Benefit concert for Artsakh refugees to be held in Boston

Join Armenian American musicians for a night in support of Artsakh refugees. Co-sponsored by the Zoravik Activist Collective, “The Mountains Remember: Benefit Concert for Artsakh Refugees” will be held on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at 8 p.m. at the Square Root in Roslindale, Massachusetts.

The benefit concert will feature John Baboian (jazz guitar), Raffi Semerdjian (folk art guitar), Yalla Hilda (guitar – Laura Zarougian, drums – Michael Alan Hams), Armadi Tsayn Duo (oud – Samuel Sjostedt, upright bass – Filippo Goller) and The Tony Donatalle Jazz Quartet (details TBD).

Weaving a thread between traditional folk songs, electric jazz, twangy songwriting and loop pedals, these artists gather inspiration from their ancestral homeland while exploring new, universal sounds. The evening will showcase five artists who are broadening our definition of what it means to make Armenian music.

On Sept 19, after a nine-month blockade, Azerbaijan attacked the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh. Over 100,000 Armenians were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands. Proceeds from the show will be donated to Tufenkian Artsakh Refugee Relief, which is providing housing, education and mental health support for the refugees.

Guitarist, composer and educator John Baboian has been on the faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1980. Although best known for his work in the jazz and swing idioms, Baboian has performed in the classical, blues, rock, R&B, Latin and world music genres.

Raffi Semerdjian is a multimedia artist whose primary mediums are paint and poetry. Weaving imagery into lyrics, his longtime musical project, “Palm of Granite,” has cradled Semerdjian’s songwriting craft between his hometown of Los Angeles and his homeland of Armenia.

Yalla Hilda is a musical duo comprised of Armenian Cowgirl Laura Zarougian and her jazz-rocker husband, Michael Alan Hams. Together, they blend voices and songs into an eclectic experience, brimming with worldly rhythms and ideas.

Armadi Tsayn is a contemporary folk ensemble led by Samuel Sjostedt and Alek Surenian. The Boston-based group explores the melodies of Western Armenian and blends them with a touch of modernity.

The Tony Donatelle Jazz Quartet is comprised of Tony Donatelle (trumpet), Grigori Balasanyan (piano), Roy Zilbersher (bass) and Koren Berkovich (drums). They will be performing original compositions by Donatelle.

The benefit concert will be held at the Square Root, 2 Corinth St., Roslindale, Massachusetts, 02131. Admission is $20 at the door, $10 for students.