Mike
Super Administrator
Posts: 1568
Registered: 12-3-2002
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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John Bilezikjian - Latest News
Sadly I have some bad news regarding the great John Bilezikjian and his health. Unfortunately, Helen and his sons have decided that his long struggle
with kidney failure and weekly dialysis has come to an end. They have decided to place him on hospice at their home in South Orange County. They are
doing their best to make sure he is as comfortable as possible in his home for his final days in this temporal life before he moves on to his eternal
rest. I personally will never forget the few times I was fortunate enough to hang out with John in his music room at his house. Listening to his
stories and his music and checking out his incredible ouds was just an amazing experience. Every once in awhile I'd call him up and say hey Uncle B,
I've got so and so visiting me from wherever and they wanna come and meet you. He would be more than happy to have us over to hang out. We'd end up
spending hours there and the time would go by so fast that we wouldn't even know that we had been there for 3 or 4 hours. He was always very generous
with his time and stories. He is just an overall awesome guy.
I'm gonna miss you Uncle B, but I'm never going to forget you! I know you are going to be in a much better place and are not going to have to worry
about how you're going to feel in the morning after dialysis. Ever!
If you guys have any of John's music listen to it and keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Helen is also taking calls if you would
like to send the family your regards and best wishes. The phone number is on John's Foundation website. Speaking of . . . if you would like to donate
to his foundation, you can get information on how to do so here: http://johnbilezikjianfoundation.com
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John Erlich
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1463
Registered: 8-26-2004
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oud-Obsessed
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Thanks for the news Mike. I will keep John and his family in my thoughts and prayers.
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Adel Salameh
Oud Junkie
Posts: 235
Registered: 4-18-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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This is very sad dear Mike... John is a great artist and he gave so much joy to his fans ... his music will live for a long time...My thoughts and
prayers with his family ...
Adel
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Greg
Administrator
Posts: 926
Registered: 7-22-2004
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Member Is Offline
Mood: Serene
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I had the privilege to visit John with Mike a little over three years ago and he was in poor health even then. I have had a couple of email contacts
since and was aware that his health had not improved. What a wonderful, talented and generous man. John will be in my prayers every night.
Greg
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Ararat66
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1025
Registered: 11-14-2005
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow yellow
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Very sad to hear this - it was his music that got me into this musical adventure in the first place. I just wish him and his family well.
Leon
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Mike
Super Administrator
Posts: 1568
Registered: 12-3-2002
Location: California, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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The heavenly hosts have gained an oud virtuoso today. Play on and glorify Him Uncle B. John's worldly struggle ended this morning, Monday January 19th
at 4:30am. The family wishes to pass along the following information about services celebrating John's life.
Friday January 30 @ 7pm - Vespers
McCormick and Sons Mortuary
25000 Moulton Pkwy
Laguna Woods, CA 92637
949-768-0933
Saturday January 31 @ 11am - Funeral
St. James Armenian Apostolic Church
4950 W Slauson Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90056
323-295-4588
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mavrothis
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1674
Registered: 6-5-2003
Location: NJ/NYC
Member Is Offline
Mood: big band envy
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I was so sad to find out that I was not able to call in time to say goodbye. Just spoke with his wife and she very graciously told me about his
passing away this morning.
It's so sad to lose this very generous and talented man.
I will miss him.
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1370
Registered: 12-18-2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: better than before
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John was an inspiration to me nearly all of my musical life. He was also a great friend and I will miss him dearly. He gave so much joy to the world
and was such a gracious man as well. His accomplishments were amazing in many different venues and musical styles. Not only a great oudist, but a
composer, arranger, violinist and instrumentalist. One of my favorite stories was when he was studying for his college degree he was told he had to
qualify on an orchestral instrument, so he did them all! God blessed us all for sharing his life.
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Jameel
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1672
Registered: 12-5-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Mike sent me a text yesterday morning with the news. It's been a while since I logged in here, but I felt compelled to say a few words about my
experience with John.
Thanks to Mike's generosity, a few years ago I spent a rather incredible couple of days with John. I saw many of John's incredible ouds, including the
lavishly decorated pearl Manol. Certainly a highlight for any enthusiast. We had a nice dinner in So Cal at a seaside restaurant where John was
performing for the evening. Funny story. We had left John's house in a hurry after visiting too long, and when we arrived John had realized that we'd
packed everything (amps, mixing board, mics, etc.) into John's car, except for his oud! Mike raced back to John's house (about an hour round trip if I
remember) to get his oud so he could play the gig at the restaurant. The other thing I remember about that night was the shish-kebab. The garlic just
about blew our heads off. On our way back to Mike's place our first stop was for a case of tic-tacs. Had a great evening talking about music with
John, with the Pacific ocean in the background. The next day we got together at Lee Varis' home and I got to hear John play a couple of my ouds along
with Munir Bekken and a bunch of other fellow enthusiasts. It was a great time. I think John really enjoyed that day, seeing so many young people
enthusiastic about music. You could see it in his face. There are some videos and pics about that weekend here. http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=7402#pid478...
But what I most remember about John wasn't his oud collection, or his playing ability, but rather his (and Helen's) warmth and kindness. Mike called
him Uncle for a reason. He felt like a close relative. I will miss him, no doubt.
Eternal memory, Uncle B!
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DoggerelPundit
Oud Junkie
Posts: 141
Registered: 7-28-2010
Location: Pacific Northwest
Member Is Offline
Mood: Odar
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I think no one who had ever met John, even casually, would easily forget him. John and I first met at a gig in 1967; he was 19 that year, and I was
20. He and his mostly family band were playing dance music at Zorbas folkdance coffee house in the San Fernando Valley. I had never seen or heard an
oud before, and he graciously took the time (between sets) to explain what the instrument was and where the music was from. He even let me hold his
oud while he showed me how to properly use the right arm. Over the years he often said to me that "the soul of the oud is in your right hand."
I recall a story which illustrates his remarkable musicianship. During the mid 1990s, I was privileged to attend his master classes at the ME music
camp in Mendocino. Helen was always along to teach Armenian dance classes, using John's own recordings. One year he was sitting at the back of her
class playing along with the recordings. There was trouble in that because the tape player Helen was using played the music about a quarter step sharp
to concert pitch. No trouble for John though. He calmly played in tune by stopping all the normally open notes a quarter step up with his first
finger, while playing the rest with fingers 2, 3, and 4, all a quarter step up as well, as smooth and tunefully as you please.
Many professional oud players often "visit" the oud's 6th, 7th, and 8th positions. John used them. The clip is from Laz Hvasi on his Armenian
Diaspora album.
For me he was a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration. As Mike has rightly and touchingly put it, the heavenly hosts have gained an oud virtuoso. May
he play forever.
-Stephen
[file]34150[/file]
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Giorgioud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 287
Registered: 11-18-2011
Location: United Kingdom
Member Is Offline
Mood: Oudbsessed
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R.I.P. John Bilezikjan. My thought are with his family and loved ones
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sbj
Oud Lover
Posts: 22
Registered: 5-23-2014
Member Is Offline
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I liked his way of speaking Turkish (he had an accent) and also this particular version of this song composed by Yesari Asim Arsoy.
He tells in the beginning, that he dedicates this song to his grandmother.
Now, I dedicate it to him.
Allah rahmet eylesin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvXzkeexi5E
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