Toronto, SoloDuo, and Celso

After a 9 hour car trek to Toronto, Ontario from Boston with my friend Josh Tevekelian, we attended the concert of the newest Pomegranate Music artists, SoloDuo. Consisting of guitarists Lorenzo Michelo and Matteo Mela of Italy, the guys took the stage in front of a sold out crowd at Heliconian Club on Hazelton Street in the boutique district of Toronto. The show was sponsored by the Guitar Society of Toronto. They performed the Astor Piazzolla "Tango Suite" as well as music by Andrew Zohn, Antoine de Lhoyer, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Nicola Campogrande, and Mauro Giuliani. A challenging program, but effortlessly peformed. It was a relief not having anything to do with organizing the concert, rather, I just sat back and enjoyed while other sold the CD's of "Solaria", our newest release. The official release date is April 17th, but, the CD is available at SoloDuo shows before the in-store release. The crowd was full of guitar afficionados, students, and folks like me who just enjoy listening to classical guitar music.

Today, I attended a portion of the master classes given by Lorenzo and Matteo at St. Hilda's College, within the the Trinity College campus right at University of Toronto. Great college scene there bustling with activity. After staying for about an hour at the master class, I wandered over the Toronto's premier classical/world/jazz music store, L'Atlier Grigorian. What a pleasure to speak with the owner, Harmik and his business parter Victor. It's a jem of a store right in the Yorkville district. He has a store in Montreal as well as few others in the Toronto area. Yep, you guessed it, he is Armenian. It's the type of place one can get lost browsing titles and enjoying their superior service. For us record store junkies, it's a rare find. The place had posters of Isabel Bayrakdarian all over the place. It was great to see an Armenian so respected by the general music community in Canada.

After the master class and record store jaunt, Josh and I hit the town a little and eat some middle eastern food near the CN Tower. Toronto is definately a multi-cultural city, and much larger than I thought. It's the third or fourth largest North American city. While I still prefer Montreal, Toronto is quite nice and comfortable.

In the evening, I was invited to the home of Eli Kassner, the godfather of the classical guitar movement in Toronto. At 83 , he still throws a great party as most of the members of the Toronto classical guitar elite were there, his guitar students past and present, as well as their guests of honor Lorenzo and Matteo. However, Eli had another special guest, that of Celso Machado.

I had heard of Celso by more than a few people as those who have either performed with him or know him personally have tried to hook us up professionally. Seems like he is looking for a music label, and I am looking to expand my boundaries and present a wider array of world music. A local Toronto scribe, Jack Silver had already spoken both Celso and I about each other and once I met the musical master of Brasilieros, I was really impressed by him personally. His impromptu concert at Mr. Kassner's house was really quite nice. Celso was in town from Vancouver finishing up a Canadian Broadcasting System recording. A CBC recording engineer was at Mr. Kassner's party and he offered to take 25 copies of our SoloDuo recording "Solaria" and distribute them to radio stations and press folks on our behalf.

Thus far, Canada, and Toronto have come up Aces in terms of cultural depth and progress for some of my projects. Let's see what happens in Montreal next week.

The Weekend- Toronto Bound, Next Weekend- Montreal

I am going to take a break from YerazArt work and take a day off tomorrow. All the venues have been booked and host organizations are off and running promoting the concerts, and we are just waiting for the US Visas to be provided at the Embassy in Armenia. It's without question, one of the nerve-gnawing aspects of the job since the fate of the artists coming to America rests on evidence, interviews, etc first submitted to Homeland Security. Once you get past that hurdle, then each student has to apply at the US Embassy in Armenia. A very long and expensive process indeed. Many Armenian musicians come to the States on tourist Visas, which is basically very risky since they are here to tour (concertize), not tour (look at buildings). In our case, we are going by the book and have been approved for the P3 Artist Visa US side. Now, the interviews are being set up in Yerevan for the final stage of the process. All in all, it has been nice to see communities (Diasporan) ditch more popular fare and choose to promote our group. It can be said that classical music is not really marketable, but, this time around, we are mixing up with folk music as well. Still, the talent is tremendous.

