Bambir

Bambir

The Bambir is a music collective from Armenia. Spanning 4 decades and with more than 50 musicians passing through its ranks, the band has moved into it’s second generation- as in, sons of the original members are operating as a separate four-piece that is still part of the original ensemble.

Founded by Jag Barseghyan in the 1970s in Gyumri, Armenia, Bambir was lauded as one of the best rock groups in the Soviet Union, performing original material, traditional Armenian songs, and modern arrangements of Komitas and medieval Armenian music. Today, Jag Barseghyan records solo albums, ensemble albums, and performs with original members of The Bambir and other international musicians. In 1982 Bambir won the Folk Music Award at the International Festival in Lida, Belarus. They celebrated their 20th anniversary in Moscow in 1998 and in Gyumri at their first Biennial. On their 30th anniversary, they released Armenian Scotch, an album dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Hovhannes Tumanyan and the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns.

Jag’s son, Narek, Arman Kocharyan, Arik Grigoryan, and Vardan Paremuzyan have formed a separate but connected four-piece rock band, The Bambir. While they started playing together in Armenia, they've earned a reputation in in Russia, France, the United States, Turkey, and beyond. They have been based in Ireland as of January 2012. They write and perform their own music written by Narek and Arik, and are known for their vibrant stage presence in their live shows and unique sound.