, Pasadena, and Glendale.

In 2000 The Bambir moved to Yerevan. Ashot jointed the band (drums 2000-2007). They were mostly performing in Yerevan and were studding. The first album includes songs by Jag, and the second album contains songs by Bambir

Vardan

In 2007 Vardan Paremuzyan (drums) joined the Bambir. The renovated group continues to take an active part in all the musical events in Armenia and abroad.

Scene presence

The four charismatic characters that call themselves the rock quartet come from musical and theatrical milieu. The band members have this catchy scene presence of their own. At the same time their scene appearance is natural and memorable giving you this positive and joyful energy that you keep for long time. In addition, The Bambir’s modus vivendi goes perfectly along with their music, style and philosophy. In one word, their life is the scene and the scene is their life.

Name

The Bambir comes from ancient times, when the travelling musicians in South Caucasus called themselves Bambir and considered music to be the “dictionary” on their way of understanding life and the world. “Bamb” means loud in Armenian, and this is why a rock band created in 1978 in Gyumri, Armenia, was named Bambir. Qemani or bambir is a bow-string instrument which was spread in the North regions of the historical Armenia: Trapizon, Ghavaghk, along the shores of the Black Sea.

Information about qemani goes back to the 9th century. During an archaeological digging of Dvin, one of the capitals of Armenia, was founded a plate with a painting of a musician with an instrument like a violin on his shoulder. In the 20th century varieties of qemani were created: alt, tenor, bass. Qemani of a bigger size is also called bambir in Armenia. You can play sitting and holding it between your knees. You can play it simultaneously with 2 or 3 strings. Bambir has 4 strings. Its tuning is quart-quint; sound range is from small octave “la” to second octave “la”).

Several years later a younger generation band took the same name, Bambir, to be the continuation of the old tradition and the beginning of a new one.

Albums

- 2009, Demo DVD “Imitate”

- 2005, First album, BBR, is released, which wins in the category of Best Album in the Armenian Music Awards in Los Angeles, US.

- 2006, the second, Black Album, is released.

Festivals/Concerts

2009 November 19 – Concert in the Puppet Theatre of Yerevan with the German Band Fotos

2009 November 6 – Open Air Concert on the North Avenue in Yerevan

2009 from July 24 to August 14 – 2 open air concerts in Beirut in the frame the Festival of Francophonie Image 1, and two concerts in Ehden in the frame of the festival Ehdeniyat.

2009 August – three concerts in two clubs in Beirut.

2009 July – Big open air concert in the frame of 6th Golden Apricot International Film Festival in Yerevan.

2008 October – The Bambir prepares a performance based on the 1998 Quake album by the older Bambir. 2008 September – The Bambir marks its 30th anniversary, giving several concerts in Gyumri.

2008 Summer - The band tours across Armenia, the purpose of which was the contact with youth in the Armenian towns.

2007 – The Bambir takes part at the Trans-Caucasian festival in Warsaw, Poland.

2006 - June to December, the Bambir tours in California, US (Roxy, BB King’s, Viper Room, Key Club, Knitting Factory, etc.)

2005 – The younger Bambir plays in the older Bambir’s Blind Alley album.

2004 December – The band co-organized and played at the Music Without Borders Festival in Tbilisi, which included bands from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

2004 November - The Bambir wins at the Armenian Music Awards once again, being recognized as the Best Rock Band.

2004 May – The band tours in Iran, which is the first time rock music is played openly after the Islamic revolution (1979).

2004 August - The Bambir takes part in a rock drama based on Ernerst Hemingway’s “The old man and the sea”. The play is recognized as the best musical by HighFest Armenian theatre festival.

2003 – The Bambir becomes a winner at the Armenian National Music Awards in the category of Best Rock Band. Starting this year the band begins to mark the birthday of John Lennon, as a day of freedom and human rights.

2003 - Since this year the Bambir begins to take part at the Red Cross annual concert on the AIDS day, December 1.

2003 – First collaboration with the older Bambir, the J&G (Jewish and Greek) album.

2002 – First rock music video since the Armenian independence, Nursery Rhymes by the Bambir, is aired on Armenian TV. The band performed in honor of the Duke and Duchess of Gloster.

1999 – First solo concerts in United States (Pasadena, Glendale, New York, New Jersey).