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Armen Nalbandian

Armen Nalbandian (born April 6, 1978 in Manchester, England) is a jazz pianist, composer, author, and activist from Los Angeles, California.

Highly influenced by Thelonious Monk, Nalbandian performs jazz, free & avant- garde jazz, improvised and experimental music. While his primary ensemble is the Armen Nalbandian Trio, he has led more than 30 different ensembles and composed over 1200 works ranging from music for string quartets, chamber music, orchestral music, electronic music, scores for theater, experimental hiphop, ‘Conduction’ pieces inspired by Butch Morris’ approach, new Japanese & Armenian inspired folk music, and John Zorn inspired "game pieces,” in addition to having performed a solo piano concert of Zorn’s Masada music with the encouragement and blessing of the composer. His active groups include the Armen Nalbandian Trio (w. Eric Revis & Nasheet Waits), Armen Nalbandian V (w. Jeff Parker, Chris Speed, Eric Revis, & Alex Cline), and the Armen Nalbandian 3 (w. Steve Lehman & Guillermo E. Brown)

Nalbandian cites witnessing a Cecil Taylor performance at LA’s Jazz Bakery when he was 19 years old as a major revelation and turning point in his life and career.

Armen Nalbandian is the protege of jazz pianist John Hicks, but also credits Bill Dixon, McCoy Tyner, as being important teachers in his artistic development in addition to learning invaluable lessons from jazz greats Charlie Haden, Jackie McLean, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Billy Higgins, Art Farmer, John Handy, and Harold Land.

Nalbandian has played and/or recorded with Billy Higgins, Han Bennink, Eric Revis, Nasheet Waits, Bennie Maupin, Jeff Parker, Chris Speed, Steve Lehman, Guillermo E. Brown, Derek Keller, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Tony Dumas, Carl Allen, & Alex Cline.

Nalbandian is also known for his multidisciplinary collaborations in visual and fine art which notably include a 4-year residency at the Fresno Art Museum where he served as Music Director/Artist-in-Residence. Additional collaborations have included original compositions featuring poets Sunni Patterson, Lee Herrick, and Tim Z. Hernandez; as a member of funk/soul artist Nino Moschella’s touring band for The Fix and Boom Shadow, composing and arranging the Music of Mexico for the Fresno Philharmonic, and composing the original experimental electronic score for The Artist’s Repertory Theater production of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Nalbandian established his own record label, Blacksmith Brother in 2006.

In 2008, Nalbandian was named as a finalist in the 2008 Gilles Peterson Worldwide Talent Search and has received considerable praise from his contemporaries including Dave Douglas, Susie Ibarra and Matthew Shipp who called Nalbandian “a truly great modern musician with an expansive understanding of the jazz tradition and then some.”

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Armen Nalbandian

Read "Take Five With Armen Nalbandian" reviewed by Blacksmith Brother


Meet Armen Nalbandian:Armen Nalbandian (b.1978 in Manchester, England) is a jazz pianist, composer and humanitarian.In addition to the piano, he has been known to perform on the prepared Fender Rhodes mechanical piano, and contributes to produce jazz, improvised and experimental music in California. Nalbandian is the composer of over 1200 works in addition to having led more than 20 different ensembles in the past decade. Nalbandian's compositions have included music for his trio, string quartets, orchestral ...

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Recording

Armen Nalbandian To Release New Solo Piano Album, Alis Grave Nil, On July 23rd

Armen Nalbandian To Release New Solo Piano Album, Alis Grave Nil, On July 23rd

Source: Blacksmith Brother

On July 23rd, 2014, pianist/composer Armen Nalbandian will release Alis Grave Nil (Blacksmith Brother Music), his tenth album as a leader and second solo piano album. Alis Grave Nil is the follow-up to Nalbandian's newly released Time Waits from earlier this year, and features original compositions by Nalbandian, Charlie Chaplin, Eubie Blake, Kendrick Lamar and more! About Armen Nalbandian Armen Nalbandian (b. 1978 in Manchester, England) is a jazz pianist, composer and humanitarian. In addition to the piano, he has ...

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Recording

Armen Nalbandian To Release Solo Piano Album, Time Waits On May 23rd

Armen Nalbandian To Release Solo Piano Album, Time Waits On May 23rd

Source: Blacksmith Brother

On May 23rd, 2014, pianist/composer Armen Nalbandian will release Time Waits (Blacksmith Brother Music), his ninth album as a leader and first solo piano album. Time Waits is also one of two solo piano albums that Nalbandian will be releasing this year and features several original compositions by Nalbandian as well as compositions by Thelonious Monk, Radiohead, and Hoagy Carmichael. About Armen Nalbandian Armen Nalbandian (b. 1978 in Manchester, England) is a jazz pianist, composer and humanitarian. In addition to ...

