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HALBURIAN Armen, 77, of Ringwood, NJ, passed away on March 16, 2011. He waged a miraculous battle against cancer and astounded all those who knew him. Dr. John Rundback of Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck is credited with giving Armen five extra years of quality life through his interventional technology procedures. Armen was an extraordinary drummer, percussionist and inventor. Armen was a member of Herbie Mann's "Family of Mann," he recorded and toured alongside heavyweights Steve Gadd, Tony Levin, David "Fathead" Newman, Cissy Houston, Sam Brown and many more. Armen recorded on over fifty albums including Larry Young's "Lawrence of Newark," Dave Liebman's "Lookout Farm" and many others. He earned the reputation as an imaginative and tasteful musician. He attained prominence and recognition among musicians as one who's high energy level and personal style feeds back inspiration and creative spirit. He also invented the famous 4 in 1 drum tool and the "Armen Solid Bar Chimes" which he designed and patented. His chimes sold successfully throughout the world. Since 2009 Armen played at the Chapala Grill in Bergenfield with a nine-piece Latin jazz band, "Cactus Salad," led by traps master Russ DiBona. This gig became Armen's musical and spiritual refueling. Armen became a devout Roman Catholic in 1999 and dedicated his life to the teachings of Jesus Christ. He attended Saint Joan of Arc Church in Sloatsburg, NY. He is predeceased by his father, Michael, his mother Corrine, his sister Zapeur Bagdasarian and brother-in-law Aram. Armen is survived by his companion of over 27 years, Joan Sergi, nieces Dawn Booth, Lorna Bagdasarian and nephew, Jeff Bagdasarian. Armen was great-uncle to Joshua, Justin, Courtney, Shannon, Caroline, Kimberly, Jennifer and Amanda. Funeral from the D'Agostino Funeral Home 881 Ringwood Avenue Haskell on Friday 9 AM and a 10 AM mass at St Joan of Arc RC Church 32 Eagle Valley Road Sloatsburg, NY. Interment Cedar Grove Cemetery Queens, NY. Visiting Thursday 2-4 and 7-9 PM. In lieu of flowers donations to St Joan of Arc R.C. Church.

New as of March 2011 - Read article about Armen from Modern Drummer
Magazine - Read Article

Armen Halburian - a drummer and percussionist for 40 years, has earned a reputation as an imaginative and tasteful musician.  He has attained prominence and recognition among musicians as one whose high energy level and personal style feeds back inspiration and creative spirit.   Totally at home in a free improvisatory setting where creative interplay yields spontaneous results, he is equally capable of drawing out new levels of interpretation from written compositions.

His high energy level and personal style draw the audience into the evolving drama and excitement of the music.  Over the years, Armen has performed and recorded with some of the world's most recognized musicians, such as Herbie Mann,  Dave Liebman, Chick Corea,  Marion McPartland,  and Cissy Houston.   As a percussionist Armen has had the good fortune to play alongside of notable drummers such as Steve Gadd,  Lenny White,  and Jack DeJohnette .

Many people know Armen for his percussion products.   The most notable being the solid bar chimes which he designed and manufactured for many years and is standard part of the drum kit for thousands of drummers.   He has had celebrity endorsements for his chimes as well as for his texture sticks and a multi-purpose drum key tool.

Armen's vitality is a symbol of life's inner drive - the music he creates is the physical manifestation of the universal spiritual force.  His goals are to fulfill his potential as a man and to uplift the hearts and souls of people. Armen believes in music as an expressive vehicle that touches, sensitizes and raises the human spirit.  To him music is a means of communicating a higher awareness of life and love.

04/24/2011