The other great thing about organizing this tour is that I get a feel for which communities step forward and show enthusiasm for local Armenian talent, and which ones defer to get California bands for entertainment. For me, I get to see priorities and values. Which organizations just don't have the vision, and which ones do. As a paid professional, I am grateful to be working in this field and thus have a unique opportunity to interact with similar professionals in other fields . While I am not going to air my negative viewpoints, let me highlight some of the bright spots in our ever-changing Armenian Diaspora. For one, Ken Maranian and that incredible Austin, Texas community is small in number, but, they act quickly and decisively in promoting Armenian shows. This is my second opportunity to work with them, and in each case, I find that Austin, Texas is one of the model Armenian communities going forward with regards to innovation, efficiency, and just plain getting things done. I also have to give a shout out to 89 year old Florence Chakerian of Albuquerque, New Mexico who has put me in touch with the right people in and out of the Armenian and non-Armenian community over there. As the matriarch of the Albuquerque Armenian community (which numbers about 50 active members), she still keep active by emails and meetings over there. Really incredible.

So, I am loading up my car tonight and heading off to Toronto, Ontario to meet up with Lorenzo Micheli and Matteo Mela, members of SoloDuo (www.myspace.com/soloduo). The album was just printed and I am making the 9 hour drive up there to attend their first concert in Toronto (Heliconian Hall) at 8PM Friday night. Both Italians, this is their first widespread Canadian tour. I am always pumped to bring home a freshly minted CD and see how it came out. The official release date is April 17th, unless you can hit one of their shows in Toronto, Quebec City, or Montreal. After that, you'd have to be in Europe to catch it there. There is strong talk about them touring Armenia in October/November through the Italian Embassy in Armenia and with the help of Deem Communications.


I haven't been to Toronto since I was a kid. My parents drove us from Chicago on one of my dads business trips and I remember the CN Tower, etc. But, really, I have no other memories and hitting Toronto will be a really pleasant experience and see another city. I love travel, and mixing business with pleasure is great.

The weekend after this, I will be in Montreal for SoloDuo's concert ( March 30, Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours , 8pm) there as well. I hope to meet some Armenians at the concert. Feel free to come up and say hello...

All Photos Courtesy of Arsineh Khachikian, Deem Communications

Mado - Sun in our souls

Spring is supposed to begin today, where are You ? The weather was so nice last weeks (pure spring weather) and now it’s getting colder. Those obvious climate zig-zag have put environment on the front stage of “problems to be solved” raised during the French presidential campaign. Curious to see if it’ll stop in a dead-end like the poor fate of campaign promises, poor planet…


Ok, even if the weather is sad, presidential campaign is to !*#*%#!, you know what ? :o)
Rays of light have many many ways to reach our souls, and when it overflows, I like to share it here, so today : a great painter and person named Madeleine Ossikian.

Amongst 10 over tiny incidents that can’t be described exhaustively here, she made my day yesterday, thanks Mado! We met with her cousin in a little restaurant, called “chez Marianne” but who offered oriental food (it’s hard to sound more frenchy, so little surprise), in the middle of a little charming district of Paris near Hotel de Ville, crossed by lots of very little “typique” streets like Archives, Sainte Croix Bretonnière, Rosiers, and Hospitalières Saint Gervais. Cute and also funny to read so much “saints” in this particular district so close of more “rascal” concerns.

To sum up, Mado is the wife of Gas, quite clear isn’t it ?! ;o)
Explanations : I once have talked about Gas few months ago (november post "Magic Gas"). It’s an excellent bluesman that my brother discovered and met in the middle of nowhere (St Amand Montrond, Cher). I ended writing about him in the Armenian magazine I sometimes collaborate, after having met him and enjoyed one of his concert in Lyon. An excellent meet. At that time Gas had talked about the work of his wife, that would be exposed soon at Lyon, so one of my Lyon’s colleague covered the exposition that is now taking place, Fondation Bullukian, on place Bellecour.

Place Bellecour is one of the most famous place in Lyon, classified in UNESCO’s World Heritage
This is also where the recent memorial to Armenian genocide has been vandalized last year and been the subject of brutal demonstrations of clearly identified racist Turkish group (“loup gris” or grey wolves). And it’s the kind of event that encouraged politics to vote for punishing negationism… Here’s an album where you can see photos of the place and one pic of the memorial.

