NIGHT ARK - Treasures (Traditional Crossroads-RCA compilation)

Night Ark is an instrumental jazz quartet formed in 1986. The members are Ara Dinkjian, an American with Armenian descent, Arto Tunçboyacıyan, and Americans Armen Donelian and Marc Johnson.

Night Ark (Ara Dinkjian, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Armen Donelian, Marc Johnson

Discography
1986 - Picture, RCA/Novus
1988 - Moments, RCA/Novus
1998 - In Wonderland, Polygram
2000 - Petals on your Path, EmArcy
2000 - Treasures, Traditional Crossroads

The ensemble blends the sounds of the NIGHT ARK - Treasures (Traditional Crossroads-RCA compilation) Middle East with elements of rock, pop, jazz, and classical forms of music. The group came together in 1986 after Steve Backer, a producer for RCA, heard a demo of one of Dinkjian's original compositions and promptly issued an invitation to record. After pulling together the quartet, Dinkjian and his crew recorded the albums Moments and Picture. Night Ark next inked a deal with Polygram, which put out the albums In Wonderland and Petals on Your Path. The ensemble has played to sold-out houses in the Middle East and Europe. It has appeared at the Israel Festival, the Yerevan International Jazz Festival, and the Istanbul Jazz Festival. The group's songs utilize such traditional instruments as the saz, the zither, the oud, and the cumbus.
Dinkjian is ranked among the premiere oud players in the world. He was raised on the sounds of jazz, pop, and the music of Armenia. At Connecticut's Hartt College of Music, he earned the first degree granted there in the oud while studying theory and composition. Night Ark also includes Arto Tuncboyaciyan on percussion. He was born in Turkey of Armenian descent, and has worked with such artists as Al DiMeola and Joe Zawinul. Armen Donelian, who is also of Armenian heritage and has worked with Mango Santamaria and Sonny Rollins, plays piano for the group. Rounding out the quartet is Marc Johnson, who previously worked with Stan Getz, Pat Metheny, and Bill Evans, among others. ~ Linda Seida, All Music Guide

Sezen Aksu & Ara Dinkjian

Ara Dinkjian is best known as the founder of the highly influential and groundbreaking instrumental group, NIGHT ARK, which recorded four CDs for RCA/BMG and PolyGram/Universal. His compositions have been recorded in thirteen different languages by top singers and musicians throughout the world (including Eleftheria Arvanitaki and Sezen Aksu), proving that music is indeed the international language. His hit “Homecoming” (“Dinata Dinata”) was performed at the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympics. Ara Dinkjian is also considered one of the top oud players in the world. He was chosen to represent the Armenians in the international oud festivals of Jerusalem and Thessaloniki. Ara Dinkjian uses La Bella oud strings. Arto Tunçboyacıyan - vocals, percussion
Ara Dinkjian - guitar, ud, saz, cumbus, kanun, mandolin, kaval
Armen Donelian, Shamira Shahinian - piano, keyboards
Ed Schuller - bass

Ara & Eleftheria Arvanitaki

NIGHT ARK - Treasures (Traditional Crossroads-RCA compilation)

Track listing
"Picture"
"Homecoming"
"Trilogy: Part I - Birth"
"Moments"
"Adolescence"
"Of Song & Silence"
"Offering"
"Worm"

Αφιερωμενο στο Νικο τον Τσακνη (Για την "γνωριμια μου", μαζι τους το καλοκαιρι του '89 καπου στο Πηλιο..ακομα η 60αρα κασετα συνεχιζει να παιζει !)

http://www.aradinkjian.com/home.html
Night_Ark_-_Treasures.rar