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Armen Boyajian

Jazz violinist and pianist

About Me

Armen Boyajian is a jazz violinist and pianist who has been in the Charlotte, NC area since 2008. His jazz quartet Air Apparent was formed in Washington, DC and included the late Frank Kimbrough, Ed Howard, and Steve Williams. They played Blues Alley, Carter-Barron Amphitheatre and other DC and Baltimore venues. Armen has also played with Gary Thomas, Dennis Chambers, Wycliffe Gordon, Elisa Pruett, George Sykes, Greg Alewine and Ron Brendle. He has written a number of original jazz compositions: “Waltz for Bill Evans” (originally entitled “Sweet & Sour”) was named Best Jazz composition by the Washington Area Music Association. Geoff Himes of the Washington compared “a performance by Air Apparent as the next best thing to the Hot Club of France” when reviewing a concert at Carter- Barron.

Armen continues to play music and since the advent of the pandemic, is producing music online. See https://soundcloud.com/armenb-2/very-early for some recent and not so recent music. On that page is a great version of What's New, done by Air Apparent and featuring the late Frank Kimbrough - brother, we miss you!

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My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz in 1970 when I saw Miles Davis with his very electric band, including Keith Jarrett on a heavily distorted Fender Rhodes. Not long after, I caught groups like Weather Report, Return to Forever and Mahavishnu but then was prompted to study Miles' more straight ahead stuff, including his classic quintet with Wayne Shorter. I love the Blue Note era albums by Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, as well as older classic jazz by Ella, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett. While violin was my first instrument, I did take piano lessons and play both professionally. While I studied at Eastman and Howard University, it was some lessons with Marc Copland and having great pianists in my Air Apparent quartet (like the late Frank Kimbrough) that helped me advance on the piano.