B.J. Sarkissian

Haunting, powerful, and rich, the songs of B.J. Sarkissian cut to the core with such grace and incisive honesty that the listener barely notices embarking on a journey—through the poignant terrain of childhood memory, creeping home at cold dawn to the warming sense of home, the sound of the dinner bell ringing across the years, the wild abandon of running in a windstorm, the memories held within an old piano, the flight of winter birds in a windswept sky, heart-rending loss, political tyranny, the eerie shadows of people on the stones after Hiroshima, the awakening of love. . . .

B.J.’s songs are like a window onto his heart and a life lived intensely, if sometimes painfully: a near-death malady in childhood, the descent into the abyss of addiction, struggle with choices made and opportunities lost, moving from place to place to place, as though perpetual motion could somehow ease the sorrow. In his emergence into recovery, B.J. returned to his native Pennsylvania, and there began writing prolifically, drawing upon the rich tapestry of his family of origin—his Armenian immigrant father and Irish mother, the death of his sister and father, the puzzle of his family’s heart. His songs reflect the reclamation of his life, his exploration of Eastern thought and mindfulness, and the awakening of a love that is at once ages old and new.

B.J. works professionally as a counselor in substance abuse with addicts and alcoholics.

He was awarded the Golden Star of Bethlehem Award and has performed at the Bethlehem Musikfest, Steel City Coffee House, Joyful Noise, Folk Factory, Front Porch Music, Fret Haus Café in Indiana, on WVLP-FM in Valparaiso, Indiana and on WSLS-FM in Salt Lake City.

Tamara Sheen

Tamara is both singer and violinist.  The listener leans in a little closer, wanting not to miss a single nuance of her powerful, lyrical voice, which carries in its wide span of tone the emotions of each song. Her violin riffs weave an evocative story of their own, drawing the listener, pied-piper style, on a wordless journey.  Tamara brings sensibility to her music imbued with the rich history of her English heritage. 

Growing up in a family of singers in rural England, Tamara learned many traditional folk songs from her grandfather and mother. She developed a great love of English and Scottish ballads and has been adding southern Appalachian versions to her repertoire over the past decade.. Her maternal grandmother taught her the basics of fiddle playing when she was a girl. She has been to the Carolinas to fiddle camps and began playing with B.J. in the fall of 2005. Their harmonies are tight and their voices compliment the variety of traditional and original songs they continue to collect, write, and perform.

B.J. Sarkissian and Tamara Sheen

The collaboration of BJ Sarkissian and Tamara Sheen is, in hindsight, so right.  Anyone who has the pleasure of seeing them perform together would assume that they have been working together for years—their styles are complimentary, each bringing strength and depth to each other’s work.  They’ve only been playing together since 2005, where they met at a local songwriting circle.  Since then, they have served as each other’ creative muses and have brought new depth and breadth to each of their work. 

Their voices are like two strands that twine around each other, now close, now harmonizing, and bring form to the connection they have together in their lives.  They are, together, bigger than the sum of their parts, and their shared music is enriched and widened by their partnership.