Click “PLAY” below to listen John’s music while you read his bio!
John Chookasian is a musician, producer, educator, and band leader. He has been playing Armenian and Middle Eastern folk music all over the world for over 35 years. He is the founder and director of the “King Tut Revue” a middle eastern music & dance review that played the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas, and with the “Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble.”
A dedicated premier clarinetist, John, along with his wife, Barbara and the ensemble, traveled to Armenia by Presidential Invitation to perform a month-long series of concerts in Armenia & Karabagh. During his last standing-room-only concert in Yerevan’s Grand Philharmonic Hall, John was presented with Armenia’s “National Gold Medal Award,” by Armenia’s Cultural Minister.
John credits a portion of the success of the “Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble,” (in addition to the stellar musicianship of the players) to its desire to bridge the gap between the older musical traditions of Western Armenia and the more modern music of Eastern Armenia, which is more influenced by Eastern Europe and Russia.
His groups have recorded several albums, including “A Passage to Armenia” which was named best World Music album in 2006 by the Independent Music Awards and his “Visions of Armenia” album, which in 2009 was the Armenian Music Awards Grammy Winner for Best Traditional Armenian Folk Music.
In addition to his musical pursuits, John is an actor who has appeared in 42 film productions during his career. He has appeared with Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Clint Eastwood, George Burns, Art Carney, Tony Bennett, Cheryl Ladd, Robert Urich, and numerous other major artists.
He holds graduate degrees from the New York University, College of Music, and from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he taught Music & Ethnic Studies.
John currently resides in Fresno, California, where he continues with his mission of presenting, preserving, and perpetuating traditional Armenian music and culture.
You can connect with John and his Ensemble by visiting his website, click here to have a look.