Back to Paris: I was still in contact with Gas but never met Mado. She simply contacted me cause she’s on Paris this week and proposed this meeting. So done. It’s a really nice person, interesting, simple, open-minded, kind, and a funny adventurous. We had a nice moment together talking about everything and anything in the same time, openly. I felt the same simplicity and sincerity of her husband in her way to be. Something close to innocence in their artistic work, in spite of what might induce real life constraints. In the mean time, they both have a deep link with their Armenian roots. I’ve already explained if for Gas, but for Mado it’s obvious in her work, the Armenian identity is here, in an original & refreshing way.
Here's one of her pieces, titled La porte du paradis (the door of heaven)





So, it was a warm ray of light, really stimulating, that I appreciated even more because of how it arrived : from Saint-Amand Montrond in the Cher, passing by Toussieu near Lyon in Rhônes-Alpes and beginning in Saint Medard en Forez (oh those strange French names of towns), to Paris finally, and maybe more…
Ourgè our ?!

Here’s a webpage presenting the exposition of Lyon, and another page where we see more of her work… Enjoy !




ps : a concrete ray of light is passing through the clouds, Run Sun, run ! lol

YerazArt Tour Dates Announced

-Thursday, April 26, 2007, 7:00pm
Armenian Cultural Foundation
441 Mystic Street
Arlington, MA 02474
Co-sponsored by St. Stephens Armenian School
Tickets- $20 General Admission

-Friday, April 27, 2007, 7:30pm
Armenian Cultural Foundation
441 Mystic Street
Arlington, MA 02474
Co-sponsored by St. Stephens Armenian School
Tickets- $35 and $50 (Wine and Cheese Reception)

-Saturday, April 28, 2007, 7:30pm
College of Santa Fe- Department of Contemporary Music
Contact: Mr. Steven Paxton
1600 St. Michael’s Drive
Santa, Fe, New Mexico 87505
Sponsored by the College of Santa Fe Department of Contemporary Music

-Sunday, April 29, 2007, 5pm
South Broadway Cultural Center
1025 Broadway SE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Sponsored by the City of Albuquerque, Office of Cultural Affairs

-Thursday, May 3, 2007, 8PM
University Christian Church
2007 University Ave.
Austin, TX 78705
Sponsored by the Armenian Church of Austin, TX

-Friday, May 4, 2007
Houston Baptist University
Mabee Theater
7502 Fondren Road
Houston, TX 77074
Sponsored by St. Kevork’s Armenian Church of Houston, TX

-Saturday, May 5, 2007
Saroyan Hall
825 Brotherhood Way
San Francisco, CA 94132
Sponsored by the KZV Armenian School and ARS

-Thursday, May 10, 2007
Fresno State Universtity
Wahlberg Recital Hall
5241 North Maple Ave
Fresno, CA 93740
Sponsored by Armenian Cultural Foundation of Fresno

-Friday, May 11, 2007
Kalaydjian Hall
3325 Glenoaks Blvd
Burbank, CA 91504
Sponsored by the Armenian Diocese Western Region

19 days...

For the past couple of weeks I've wanted to come and blog about all that's happening, but this whole google vs. blogger thing messed me up, because I forgot not only my username, but my password too when I switched... lol I know.. pathetic! :) But I finally had time to sit down and fix it...

So in 19 days I'll be on way to Armenia, one way ticket in hand. Actually, I recommend others try this too, as it felt GREAT to pay less than $800 for a ticket to Armenia (for once!). hehe No really though, for the past few weeks I've been trying very hard to tie up all my loose ends, get things in order, pack and head out!

The more time I spend going through my room, the garage.. and yes, my trunk -- the more I realize how much STUFF I have! I've packed, unpacked and repacked several times already. I find it difficult to decide what I definitely need, maybe would need, and could do without. Finally I started taping up the boxes as I was done packing, so that I wouldn't open them up again! lol As I stood back and saw my 3 boxes of clothes, 2 boxes of books and teaching materials, and 2 boxes of random things I'll need for the house (including some of my grandma's crochet "ojeed" stuff), I couldn't help to think I might be overdoing it... I don't know. I could probably eliminate most of the clothes, but since I have NO idea what kind of job I'll find, I don't know which "genre" of clothes is more necessary. So ya... pretty much everything is coming. :)

During this time, the reaction I receive from people when they find out I'm moving to Armenia is kind of disappointing. Although I am happy that people are concerned for my well-being, it's just not nice to keep hearing the same thing--- that I'm making a mistake, there is no future there, I don't know what it's like to live there-it won't be like my short trips, no one will be able to succeed there with the current circumstances, etc. etc. etc. I'm sure a good number of people on the repat page have all heard this too.

