Oneworld Multimedia :: Jazz
While out shopping for more CD s and MP3 collections yesterday, I couldn t resist buying a copy of Dance of Fire by for a very good friend of mine. Saying this is bound to get me into trouble, but what the heck. My choice of present was greeted with approval from the young female shop assistant even though Mustafa Zadeh is perhaps Azerbaijan s most famous contemporary jazz star.
Of course, she s fortunate enough to have a considerable musical pedigree behind her.
I was born into the world of jazz, and more specifically into the world of mugam, a form of traditional, improvisational music in Azerbaijan. It seems quite natural that I became a jazz performer with such a background.
My father, Vagif Mustafa Zadeh, was legendary for his jazz improvisation. He became known as the founder of the Azerbaijani Mugam Jazz Movement that evolved in the late 60s and 70s.
In 1978, my dad represented the Soviet Union at the World Jazz Festival in Monaco and took first prize.
Dizzy Gillespie, a famous black jazz trumpeter who had himself contributed so much to the modern jazz movement, used to say, Vagif s music is from another planet! It s the music of the future! And my mother, known as Eliza Khanom, is incredibly talented in music, too.
She was one of the first to sing in the new mugam jazz style. How fortunate to have been born into such a family.
Posted by Onnik @ 3:30 pm.
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After a meeting with yet another European academic visiting Armenia to research the in the country I had some time to kill and decided to browse the CD/DVD shops on Yerevan s central Abovian Street. Wasn t expecting much as pretty much all of them stock the same tedious selection.
Therefore, I was pleasantly suprised to find albums by Georgian born singer-songwriter .
Ketevan Katie Melua (Georgian: ??
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Her first album, Call Off the Search, was released in November 2003 and reached the top of the United Kingdom album charts. Her second album, Piece by Piece, was released in September 2005 to commercial success.
Posted by Onnik @ 1:59 am.
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Armenian Navy Band, International Children s Day, Liberty Square, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006 As an excellent way to end International Children s Day, Arto Tuncboyajian s Armenian Navy Band opened a free concert at The Cascade in Yerevan. The group came second in the Europe Category for this year s , but came first in the Audience Award Category.
Posted by Onnik @ 11:51 pm.
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Armadam, the fantastic jazz group that even includes an electric oud, is playing at the
tomorrow evening. Well recommended for anyone who likes jazz and / or refreshingly intense music. It s very easy to become immersed in their music, a combination of jazz fusion and Armenian influences.
CORRECTION: Armadam will be playing at Stop on Thursday 29 September.
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a very interesting and unexpected account from Noyan Tapan Highlights by Garin K.
Hovannisian, a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the founder and editor-in-chief of . That most people in Armenia have had enough of sky-rocketing corruption, the lack of the rule of law and democracy, I knew. However, I had no idea that it had spread to one of the city s most exclusive hangouts.
At the table to your left, for instance, you might find a couple of university students prodding the case of , the Turkish historian who was locked up for two months in a National Security cell without trial. Or maybe it s a group of tourists who ve come to see with their own eyes that mythic bathroom where the president s bodyguards beat and killed an impious citizen. Privet, Rob, he d said.
It could be a circle of brute-businessmen with appetites as big as their villas or it
could be a group of unsuspicious girls lavished in the latest Louis Vuitton. But they talk about the same things: October 27, Armen Sargsyan, rigged elections, and Northern Avenue.
Unlike the musings of the past, however, today s sizzling political discussions are not mere laments and longings anymore.
In the people s sarcasm and metaphor, you hear clearly (for they are no longer in whispers) the sure notes of revolution.
Democracy. Freedom.
Human rights. The Apricot Revolution. These are the roots of Paplavok s intellectual lexicon the trendiest echoes from the lakeside.
With the excited company, the far-fetched music, the lush cuisine, and the romantic possibilities of night, the fiery exchanges convince us that a movement is being born.
Anyway, I agree with the conclusion. Unless the government cleans its act up by 2007, and if it attempts to falsify those parliamentary elections, there will be revolution in Armenia.
The imminent local elections and will be a first test but even so, many other issues such as corruption, the rule of law and the obscene wealth and political power of the oligarchs needs to be immediately tackled as well.
Last night, and Armadam played at the in Yerevan. Oaksenham also played on Monday as well as at the Rock N People festival on Friday and yesterday, their set was perhaps the best yet.
However, Armadam blew me away. Prior to running into their sax player a few weeks back, I had incorrectly and somewhat stupidly assumed they were a thrash metal band.
Anyway, let me say that I love jazz, especially fusion.
To be honest, I adore all music but Armadam might be the best jazz that I ve heard in Armenia. That said, I haven t heard that much because when I first arrived in Armenia in 1998, the jazz played at venues such as Poplavok disappointed me. Since the at the club I have also vowed never to step foot in Poplavok again.
Assuming I d even want to, of course.
Posted by Onnik @ 8:12 am. Filed under: , , , , ,
Yerevan s , a great venue for live rock and jazz, has just updated its calendar of events. Bambir II will be playing on 5, 12, 21 and 26 August 2005. Strife will be playing on 10 and 25 August but of particular note and a welcome surprise, underground rockers will be performing on 29 August 2005. Incidentally, a week earlier, MDP will be performing on 18,19 and 20 August at the Sevan Rock Festival before embarking on a series of gigs in Germany 9-19 September.
Posted by Onnik @ 7:06 am.
Keywords: Armenian Navy, Mustafa Zadeh, Armenian Navy Band, International Children, Navy Band
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