Although the official release date on our new CD, Iakovos Kolanian- Shoror: Armenian Folk Music for Guitar isn't until mid October, I am making copies available for purchase online at www.cdbaby.com/cd/kolanian in case anyone wants to get a sneak peak at what will be our biggest release yet. I was able to give away about 20 copies in Karabagh and Yerevan to music enthusiasts and the feedback was very positive. Since my trip, I've gotten back into the swing of daily life, but, have also been completely revamping our label with a new website due out on October 15th. It will have a Live 365 internet radio station of Armenian music from out label and others. We will have interviews with musicians and then play whole albums with some background on each project. Should be fun. We begin recording Lilit Pipoyan in November in Yerevan and I am trying to coordinate a collaboration with the Armenian Navy Band and Arto to play a few songs on the album with Lilit. I will keep you posted.
Armenia 2004, Part 1.
It had been about 2.5 years since I was in Armenia. In those few years, I had felt a bit disconnected from Hayastan, expecially since the feedback from people was that the social and aesthetic landscape was rapidly changing. Due to my MBA classes, the wedding, and a very tight schedule, a trip wasn't possible. However, in March of 2004, I was in touch with a representative from the Tufenkian Charitable Foundation in Karabagh about a possible recording project in Shushi. The purpose was to promote and market Shushi as an historic Armenian cultural center on the road back to recovery in the area of the arts. I was game for the project and I made plans for the trip. From Boston I flew to Armenia via Washington and Vienna on Austrian Airlines. Our flight was delayed 16 hours and I had to stay at the airport hotel across the street.
When I landed in Yerevan at around 8pm, it was strange. This time, there was no nostalgia. I was excited to be there, but, this time I was focused on the recording and conserving my energy for all of the traveling that was to be done in 5 days. Yerevan has changed drastically. The glitz factor is high and the people seem more comfortable and happy. This may be a mirage since the outlying areas of Yerevan are as poor as can be. I checked into the Tufenkian Avan Villa in Nork Marash and then went out to see some friends in Lena, Kojian, Hajian, Jack, etc. Artbridge is still thriving, but, has some serious competition in Square One. More on that later. After dinner/drinks, I headed back to the Tufenkian Hotel at around 1am and stayed up until about 5am reading and preparing for the 6am drive to Karabagh. The hotel is beautiful and has a graceful touch. As 6am rolled around, the Tufenkian driver greeted me and we loaded up the Niva with his wife and daughter in the backseat. The road to Karabagh would be about 5.5 hours and I planned to sleep the whole way.
Armenia 2004, Part 1.
It had been about 2.5 years since I was in Armenia. In those few years, I had felt a bit disconnected from Hayastan, expecially since the feedback from people was that the social and aesthetic landscape was rapidly changing. Due to my MBA classes, the wedding, and a very tight schedule, a trip wasn't possible. However, in March of 2004, I was in touch with a representative from the Tufenkian Charitable Foundation in Karabagh about a possible recording project in Shushi. The purpose was to promote and market Shushi as an historic Armenian cultural center on the road back to recovery in the area of the arts. I was game for the project and I made plans for the trip. From Boston I flew to Armenia via Washington and Vienna on Austrian Airlines. Our flight was delayed 16 hours and I had to stay at the airport hotel across the street.
When I landed in Yerevan at around 8pm, it was strange. This time, there was no nostalgia. I was excited to be there, but, this time I was focused on the recording and conserving my energy for all of the traveling that was to be done in 5 days. Yerevan has changed drastically. The glitz factor is high and the people seem more comfortable and happy. This may be a mirage since the outlying areas of Yerevan are as poor as can be. I checked into the Tufenkian Avan Villa in Nork Marash and then went out to see some friends in Lena, Kojian, Hajian, Jack, etc. Artbridge is still thriving, but, has some serious competition in Square One. More on that later. After dinner/drinks, I headed back to the Tufenkian Hotel at around 1am and stayed up until about 5am reading and preparing for the 6am drive to Karabagh. The hotel is beautiful and has a graceful touch. As 6am rolled around, the Tufenkian driver greeted me and we loaded up the Niva with his wife and daughter in the backseat. The road to Karabagh would be about 5.5 hours and I planned to sleep the whole way.
posted by Raffi at 7:45 PM
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