Vahagn Hayrapetyan - Strike up the Band

Vahagn Hayrapetyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia on August 30, 1968. Graduated from the music school after P.I. Tchaikovsky and Yerevan State Conservatory as pianist and composer. Vahagn's exceptional manner of playing has evolved for years - carried away with jazz in his early years, he learnt from such jazz be - bop legends as Barry Harris and Frank Hewitt in New York and worked and share stages with many legendary jazz musicians,such as Elvin Jones,Jimmie Lovelace , Charles Davis,Leroy Williams,Ari Roland,Zaid Nasser, Chris Byears, Yaala Baalin, Keith Baala, Jason and Delfeo Marsalis and many more. He recorded and released three albums in NEW ORLEANS - ”Love for sale” with Clarence Johnson III, “Tripp to New Orleans” with Johnny Vidakovich and Ed Wise and “Bop it up” with Wendell Brunious,Brice Winston, Bill Huntington and Jason Marsalis.

Vahagn participated in many international jazz festivals such as Jazz Jamboree, St. Petersburg International Jazz Festival, Moscow vocal International Jazz Festival (in 1997, 1998 and 1999, accordingly), New Orleans Jazz Fest du Maurier, Montreal Jazz Festival etc. www.vahagnhayrapetyan.com

This album is a classic hardbop and embodies the atmosphere of New York clubs 50-60.

Tracklist: 

01. Royal Roost Blues
02. Yerevan
03. Strike Up The Band
04. Aman Tello
05. Kele, Kele
06. Evil Gal Blues
07. These Foolish Things
08. Bearly Beloved
09. It's A Wonderful World
10. Kakavic

Credits:

Vahagn Hayrapetyan - piano
Zaid Nasser - alto saxophone
Ari Roland - double bass
Keith Balla - drums
Yaala Ballin - vocal