Armen John Chakmakian, born February 11, 1966 in Glendale, California, is an Armenian-American pianist, composer, and producer. He began his career as a keyboardist for the GRAMMY award-winning band Shadowfax, whose 1992 album Esperanto was nominated for a Best New Age Album GRAMMY Award. Chakmakian released two solo albums on his label TruArt Records: Ceremonies (1998) and Caravans (2004). Tracks from Ceremonies, "Gypsy Rain" and "Distant Lands," were featured on the compilation albums Buddha Bar and Buddha Bar IV, respectively. His work includes collaborations with notable musicians such as oud player John Bilezikjian, duduk master Djivan Gasparyan, and guitarist Alex De Grassi. In 2006, Chakmakian toured South America with Cirque du Soleil's show Saltimbanco, and in 2017, he toured the region again as a keyboardist and background vocalist with Roger Hodgson.