What is great, however.. is the FEW people (and I mean FEWWWWWWW) who are supportive and who believe that our place is truly in our homeland, even if it means we won't have water from 7am to 7pm. ;) When I think about it, sure it's frustrating to not be able to flush your toilet, wash your face, etc., --and really, not everyone can handle it. But people like Raffi K. wouldn't be in Armenia, if the other reasons for living there didn't "trump" water, toilets and bad driving.

Well, back to packing and cleaning...

TSUH! :)~

YerazArt Tour Information

Boston, MA: The YerazArt Foundation, a Boston-based 501 c (3) non-profit arts organization, will send its critically acclaimed YerazArt Young Musicians from Armenia group on tour for a series of ten concerts in eight cities across the Unites States from April 26- May 11, 2007. Eight prodigious musicians from the ancient South Caucasus nation will present the music of their culture in a blend of indigenous folk music and Western classical music. The aim of the tour is to connect North American audiences with one of the world’s oldest musical legacies in addition to giving an opportunity for the YerazArt musicians to experience the thrill of concert stages across the world. Cities included on the tour are Boston (2 shows), Santa Fe, Albuquerque (2 shows), Austin, Houston, San Francisco, Fresno, and Los Angeles.

Partially inspired by Yo Yo Ma’s “Silk Road Project”, the YerazArt performance has distinct lineage to the groundbreaking project initiated by the internationally renowned cellist. Fifteen year old YerazArt duduk player (an Armenian oboe made of apricot wood) Harutyun Chkolyan is the protégé of duduk master Gevork Dabaghyan, a featured “Silk Road Project” participant and leader of the Armenia’s Shoghaken Ensemble. Dabaghyan’s prized student was spotted as early as age six by the duduk master in the hardscrabble Armenian town of Gavar. Since then, Chkolyan has gone on to win various regional competitions and master the clarinet, shvi (Armenian flute), and zourna ( Also known as a Mizmar or European Shawm). Most recently, Chkolyan was featured as the standout musician in a rousing performance at the Massachusetts State House in 2006 where he was met with a standing ovation from the House Chamber audience. His entire family moved to Armenia’s capital city Yerevan in order to have him study with Dabaghyan, resting their hopes on his success. For this tour, Chkolyan will perform solo as well as lead the YerazArt Armenian Folk Trio featuring Anahit Dilbaryan on the kanoon (Armenian zither) and ethnographic folk singer Serine Poghosyan.

Another rising start to watch is fourteen year old piano sensation Nara Avetisyan. A frequent prize winner (Greece, Italy, Armenia), Avetisyan hails from Yerevan and is a member of the Trio YerazArt, an ensemble featuring cellist Gayane Khachatryan and violinist Lilit Khachatryan. In 2006, Avetisyan appeared as a soloist with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra performing the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s titanic Piano Concerto No. 2. Frequently cited for her sensitive approach combined with a rare ability to tackle to most difficult of piano repertoire, Avetisyan follows in the footsteps of a well respected stable of pianists including Armen Babakhanian, the controversial 5^th place winner of the Ninth International Van Cliburn Competition (1993). The cross- cultural concert approach will also display the skills of Gor Melkumyan and Meri Khojayan on the trumpet and violin respectively performing miniatures and encore favorites by Schubert, Brahms, and Paganini.

The YerazArt musicians will be also be performing works of rarely heard Armenian composers such as Arno Babajanian, Khachatur Avetisyan, Sergei Barkhudaryan, and Edward Baghdasaryan. Music by icons such as Komitas, Aram Khachaturian, and Sayat Nova will also be performed.

