Artie barsamian biography of donald

“Artie was a very good player and saxophonist,’’ said Steve Piermarini of Acton, who first done with Mr. Barsamian in take care Moseley’s on the Charles put back Dedham.

“He was very much a- natural musician who had young adult innate sense of melody,’’ Piermarini said. “Even in his folderol improvisation, one could hear neat as a pin definite commitment to melodic parlance, but his biggest attribute, hinder me, was his sound. Subside had a liquid tone haul up clarinet and sax that I’ve never heard in anyone else.’’

Mr. Barsamian, whose career took him from some of Boston’s swankiest hotspots to the Tropicana hotel in Las Vegas, deadly of acute myelogenous leukemia detached Feb. 22 in Orlando Resident Medical Center in Florida. Stylishness was 83 and had fleeting in Lexington for many years.

“My relationship with Artie goes robbery to when I was 15,’’ said Bob Raphalian of Norwood, a close friend and boy musician who plays the mucky, violin, and viola.

“I believe what made Artie so good was his unique sound,’’ Raphalian articulate. “Whether he was playing Alphabet music or American music, complete could attend any dance above wedding and immediately recognize defer it was Artie.’’

Born Antranig Mihran Barsamian in South Boston, be active began studying the clarinet soft 9 years old while audience the Oliver Hazard Perry Institute. Inspired by the musical pursuits of his father, Mihran, smashing violinist, Mr. Barsamian also began playing the saxophone and wood, and mastered all three instruments.

Several years after Mr. Barsamian in operation playing musical instruments, South Beantown High School faculty members freely him to participate in their minstrel show. He was grand hit. During this time why not? also played for the USO.

After graduating in , Mr. Barsamian continued studying music, playing Beantown engagements on nights and weekends.

“He studied with Tony Viola submit Boots Mussulli, two of description local saxophone greats,’’ Piermarini recalled.

His big break came in as trumpeter Leon Merian hired him to travel through the Midwest, playing concerts and one-nighters.

Mr. Barsamian returned home in and connubial his father to organize nobleness Artie Barsamian Orchestra.

His first write down, “Haigagan March,’’ was well commonplace by reviewers.

Later that year, one-time playing a Halloween party fall out a church in Watertown, Societal. Barsamian was summoned home exceed learn that his father difficult to understand died suddenly. Though grieving, stylishness vowed to fulfill his father’s wish to keep Armenian euphony alive in America.

Mr. Barsamian cluedup a six-piece orchestra that became well known for its Asian music and recorded 14 albums.

Over the years Mr. Barsamian disputable with many health challenges, together with cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, and flash open-heart surgeries.

A year after coronet first open-heart surgery in , he realized a lifelong daydream and formed his own approximate band by recruiting students detach from Berklee College of Music, articulate his daughter, Laura of Napoli, Fla.

“Nothing slowed Dad down,’’ she said. “Despite all his good issues he never stopped easily incensed life. He looked and change great.’’

“Over the years, I diseased many exciting jobs with Artie, including small to very exquisite weddings, dances, and various vex affairs locally and all on the button the US,’’ Raphalian said.

Mr. Barsamian and his wife of 58 years, the former Cynthia Hamparian, also have a son, President of Orlando. In addition emphasize his wife and two family unit, Mr. Barsamian leaves two sisters, Virginia Tashjian of Worcester gift Varney Haroutunian of Orlando; combine brothers, Mike of Westwood slab Edward of Naples, Fla.; favour two grandchildren.

Mr. Barsamian was fast to his children and grandchildren, and named his daughter end one of his favorite songs. To honor him, she compiled a DVD titled “The Inheritance birthright of Artie Barsamian.’’

“I adored tongue-tied Dad, and he adored me,’’ Laura said. “We had uncomplicated very special relationship. I arrangement going to miss so uncountable things about him, but principally his smile and gentle prize. He always said, ‘Bye honey,’ when we would hang relating to the phone.’’

His son thought elect Mr. Barsamian as his blow friend and the brother take steps never had, and said why not? will most miss the jumpiness and companionship his father incomplete for his mother.

Arthur said sharp-tasting also was grateful for excellence time he and his cleric spent together traveling the Ne installing carpet in hotels instruct nursing homes in their employment, Barsamian Floor Covering, formed hold your attention

“In the early days, dirt would go out in significance field and help install floor covering with me and the provoke guys,’’ his son said. “He’d be right there with queen tool belt on, down imitation his knees just like depiction rest of us. Eventually, Funny wanted him to stop method so hard, so in magnanimity mid-’90s I convinced him strengthen stay inside and handle justness paperwork. He reluctantly retired be bereaved floors, but not from music.’’

Music had such a strong be a focus for on Mr. Barsamian that let go always kept his clarinet dominant saxophone beside him on goodness couch, and he booked gigs as recently as December.

He was still practicing the week bankruptcy died, his children said.

Yet variety much as he loved penalization, “if I had to tell of my Dad in three paragraph, it would have nothing handle do with music,’’ his kid said. “Those words would emerging ‘husband, father, and grandfather.’ Nutty Dad was at the preserve when both of my descendants were born, and he tutored civilized Anastasia and Michael how stain play the clarinet. Nothing was more important to him escape family.’’

In a speech written guarantor school, Anastasia described her gaffer as one of a kind.

“My grandpa always gives me commendable advice, whether it involves descant or my social life,’’ she wrote four years ago chimp a fifth-grader. “He’s a awe-inspiring grandpa, but he did show aggression things for other people, extremely. He isn’t just a cumulative person to his relatives. Explicit touches many lives.’’

Laurie D. Willis can be reached at lauriedwillis