John Bilezikjian

Who is John Bilezikjian?

John Bilzikjian is an Armenian Los Angeles-based musician and composer. Most renowned as a oud master, he also plays the violin, mandolin, dumbek. He is also a traditional and contemporary singer singing in Armenian, but also in Turkish, Assyrian/Syriac, English and known for his contributions to world music as a solo act and in collaborations with renowned artists. He established his own record company, Dantz Records in Laguna Hills, California making many recording, and appearing in tens of film soundtracks.

Collaborations include Leonard Cohen in Recent Songs after touring with him on his live concerts, resulting in Cohen Live album in 1994 and The Smokey Life Tour recorded in 1979. He played oud in Cohen's 1988 album I'm Your Man. In 1992, he collaborated with British singer Robert Palmer in the latter's album Ridin' High, where he played oud and dumbek in "Want You More". In 1997, he recorded with Mexican singer Luis Miguel in the latter's album playing mandolin in Romances and in 1994 with Plácido Domingo in De Mi Alma Latina and in 1999 in Por Amor.

In 2002, he joined the world music band Brothers of the Baladi recording in their album Hope.