For more information, please visit www.yerazart.org

Photo Credit: Zaven Khachikyan

AGBU Generation Next Bonfire Fundraiser

What day is it? Oh yeah. It's been all work and no play for me so there hasn't been much to write about. I hope that will change soon. I am not even spending as much time exploring the old Glendale stomping grounds like I thought I was a few months back. It's been all about Long Beach since moving back to LA. Not all bad because I actually like this area a lot. Walking through Cal State Long Beach today talking to a friend in Armenian and this guy passes us but turns back only to say that it was the first time he's heard Armenian spoken on the campus. I dunno, I always like it when that happens. Of course he was from Pasadena and we weren't in some remote part of the world. Did you know that you can get really nice beachfront condo's in the LB for reasonable prices? Anyway, I digress and that's not really for this blog.

Oh yeah, here is what I came to say...

I've written about how fond I am of the AGBU Generation Next Mentorship program before encouraging you to join. Well, if you're still thinking about what it would be like, guess what? They are having a Bonfire on Saturday and all of you are invited.

Yes, at the beach. Duh:)
And, yes it's March.

Hey, it's Los Angeles.

Check out the details at www.agbugennext.org

PS. Bring a blanket

shadakhossoutioun

oups, i've break blogger, it must have been too much, here's the last lines i wanted to add about giddiness hihi !
I wanted to show the list of events only for march but it definitely doesn’t work .

I just wanted to add that it’s simply impossible to see everything. Some Armenians even complain about this multiplicity, saying that it’s dispersing Armenians, too much things to see in the same time, so that not the maximum people can go there to show how numerous we can be.
I don’t think so : each single person (Armenian and non-Armenian) that discover what’s Armenia thanks to those numerous event is a little success that will build our future greater successes. Begin to inform, educate and convince simple people is the best way to advance. It’s like the gatil (drip) theory that makes river, sea, and finally ocean. Isn’t it Shoosh ? ;o)

In fact my only “concern” with all this, is how will be the return to normal rhythm after this year that ends July the 14th ? Because we’ve really quickly get used to all those honors around our dear roots… Hoping that this could be a BIG BANG for Armenia’s future, at least in France, and everywhere else, who knows ?

Promised, i'll never be so much shadakhoss again ...

Armenian Beauties in France

Colors of Sarian, Danse of Navasart, Armenia in Louvres etc. Visiting France now will reinvigorate you by all the events planned around Armenia these months. The list itself is already thrilling. The rhythm of the Armenia Year is crazily accelerating, the meter is thrown into panic, my eyes are trying to follow and see everything but I don’t know where to begin ! Plus : the weather is fantastic. ’Love that :o)

France-Arménie asked me to cover the 40 years of the Navasart Armenian danse troup (www.navasart.com) and the big show Hayastan, created for this special occasion. A perfect coincidence with the year of Armenia, vay vay vay… So I met the founder of this troup, Eddy Djololian during one of their preparation session at Alfortville and saw their show at the Palais des Congrès of Paris (one of the most famous Parisian hall, near Champs Elysée, 3800 seats, and where Aznavour always perform his concert).
I’ve put some pics online, and can’t resist to share how lucky I feel during these occasions. Like the little mouse that can go everywhere, i had the right to see everything, what’s behind the curtains, ask everything, just thanks to the journalist statute. In the Armenian case, this is a wonderful opportunity to share your point of view, and show the valuable efforts of less known ones toward Armenian’s goodness.
Anyway, this was to say I really liked to see one of Navasart’s repetition 2 weeks ago. It was 2 weeks before their big show of march the 3rd and 4th. All of it looked like a funny chaos : frenetic music of the orchestras repeating, girls working in one room, boys in another, some waiting their turn, lots of shouting debates on how to do this and that and who and where and HEY ! Usual haygagan mess in action ! lol
Navasart is an amateur troup but had a glorious time and has performed in lots prestigious Halls of France and all around the world. What I liked the most in their show last saturday, is the rebirth concept which is the base of this troup that also assume without complex its duality : Armenian troup of diaspora and of France. Traditions in the present ways, and more specifically the French cultural way. Their Hayastan show is original, nice, sympathic, and gives a rather optimist vision of Armenian’s ancient history, rich culture, and continuing existence.
About the danse, I personally prefer Yeraz’s work but it’s a totally different thing and both troup enrich the danse field in their own way (Yeraz is a younger danse troup, created in 2000 by an ex-danser of Navasart, Christina Galstian-Agoudjian, so that there’s always a little competition between the 2 – some pride fight - To me Yeraz have the advantage of a powerful, expressive and full of emotion way to danse, but that’s just my subjective preference).
Anyway, the eternal rebirth concept is also certainly great for an artistic work.

