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Jazz Articles about Tigran Hamasyan
Tigran Hamasyan: Shadow Theater
by Mark F. Turner
Pianist Tigran Hamasyan's Shadow Theater is an innovative convergence of composition and folk music from his birthplace in Armenia. Having performed since the age of three, gained acclaimed in Europe and won first place at the 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, there's never been a question of his abilities. He shines in a traditional jazz trio setting in 2007's New Era (Plus Loin Music) with brothers François Moutin (bass) and Louis Moutin (drums) or showcasing virtuoso exploits in ...
Continue ReadingTigran Hamasyan: A Fable
by AAJ Italy Staff
La pubblicazione di questo disco per la Verve ha evidenziato al pubblico internazionale il talento del ventiquattrenne pianista armeno, forse la più interessante rivelazione dell'anno appena trascorso. I più attenti alla scena jazzistica lo avevano notato da qualche tempo. Pur essendo ancora molto giovane Tigran ha svolto significative esperienze, vinto prestigiosi premi (il Martial Solal e il Monk Competition) e inciso tre dischi da leader: nel 2006 World Passion in trio col sassofonista Ben Wendel e il batterista Ari Hoenig, ...
Continue ReadingTigran Hamasyan: A Fable
by Charles Walker
The young, Armenian-born pianist Tigran Hamasyan possesses an almost intimidating virtuosity, a style that owes as much to Art Tatum's two-handed volubility and the sweeping refinement of Impressionist composers as it does to the spiraling, East-meets-West melodies of his homeland. Winner of the 2006 Thelonious Monk Institute's piano competition, New Era (2008, Nocturne) found Hamasyan settling into a familiar, if impressive trio aesthetic, mining the angular vernacular of modern jazz piano on now-standard vehicles like “Well, You Needn't" or “Solar," ...
Continue ReadingTigran Hamasyan Trio: New Era
by Ken Dryden
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 ...
Continue ReadingTigran Hamasyan: New Era
by Glenn Astarita
Armenian-born pianist Tegran Hamasyan is a striking talent, corresponding to his 2006 win of the Thelonious Monk piano competition. And with the Moutin brothers providing the largely peppy rhythms, the leader of this date transcends what many would surmise from a twenty year-old. Blessed with monstrous chops and a unique musical vision, the pianist seamlessly fuses Euro-folk melodies into a pulsating string of compositions, often tagged with brisk time changes and budding themes.
Hamasyan dances across the eighty-eights ...
Continue ReadingTigran Hamasyan: New Era
by Jay Deshpande
Tigran Hamasyan New Era Nocturne 2006 At twenty-one, pianist Tigran Hamasyan has already done much to launch his name into the world of emergent young lions. He has toured throughout Europe, moving beyond his native Armenia to take prizes in jazz competitions from Moscow to Monaco. And, after winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition in 2006, he studied in the United States before returning to Paris, where he recorded ...
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