HANK MARDIGIAN SEXTET FEATURING GEORGE MGRDICHIAN ON THE OUD - ORIENTAL DELIGHT

ORIENTAL DELIGHT is the music of Asia Minor expressing its sad and joyous moods with exotic and mystic sounds. This music is truly an expression of Armenia—its people, culture, history, and not to be overlooked, their feeling. They knew of no superficial moods or ways of life. There was only one way to do things—the right way—the full way. The music is intoxicating because it is played from the heart with all its warmth and color. The men smoked their favorite nargula (water pipe), while the women with veils and necklaces of gold pieces and coins danced to the exotic and captivating age-old melodies of never- to-be-forgotten oriental sounds. Massacres, tortures, and enslavements are blended with much joy in the music of these people, who, for many centuries knew only of peace and happiness. History tells us of the greatness of its early kings, people, and nation. All of its early music was joyful and told only of happiness. Then, sadness blanketed the nation and its people. And, thus, the reason for the moods of Oriental Delight. Hank Mardigian's Sextet has, since early childhood, lived and played oriental music. In the eight, short years that the six gifted musicians have been playing together, the band has become one of America's most popular and well-known Armenian bands of today. Hank Mardigian, in his playing of the mandolin and the alto saxophone, has captured the style and authenticity of the ancient music of Asia Minor. The popularity of the band is due to his leadership, arrangements, and inspiration. The oud, a large hand-carved pot-bellied long-necked mandolin-type string instrument, is the most important in oriental music. George Mgrdichian, without question, is considered one of the best oud players in America and is a perfectionist. He plays very fereely, with genuine feeling, and his interpretations of the oud have won wide recognition for him. He is such an artist that when he plays, the music "lives," and makes you wonder when the oud will start "talking." Roupen Gureghian, the youngest member of the band, plays the clarinet with feeling, and not from notes. The music moves him so, that the result is a distinctive style of playing. The rhythm section, which is most important to an oriental band, has Berge Jehanian playing the castanets for added flavor. The section is paced by Roger Mgrdichian, who plays the treble dumbeg, an hour-glass-shaped drum which is open on one end, with a unique style. George Terkanian plays the bass dumbeg, which stands thirty inches high and he excels as "the whistler" in "Come My Sweet One." Oriental music knows no nationality or language barrier and Oriental Delight, from the start, will inspire you to join hands in the barr (dance), or merely sit back, relax, and enjoy the age-old moods of that distant Middle East. GET IT HERE enjoy!