This said, I can know talk about Armenia Sacra, the Louvre exhibition that begun few weeks ago. Marvellous to see all this Armenian historic pieces in the solemn rooms of the Louvres. The exhibition begins in the medieval part of the museum and is developed near the Greek antic sculptures gallery, 2 steps from the Caryatides Room. Beauty everywhere and Armenia amongst all of it.

Unfortunately taking pics was forbidden and here’s the only pics I have. I went there last friday, during the night opening day of the museum so it was more quiet than usual. I was with a non-Armenian friend that studies at the Louvres school, so the sharing of our points of view was really nice (the apprentice specialist of Art’s history and the Armenian one), we both learnt much together. I hardly saw Armenians in this Armenian exhibition (which is rare enough to be mentioned), the major part of visitors where French and tourists ! :o))
I only met a little group of AGBU’s sport section friends, and to give you the most complete vision of the exhibition, the basket-ball section responsible Raffi’s comment was : “lots of stones!” :o)) Also true yes ! But after all, Armenia itself is a land of stones!

A month of conferences is opening next week at the Louvres auditorium, and around Armenia Sacra. Hope that I could enter this time ! The last conference I tried to go to was complete 30min before its beginning : about medieval Armenia in the Cluny museum, with Jannic Durand, chief conservative of the Louvres (also responsible of Armenia Sacra), Jean-Pierre Mahé and Claude Mutakian (great specialists of Armenian history I’ve already mentioned here), and an unknown one which name I forgot. Forgotten because I couldn’t assist the conference. Complete, closed doors we found, this is also rare enough to be mentioned… even if raging. I’ll take my chance with the others coming soon !

Sarian’s paint are in Issy-les-Moulineaux playing card museum… what a common place ! I’m joking, but i was to the Louvres friday, saw Navasart saturday, and when Sarian came sunday, it was like having done one of the regular tours of Sati Tour or anything else in Armenia ! truly amongst so much events, it’s nearly becoming common although it’s really rare to see it here. So Sarian’s sunny colors invaded Issy-les-Moulineaux that also welcome with numerous trumpets the year of Armenia. I even found a book in Armenian illustrated by Sarian’s drawing, Tevavor Mdker – (“winged thoughts”) from Issahakian, sold in the museum, and which sales go directly to Sarian’s museum. Chapeau ! And it’s really not finished… Even the annual Salon de l'agriculture is welcoming Armenia next week !

Do you want giddiness ? It's the

Nava Sarata (Amanor)

My Dearest cilicians. How the hell are you doing?

As I practice and study old religions I am so happy that the Newrooz is coming. 11th August is our Amanor, the old Navasart, the antique Indo-European Nava Sarada or Nava Serhada. (Gh. Alishán – Hetanosakan Gronk Hayotz, Venice, 1895, p. 20). The fire that renews the nature also renews our souls and projects, our ideas…our horizon.


December and January

2006 has been a great year. Lots of things happened and the way it ended was totally weird.

This is one of the surprises of 2006-2007. The first CD of LOS ARMENIOS.

Los Armenios is an Argentinean band that plays rock in Armenian. We compose the songs and we also do covers of Armenian classic (joghovërtagan) songs. After playing in many famous places in Buenos Aires we decided to record our very first record called SPYURKASDAN – Republica Diaspora.
It has 11 songs a great booklet with all the lyrics in Armenian and the translation in spanish as well. What I can say is that it will be the art revelation of the year, at least for our community.
Check out the http://www.losarmenios.com/ soon and you’ll see how we look and what we do.

Marcelo Kevorkian (Duduk/Shvi), Mariela Moumdjian (Vocals), Juan Abadjian (Guitars), Pablo Kaloustian (Drums), Gabriel Giogourtzian (Bass)

We are still planning a big gig for the official launching of the CD in May, I will keep you noticed about this.

