49 replies to this topic

[Maral]

IT WAS GREATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Edited by Maral, 30 July 2007 - 06:24 PM.

[Shahan Araradian]

IT WAS GREATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

YES! Awesome! And what a turn out! I liked the juxtaposition of so many different styles of Armenian music...

They were all great, but Element band was my favorite. The vocalist I think is worth meeting

LOL... Andy! (That guy really stands out in a crowd )

Hope to see this again next year, or in 6 months.

Not much on YouTube yet except this short clip showing that ARMY of Armenian dancers!

Edited by Shahan Araradian, 30 July 2007 - 10:41 PM.

[Aratta-Kingdom]

http://www.calendarl...0,3986213.story


WORLD MUSIC REVIEW
'Spirit of Armenia!' takes flight on the wings of tradition






"Spirit of Armenia!" at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday was all that and more -- a veritable open-air marketplace of sounds, sights and rhythms from the republic. And with a lengthy program dedicated to traditional and contemporary music, it was also a fascinating display of the global reach of Armenian culture.

For many Western listeners, the most instantly recognizable Armenian musical element is the sound of the duduk. A double-reed instrument with a gripping, vocal-like quality, it has become the atmospheric element of choice for exotic films ("The Gladiator," "Syriana," "Dead Man Walking," to name only a few). And it was present on the program in its fullest blossom via the playing of the duduk ensemble the Winds of Passion and, especially, by the extraordinary work of the instrument's most famous virtuoso, Djivan Gasparyan. Although he played only two numbers, Gasparyan's capacity to evoke emotional intensity from a seemingly rudimentary instrument was convincing testimony to his great artistry.



Like Gasparyan's, singer Hovhannes Shahbazyan's performance was highlighted by its connection to traditional elements. Winding adroitly through note-bending melismas, he recalled the ageless qualities of ancient modal melody before driving into an irresistible flow of body-moving rhythms.

A lineup of contemporary Armenian singers -- male vocalists Adiss and Sako and the supple-voiced Silva Hakobyan -- found connections with the borderless qualities of international pop without departing from their native roots.

Another mono-named performer, Andy, garbed as a Western rock 'n' roller, weighed in more heavily on the faceless, global-pop side of the ledger.

The local aspect of Armenian music was well represented by the San Fernando Valley-based Element Band, balancing engaging vocal harmonies with a cross-fertilization of sounds and attitudes. As with the other pop-oriented performers, whispers of rock, Middle Eastern rhythms, even traces of bossa nova and bolero drifted amiably through the music.

[hagopn]

It was good to see so many compatriots from the stage. I was the only Armenian dude playing sax.

[MosJan]

It was good to see so many compatriots from the stage. I was the only Armenian dude playing sax.

dude wan will you start playing our duduk from that stage

[hagopn]

dude wan will you start playing our duduk from that stage

After I visit you--

[MosJan]

[Maral]

[rostom]

 IMG_5669s.jpg   156.66KB   6 downloads

[AVO]

Flickr album with bunch of pictures from the event. Thank you Mark Scott

http://www.flickr.co...4196525/?page=2