Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tigran Hamasyan Trio: New Era

232

Tigran Hamasyan Trio: New Era

By

Sign in to view read count
Tigran Hamasyan Trio: New Era
Tigran Hamasyan has been fascinated with music since the age of two. Born in Gyumri (Armenia) in 1987, he caught the jazz bug at age seven and was soon playing piano and experimenting with improvisation. Studying music formally and practicing constantly, Hamasyan also immersed himself in his native land's rich folk music, which he incorporated into his jazz performances. He won prizes in a number of music contests, though his crowning achievement was his first-place award in the 2006 Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition.

Bassist Francois Moutin and drummer Louis Moutin join him for his second CD, where he shows off his tremendous chops without overpowering the listener, as many a young jazz virtuoso has done in the past. He opens the disc with a two-part piece—the thunderous post-bop "Homesick" and the hypnotic title track, the latter building upon a vamp and gradually growing in intensity, using electronic keyboards for color.

By contrast, his "Leaving Paris" is a somber romantic waltz. The traditional Armenian folk song "Aparani Par" celebrates harvest time, wildly alternating between 14/8 and 5/4 time signatures, adding Vardan Grigoryan on duduk and shivi. Hamasyan's loopy, reggae-accented arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't" is humorous, and he takes quite a few liberties with Miles Davis' "Solar" by altering its rhythmic structure and using its theme as a launching pad for his driving improvisation. The leader introduces his infectious "Gypsyology" on organ before returning to piano, conjuring images of a giant outdoor celebration centered on a circle of dancers.

Hamasyan's ability to blend so many musical influences makes New Era stand out from the flood of new CDs.

Track Listing

Part 1: Homesick; Par 2: New Era; Leaving Paris; Aparani Par; Well, You Needn't; Memories From Hankavan And Now; Gypsyology; Zada es (You're an ill-fated girl); Solar; Forgotten World.

Personnel

Tigran Hamasyan: piano and keyboards; Francois Moutin: bass; Louis Moutin: drums; Varden Grigoryan: duduk (4, 8), shivi (4), zuma (8).

Album information

Title: New Era | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Nocturne

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Mar 21 Thu
Mar 23 Sat

For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.