Takakjian and Kevorkian, March of Antranig/Gigo
Name/Title
Takakjian and Kevorkian, March of Antranig/GigoDescription
Mesrob Takakjian (also rendered Mesrop Takakjian; c. 1895–1976) was an Armenian-American clarinetist associated with the early development of recorded Armenian folk and dance music in the United States. He was born in Palu and immigrated to the United States in 1912, initially settling in Providence, Rhode Island among an established Armenian immigrant community. Takakjian emerged as part of the first generation of Armenian musicians to record commercially in America, appearing on recordings issued through Columbia as well as independent Armenian labels including those of M.G. Parsekian and Vartan Margosian. His repertoire drew from Armenian and broader Anatolian musical traditions, and he was highly regarded within the immigrant community as one of the finest clarinet players of his generation, helping establish the instrument as a central component of Armenian-American folk ensembles. During the 1920s, Takakjian relocated to California after contracting tuberculosis. He settled in Fresno, where he remained active as a performer, orchestra leader, and participant in Armenian communal life. In 1929, he recorded in Los Angeles with Oscar Kevorkian for Columbia Records. While Kevorkian was also a clarinetist, Takakjian was considered the premier woodwind instrumentalist of their collaborations. Their partnership continued for decades and became foundational to the growth of Armenian kef music on the American West Coast. Beyond his work with Kevorkian, Takakjian performed with a Fresno-based band led by violinist Jack (Hagop) Aslanian (a native of Urfa known professionally as "Aslan"). This ensemble—which operated with various vocalists and occasionally featured Charlie (Karnig) Kratlian, an oud player from Dikranagerd (Diyarbakir)—consisted entirely of musicians born in Eastern/Southeastern Anatolia who had resettled in Fresno. Takakjian later appeared extensively on recordings issued by Kevorkian’s private label and participated in field recordings collected in Fresno in 1939 by ethnomusicologist Sidney Robertson Cowell. He remained involved in local musical life and mentored younger performers until the end of his career. He died in Fresno in 1976. Oscar (Asadour) Kevorkian (1898–1959) was an Armenian-American musician, vocalist, bandleader, record producer, and businessman active in Fresno, California. He was born in the village of Soursouri, located in the Kharpert region of Eastern/Southeastern Anatolia within the Ottoman Empire, and immigrated to the United States in 1914 through Ellis Island. After working in several occupations, including transportation and funeral services, he became deeply involved in Armenian social and musical circles in California. Although Kevorkian played the clarinet, he frequently collaborated with master clarinetist Mesrob Takakjian, beginning with a series of Columbia sessions recorded in Los Angeles in 1929. One notable release from this era features a vocal performance by Kevorkian delivering an ode to General Antranig Ozanian. During the following decades, Kevorkian and Takakjian became central figures in the Fresno Armenian music scene, performing at community gatherings and developing a recorded repertoire of dance music and patriotic vocal pieces. While Kevorkian occasionally performed alongside local ensembles—such as the Fresno band led by violinist Jack (Hagop "Aslan") Aslanian and featuring oud player Charlie (Karnig) Kratlian—he was generally not a regular member of these fixed groups, which frequently rotated vocalists. Building on his musical activities, Kevorkian established his own independent label, initially known as OK Records and later as Kevorkian Records. The label produced approximately two dozen discs and documented a distinct regional style of Armenian-American *kef* music that combined instrumental dance pieces with vocal performances. In addition to performing and producing records, Kevorkian continued his work in the funeral profession and eventually became co-owner of a mortuary business in Fresno. He died in 1959 after suffering a heart attack.Audio Format
78 RPM RecordRecording Type
MusicCategory
Vinyl Record