WATERTOWN, Mass.—The Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) is set to finish its 2009 “Jazz Nights @ ALMA” concert series with a performance featuring Armenian jazz musicians on the first Friday of every month for the remainder of the year. Each concert starts at 8 p.m. in the museum’s Contemporary Art Gallery, a venue where jazz enthusiasts can enjoy a collision of live music and intriguing ethnic art. Museum doors will open at 7:30 p.m. to give patrons the opportunity to see ALMA’s latest exhibits free of charge.
The Armen Donelian Trio will kick-start the series’ return from its summer hiatus on Oct. 2. Called “a pianist with a crystalline touch, but a penchant for avant gardism” by the New York Times, Armen Donelian will play a versatile set of original compositions with David Clark (bass) and George Schuller (drums).
Donelian recently made his musical mark in Greece where he taught and performed as a 2009 Fulbright Senior Specialist at Ionian University in Corfu and Nakas Conservatory in Athens. He has also taught and performed in Switzerland, Austria, Holland, and Israel since the start of the year. Donelian’s astounding career includes collaborations with jazz legends such as Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Paquito D’Rivera, Mongo Santamaria, and Billy Harper.
On Nov. 6, Steve Tashjian’s “Classic Groove” will take the stage to play renditions of jazz ballads and standards. Classic Groove features Tashjian (woodwinds), Paul Dillon (drums), Lee Lundy (bass), Gretchen Bostrom (vocals), Kevin Magarian (guitar), and Face (keyboards). Their upcoming performance will mark the group’s third appearance in the Jazz Nights series.
The Yulia Musayelyan Quartet will conclude the 2009 series on Dec. 4 with a combination of original compositions and arrangements, using folk rhythms from Argentina, Armenia, and other countries.
“Part of the repertoire of this group evolved from the exploration of my Armenian heritage,” says Musayelyan. “When I first heard the sound of Armenian folk music, I found to my surprise that this spirit was also coming from within. I began to transcribe folk tunes and playing them on the flute.” Her performance with Franco Pinna (drum), Fernando Huergo (bass), and a pianist will showcase the constant evolution of new sounds generated from a combination of original melodies, jazz improvisation, and extended techniques.
Tickets are $15 and include one complimentary glass of wine. (Tickets for ALMA members, JazzBoston members, and students (with proper ID) are $10.) To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.almainc.org. Supporters of ALMA’s 2009 Spring Sports Raffle Campaign may redeem the complimentary Jazz Nights @ ALMA tickets they received at one of the upcoming shows.
For more information about the Jazz Nights @ ALMA concert series or to watch past Jazz Nights @ ALMA videos, visit almainc.org/calendar_jazz.html.
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