Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...

's first

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

band was formed in 1936, by composer and trumpeter Tsolak Vardazaryan. In 1938, composer

Artemi Ayvazyan Artemi (Harutyun) Ayvazyan ( hy, Արտեմի Այվազյան, russian: Артемий Айвазян; June 26, 1902 – November 14, 1975) was a Soviet Armenian composer, conductor, founder of the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra, and People' ...

founded the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra, the first in the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

. The orchestra's first drummer Robert Yolchyan became an important artist of Soviet and Armenian jazz, developing his own style over time and continuing to play and give master-classes until his death in early 2000s. Other jazz bands were founded in

Nairi Cinema Nairi Cinema ( hy, Նաիրի կինոթատրոն (''Nairi kinotatron'')), is the second-largest cinema hall in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, located on the intersection of Mashtots Avenue with the Isahakyan street at the central Kentron Dist ...

, Yerevan Park of Communars, and others. In 1954,

Konstantin Orbelyan Konstantin Aghaparonovich Orbelyan ( hy, Կոնստանտին Օրբելյան; russian: Константин Агапаронович Орбелян; July 29, 1928 – April 24, 2014) was an Armenian pianist, composer, head of the State Estrada Or ...

organized an Estrada quintet for Armenian Radio. In 1966, young composer Martin Vardazaryan founded the Estrada Orchestra, renamed in the 1970s as the Estrada Symphonic Orchestra under the direction of Melik Mavisakalyan and Yervand Yerznkyan. Then Stepan Shakaryan founded the jazz sextet Radio, and jazz trios were founded by

David Azaryan David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

and Artashes Kartalyan. Jazz pianist Levon Malkhasian ("Malkhas") founded his jazz trio with Armen Toutounjyan ("Chico") and Arthur Abrahamyan. In 1998, Malkhas become one of the initiators of the

Yerevan International Jazz Festival Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and in ...

. In 2009

Garik Saribekyan Garik Saribekyan (born 26 April 1970 in Yerevan, Armenia) is a composer and musician, band lead and founder of Nuance Jazz Band. Garik is widely regarded as one of the most notable characters on the Armenian jazz stage, and has been named Honoura ...

founded his "

Nuance Jazz Band Nuance Jazz Band is an Armenian ethnic jazz sextet active since 2009. Founded and led by Garik Saribekyan, Nuance is one of the most recognised and ethnically sounding bands on Yerevan jazz stage. History Nuance Jazz Band was founded in 200 ...

", which performs ethnic jazz. Among the leading modern jazz musicians are conductor and pianist Armen Martirosyan, pianists

Vahagn Hayrapetyan Vahagn Hayrapetyan ( hy, Վահագն Հայրապետյան) (born August 30 1968) is a jazz pianist, singer and composer. Honored Artist of Armenia. Biography Vahagn Hayrapetyan was born in Yerevan in the family of fiddler Karapet Hayrapetyan ...

("Petian"), Vardan Ovsepian, and

Tigran Hamasyan Tigran Hamasyan ( hy, Տիգրան Համասյան; born July 17, 1987) is an Armenian jazz pianist and composer. He plays mostly original compositions, which are strongly influenced by the Armenian folk tradition, often using its scales and mod ...

, and saxophonist Armen Hyusnunts.

References

Armenian Jazz 70. The past and present of Armenian Jazz
{{Jazz

See also

References