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Okbari
Amos Libby and Eric LaPerna perform Armenian and Anatolian
folk music, classical Middle Eastern music and traditional folk and contemporary
songs from the Greek, Arabic and Balkan traditons. Okbari also presents
multi-instrumental original music inspired by the musical systems of the
Middle East and India. They perform on the oud, clarinet, duduk, bouzouki,
doumbek, riqq, tabla, ney, mridangam, and several other instruments from
around the world. Okbari was formed in 1995 and has independently
released four albums: 'Among the Believers', 'By the Banks of the
Red River', the self-titled 'Okbari', and, most recently,
2007's 'Armenian and Anatolian Folk Music.'
Okbari also appears as a traditional Armenian and Turkish dance
quartet featuring former Bardezbanian ensemble violinist Michael Gallant
and noted guitarist Michah Blue Smaldone. Okbari has a long partnership
with Maine's most beloved belly dancer, Jamileh.
Okbari are from Portland, Maine and has performed throughout the Northeast.
To further their studies, Okbari traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, where they
shared the stage with the Kemani Serkan Roma Ensemble at Ikinci Bahar
in the famed Cicek Pasaji as well as with the Oudi Hasan Roumeli Kef Ensemble
at Roumeli Meyhane.
Amos Libby
Amos began his musical training in Brooklyn, New York in 1996 studying
the tabla (North Indian drums) with the late master Ustad Mulazim Hussain.
Hailing from Lahore, Pakistan, Ustad Mulazim Hussain was a popular exponent
of the Punjab Gharana of Hindustani (North Indian classical) tabla technique.
Amos left for India is 1998 to continue his studies, spending several
years living in Bangalore, South India, studying Karnatic (South Indian)
classical percussion under the well-known mridangam (double-sided classical
drum) master Karnataka Kala Shree Vidwan M. Vasudev Rao. Amos was
introduced to the oud (fretless Middle Eastern lute) by the late oud master
and composer Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian, and studied the maqam system
(Middle Eastern modal music) and the Armenian and Turkish folk traditions
with him until the master’s death in 2006. Amos is a member
of several ensembles, including the Middle Eastern duo ‘Okbari’
and is the regular accompanist for master American sitarist David Pontbriand.
Amos is a frequent guest lecturer at Bates College as well as other colleges
and universities across New England.
Eric LaPerna
Eric LaPerna has been a percussionist since 1987,when he was introduced
to Afro-Cuban rhythms. In 1991 he studied African drumming with Alani
Ogunladi. In 1995 he joined Josie Conte's "Baraka" belly dance ensemble
as the doumbek player. This began his foray into Middle Eastern rhythms.
In 2000 he joined oud virtuoso Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian's Middle Eastern
Ensemble as lead percussionist. As a student of Al's he learned the Turkish,
Armenian and Greek rhythmic systems. The following year he began
an ongoing study of the riqq (arabic tambourine) and the iqa'at (Arabic
rhythmic modes) with his teacher and mentor, Master Arabic percussionist
Michel Merhej Baklouk. Eric studies classical Arabic music at Simon Shaheen's
annual Arabic Music Retreat.
Eric is a member of various ensembles including Okbari
and Alhan. He is also interim percussionist for the Casco Bay Tummlers,
Zhok Therapy and Turkish saz player Turgay Erturk. Eric has performed
all over the US including such legendary venues as The Knitting Factory
(NYC), Fez (NYC), and the Arabesque Music Series at Club Passim in Cambridge,
MA. He has performed at numerous festivals including the National and
American Folk Festivals as well as the annual Balkan Music Night. In 2007
he performed in Istanbul, Turkey, with Okbari and the Kemani Serkan Roma
Ensemble.
He is the Director of the Bowdoin College Middle Eastern
Music Ensemble. He also teaches Arabic drum classes throughout Southern
Maine, and lectures at schools and universities across New England.
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