About HaShiSh.

Hashish is an Argentinean power trio that resides in Buenos Aires. I play the guiar and sing in the band. Since the year 2000 we have been performing our art, a fuzz chord joint, and sticky pop melodies, generating our own so-called genre known as PPC (Caucasian Power Punq or simetric punk). Hashish songs are performed in different languages, Spanish, Armenian and English mostly.
Our main goal is to present an honest energy of universal, multi-cultural and originally chaotic musical proposal to every place in the world.

We also edited, after three years fighting for it, our first record. Thanks to the Gogortiloz Foundation (London) and others, we made that dream to be true.

We launched the CD at the Teatro Stella Maris of San Isidro city, near Buenos Aires. It was one of the most weird and bizarre shows we have ever did. 18 songs non stop, and lots of surprises. Mr. Raul Oscar Alonso, a great scholar of Argentina, in the middle of the show, offered a speech about the Armenians and the Vasques. He declared that “The Caucasus is a privileged region because of its people, its soil and countless other subjects. I’m not an Armenian descendent, I’m a vasque descendent.
Recent history and recent history researchers – to be more precise- have discovered that the “Euskaros” had an unknown original land. This theory is certain nowadays. They are “Caucasus” descendents. That means that the “Euskaros” were Armenian-like.
Why I’m stating this? For several reasons that researchers have detected. Because it’s a topic I’m interested and because I have a great deal of Armenian friends. Through this line of investigation, I discovered –for example- that my skull, Euskarian skull, it’s a “Caucasian Skull”.”

HaShish Alive. 22nd December 2006.

The surprise: Pedrito, Shara and Sevak Lechuga.

It was year 2000, while I used to spent the 99,99% of my time on the internet. One day I found the www.kotayknights.com website. It was incredible! ! ! After 1998 and my first trip to Armenia, I became a big fan of Kotayk Beer, the best of the planet. So there was a group of Armenians in Los Angeles that run a beer club called Kotayknights. I sent to Pedro Zarokian, chief commander, one song about the Kotayk Beer called My HaShiSh. Years has gone fast… On late November I received an email from Pedro (After Years without news about him) telling me that he was to arrive on Dec. 22nd to Buenos Aires, just the date we were about to play in the Teatro for the CD launching. So guess what??? Check out this Video if you didn’t figure out yet…
So we opened a Kotayk Beer on stage, brought by Pedro, from Yerevan to Los Angeles, and from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires.

Pedro Zarokian speaking to the audience in Buenos Aires. He is up to open the Kotayk Beer. One of my dreams came true. The power of a song made it real.

The after-show

Pedro came with his group of friends, really lovely and nice people. We hang out many nights in Buenos Aires and they made me feel like a kind young ambassador of our nice community.
I met Shara and Sevak, both great guys of Los Angeles. We went together to Iguazu Waterfalls, where we drunk lots of beers to get a better view of it, hehehe. I learned lots of Los Angeles slang as the myth of the Hootchie Mamas among other cultural concepts. See an example of cultural exchange in T.G. Friday's Buenos Aires.

Me, Pedrito, Sevak Lechuga and Sharita at the Sardarabad Newspaper building at Armenia St. Buenos Aires.

Genocide News

It is said that Argentina recognized the Armenian Genocide by law. I am not sure this is a pure recognition because the law is not complete as it has to be. It does not mention the year it has been perpetrated and nothing about the Ottoman-Turks or the Turkish State, really poor.

About Dink

There have been two main activities on the death of Dink, considering it happened in the main époque of Vacations for the Armenians in Buenos Aires. On Sunday there will be the Hokehankisd for him.
Now it seems that there is a new fashion of Turkish scholars writing about us. I hope its all honest prewriting.

I am still waiting for other countries that suffered genocides to recognize the Armenian one…You know, the excuse that those nations supports us but not the government are empty sentences. They all are democratic systems and, if you still believe in democracy, the rule is that is representative, so the people has the power to choose.

Nothing more to be said…

Happy Trndez for Everyone ! ! !
Jump on the holy fire!

PS: Maybe HaShiSh will land on Los Angeloz soon...stayed tuned. Shoes Are Cool.