Eldad Tarmu is an American
vibraphonist, composer, and music educator. Between 2005 and 2009 he was a professor of Jazz Studies at the Richard Oschanitzky Jazz and Pop School of
Tibiscus University in
Timișoara
), City of Roses ( ro, Orașul florilor), City of Parks ( ro, Orașul parcurilor)
, image_map = Timisoara jud Timis.svg
, map_caption = Location in Timiș County
, pushpin_map = Romania#Europe
, pushpin_ ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...
, where he led the Jazz Department. In 2006, he established a partnership with the American Cultural Center in
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north ...
, aiming to strengthen cultural ties between Romania and the US and promote jazz as an American art form. He resides in the New York area, where he performs regularly on the jazz and contemporary classical scene.
Early life
Eldad Tarmu was born in Los Angeles, California, shortly after his parents, Yehuda Tarmu and Galya Pillin-Tarmu, graphic artists initially based in Israel, moved to the US. Yehuda Tarmu was a painter and documentary film director of Polish-Jewish origin.
Career
After a few years of touring with local bands as a rock drummer, he pursued undergraduate studies at
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
. Upon returning to the US, he started working on his first original jazz records and doing international tours. In 2002, he enrolled in graduate studies, and in 2005 he received a master’s degree in Afro-Latin Music from
California State University
The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a public university system in California. With 23 campuses and eight off-campus centers enrolling 485,550 students with 55,909 faculty and staff, CSU is the largest four-year public univer ...
Los Angeles. Tarmu also holds a Master of Arts in Classical Composition and a doctorate in
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
Performance from
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York syste ...
in New York.
Tarmu has worked with
Ron Affif,
Ray Anderson,
Mike Clark,
Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.
Biography
Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, b ...
,
Freddie Hubbard
Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives f ...
,
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
,
Frank Morgan
Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...
,
Poncho Sanchez,
Cybill Shepherd
Cybill Lynne Shepherd (born February 18, 1950) is an American actress and former model. Her film debut and breakthrough role came as Jacy Farrow in Peter Bogdanovich's coming-of-age drama '' The Last Picture Show'' (1971) alongside Jeff Bridges ...
, and
Ernie Watts
Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Za ...
. He has performed in over twenty-five countries in various festivals and concert tours.
His album ''Get Up Close'' was number 20 on the U.S. Jazz radio charts for four weeks. His first chamber music album, ''Songs for the Queen of Bohemia'', released in 2007, while jazz-oriented, features a string quartet from the
Timișoara Philharmonic, Romanian bassist Johnny Bota, and British-Israeli drummer Yoni Halevy. The eclectic project crosses
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
and
Middle Eastern
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europea ...
with
chamber ensemble arrangements
In 2017 he released a second chamber music record, under 4-Tay Records, in the contemporary classical genre, called ''Stained Glass Stories'', which was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
.
A new album of jazz originals, called ''Tarmu Jazz Quartet'', is scheduled for release in early 2023.
Discography
* ''Aluminum Forest'' (
USA, 1998)
* ''Get Up Close'' (Rhombus, 2001)
* ''Visits'' (Fever Pitch, 2003)
* ''Exotic Tales'' (Verytall, 2005)
* ''Songs for the Queen of Bohemia'' (Queen of Bohemia, 2009)
* ''Stained Glass Stories'' (Queen of Bohemia, 2017)
* ''Farewell, St. George'' (Queen of Bohemia, 2022)
* ''Tarmu Jazz Quartet'' (Queen of Bohemia, 2023)
References
External links
* {{{cite web, title=Eldad Tarmu: Album Discography, url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eldad-tarmu-mn0000704590/discography, website=
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
* {{Cite web , title=Vibraphonist-Composer-Educator, author=Tarmu, Eldad, url=https://www.eldadtarmu.com/biography, website=EldadTarmu.com, language=en-US, url-status=live, archivedate=November 23, 2022, archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123160430/https://www.eldadtarmu.com/biography
Eldad Tarmu's Flying South Latin Jazz Ensemble.(music group)(Artículo breve) - Latin Beat Magazine , HighBeam Research{{Paywall
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarmu, Eldad
1960 births
Living people
Musicians from Los Angeles
American jazz composers
American jazz vibraphonists
Jazz musicians from California
American male jazz composers