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Book / Magazine

Armen Nalbandian Publishes First Book: Portrait Of An Artist As A Young Improviser

Armen Nalbandian Publishes First Book: Portrait Of An Artist As A Young Improviser

Source: Blacksmith Brother

Musician Armen Nalbandian has published his first book; Portrait of an Artist as a Young Improviser, featuring essays and articles written during his tenure as Artist-in-Residence and Musical Director of the Fresno Art Museum, in addition to chronicling the creation if his classic album Manchester Born. From Blacksmith Brother: A look inside Armen Nalbandian's thought process as he created his classic album: Manchester Born and his performances throughout this time period. This book contains essays and entries written by Nalbandian ...

Recording

Armen Nalbandian To Commemorate 35th Birthday By Reissuing Entire Catalog

Armen Nalbandian To Commemorate 35th Birthday By Reissuing Entire Catalog

Source: Blacksmith Brother

To commemorate his 35th birthday, Armen Nalbandian and his record label Blacksmith Brother will be reissuing his entire back catalog on April 6th, 2013. Many of his recordings were limited pressings when originally released and will now be available at music retailers worldwide. Included in the releases are Nalbandian’s experimental “prepared” fender rhodes album, Young Kings Get Their Heads Cut Off & his acclaimed trio album, Manchester Born in addition to recordings featuring Han Bennink, Nasheet Waits and Eric Revis. ...

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Recording

Armen Nalbandian To Release 8th Album: Surrounded By Snakes

Armen Nalbandian To Release 8th Album: Surrounded By Snakes

Source: Blacksmith Brother

After weeks of speculation, Pianist/composer Armen Nalbandian announced via his twitter (@armennalbandian) on Friday afternoon that he would be releasing his 8th album entitled, Surrounded by Snakes, “very soon." Nalbandian’s record label, Blacksmith Brother, recently tweeted the vague “Beware the Ides of March” in late January, possibly hinting at a potential release date. Nalbandian's most recent albums, Quiet, as it's Kept featured Eric Revis and Nasheet Waits and Coup de Grace featured drummer Han Bennink. Nalbandian's most notable recent performances ...

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Recording

Armen Nalbandian to release new trio album with Nasheet Waits and Eric Revis, and duet album with Han Bennink on August 23rd

Armen Nalbandian to release new trio album with Nasheet Waits and Eric Revis, and duet album with Han Bennink on August 23rd

Source: Blacksmith Brother

On August 23rd, pianist/composer Armen Nalbandian will release two new recordings via his label Blacksmith Brother Music. The first being a live recording with drummer Han Bennink from January 2008 entitled Coup de Grace. The second being a follow-up to his 2007 trio recording Manchester Born, features Nalbandian on the fender rhodes and in a trio setting featuring bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits. The album comprises of all original compositions by Nalbandian and is entitled “Quiet, as it's ...

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Event

Armen Nalbandian & Little Dragon Perform May 24th

Armen Nalbandian & Little Dragon Perform  May 24th

Source: All About Jazz


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Performance / Tour

Armen Nalbandian Music Director for Poetry in Motion II

Armen Nalbandian Music Director for Poetry in Motion II

Source: All About Jazz


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Performance / Tour

Armen Nalbandian to Celebrate the Life & Music of J Dilla

Armen Nalbandian to Celebrate the Life & Music of J Dilla

Source: All About Jazz


"Armen Nalbandian is a truly great modern musician with an expansive understanding of the jazz tradition and then some. he has a completely open mind and big open ears. his work on prepared fender rhodes is a revelation to someone like me who grew up hearing that instrument in the way it was used in the 70s. armen can massage the jazz and can find the music and beauty in noise." —Matthew Shipp

"extemely tuneful and organic music with a real group synergy, plus a wonderful negotiation between accessibility and a true spirit of adventure. highly recommended!"

- d.d. jackson

“after hearing armen nalbandian’s new cd, I can say that armen has found a personal voice in expressing a music that is so clearly a part of his soul. he brings to his improvisations and organization to his arrangements. he has a touch and playfulness reminiscent of thelonious monk , and a feeling of swing that is natural and easy.”

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Holy Ghost

Blacksmith Brother Music
2018

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Time Waits

Blacksmith Brother Music
2014

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unreleased non-album...

Blacksmith Brother Music
2014

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Alis Grave Nil

Blacksmith Brother Music
2014

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Surrounded by Snakes

Blacksmith Brother Music
2013

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Coup de Grace

Blacksmith Brother Music
2011

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Mr. Hicks

From: unreleased non-album track from...
By Armen Nalbandian

Strike Through

From: Quiet As It's kept
By Armen Nalbandian

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