Ruben Tenenbaum

Ruben Tenenbaum’s musical journey began in Nancy (France), where he studied violin and liturgical chant. His passion for Ottoman music led him to Istanbul, where he spent seven years training under the masters of this ancient tradition.

Delving deeply into the art of modal improvisation (taksim), Ruben studied with renowned musicians such as Serdar Pazarcıoğlu, Fahrettin Çimenli, Necati Çelik and Derya Türkan. He performs classical Ottoman music with the Lâmekân Ensemble, with whom he has released three albums, and Ottomaniak.

In parallel, Ruben explores improvisation in its many forms, both acoustic and electric, always seeking to bridge distant musical worlds while remaining grounded in the present. His diverse projects span genres and styles: from the alla turca melodies of dÜmbÜk KorKuluK’s grindcore, to the dynamic counterpoints in drummer Teresa Riemann’s Naked in the Zoo, to the sombre reflections of Demain Damas and the bio-sonic storytelling in Fusion Mitotique.