‘SPIRIT OF ARMENIA!’ TAKES FLIGHT ON THE WINGS OF TRADITION
By Don Heckman, Special to The Times
Los Angeles Times, CA
July 31 2007
WORLD MUSIC REVIEW
"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.
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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.