The Eldad Tarmu Chamber Ensemble
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"Tarmu is a sensitive soloist, and the album, with its mix of jazz, balcanic perfumes and chamber music, is a find for listeners is search of a music that defies barriers." - Vincenzo Roggero - All About Jazz Italy
"Excellent arrangements, the music is very interesting and elegantly written." - Pascal Dorban - Radio ARA Luxembourg
"An utterly charming and sophisticated compilation of outstanding original compositions superbly played by some very talented musicians." - Barry O'Sullivan - BLU FM 89.1
"A delightful and unique musical experience. I hoped it would never end." - Micah Engber
"An excellent CD, with a very refreshing sound." - Harry Boerman - Veluwe FM
"A very interesting blend of jazz and classical music." - Fred Friedman - KCBX
"The album is a pleasure for both my jazz and world music audiences, whose reaction has been very supportive." - Richard Berkley - WRPI Troy 92.5 FM
Vibraphonist Eldad Tarmu presented his unique chamber ensemble at the Chisinau Ethno Jazz festival of 2007. The music was a combination of genuine swing, due to American contrabassist Richard Simon and drummer Yoni Halevi (top product of the new generation of post year 2000 Israeli jazz immigrants). No less important to their distinctive sound was the ingenuity and neo-classic sonority of a young string quartet from Romania, made up of Vlad Popescu, Ciprian Vicar, Cristian Hateg and Cristina Savescu. As we could see, the three years since Tarmu has been teaching jazz at Tibiscus University of Timisoara have been beneficial not only for his students. The virtuoso player has extended his expressive field beyond the not so rarely self-indulgent standards of the post-bop mainstream. The result is a postmodern type of synthesis, with sound infusions from the central-east-European space investigated with empathy and poetry by Tarmu. Worthy of being observed from here on in. - Virgil Mihaiu - Contrafort Magazine
Discography
Songs for the Queen of Bohemia - 2007
Photos
Bio
The Eldad Tarmu Chamber Ensemble began as a septet formed in 2006 in Timisoara, Romania, where the band leader, American vibraphonist and composer Eldad Tarmu, taught Jazz Studies for four years. The initial members of the septet were Romanian bass player Johnny Bota, Israeli drummer Yoni Halevy and Tabac String Quartet. In September 2006, after their first tour, they recorded Tarmu's compositions under the album name Songs for the Queen of Bohemia, which was released in March 2007 in Romania and in June 2009 in the US.
This rare formation, comprised of vibraphone, bass and drums in the rhythm section, augmented by a string quartet (two violins, viola and cello), create the ideal palette for the musical styles blended in Tarmu's compositions. Middle-Eastern melodies and grooves mix with jazz and classical harmonies to make a distinctive cutting edge world jazz chamber sound.
American vibraphonist and composer Eldad Tarmu is teaching and playing regularly in the New York metropolitan area. He holds a Masters degree in Afro-Latin Music from California State University Los Angeles and a MA degree in Music Composition from Stony Brook University. He has recorded and performed with some of the most significant figures in their musical genres, including Poncho Sanchez, Ernie Watts, Taj Mahal, Cybill Shepherd, Freddie Hubbard, Billy Higgins and Frank Morgan. He has performed in over twenty-five countries around the world in various festivals and concert tours and has released six CDs and participated in countless collaborations. His second album, Get Up Close, reached number 20 on the US jazz radio charts for four straight weeks. In 2009 he composed, orchestrated and performed in a symphonic jazz project in Europe.
Eldad Tarmu is currently preparing the release of a new chamber music album with an American woodwind quintet.
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