Tigran Hamasyan Blends Armenian Folk with Jazz, Plays Like a Child

“I’m closer to a filmmaker who tells stories with a specific vision than someone who preserves tradition.”

In a recent written interview, Armenian-born pianist Tigran Hamasyan (39) discussed his perspective on “traditional music.” He will perform as the headliner, the headline act, on the final day of the Jarasum Jazz Festival, held over three days from the 9th to the 11th in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Hamasyan has long blended his homeland’s folk music with jazz, progressive metal, and other genres on the keyboard, reinterpreting the roots of ancient traditions in a modern way. A “jazz prodigy” who won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition at 19 in 2006. A famous anecdote is jazz legend Herbie Hancock praising his performance by saying, “Now you are my teacher.”

Hamasyan grew up listening to rock music by Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, and Yes through his father, “music that seemed far from jazz or tradition from the age of one.” As an adult, after listening to jazz musicians Jan Garbarek and Ralph Towner, he “rediscovered Armenian folk music, my own roots.” “In their improvisations, which differed from the bebop idioms I was familiar with, I sensed hues reminiscent of Armenian folk music, and since then, I’ve delved into folk music from around the world.” Hamasyan noted, “The intensity of Armenian dance connects with the energy of heavy metal.”

His February-released album *Manifeste* (Manifeste·Declaration) serves as a retrospective of his past 20 years of music. He explained that it includes themes such as “the role of an artist, experiences of war viewed through a child’s eyes, the meaning of centuries-old traditions in the AI era, and religious experiences.” He later stated, “Whether we want it or not, technology is part of daily life, and today, it’s impossible to create art completely separated from AI technology.” Instead, he emphasized to creators, “Long-term learning and time spent focusing alone are crucial,” and “one must deeply understand what their creations mean and the impact they have.” The lessons he learned from his idols—Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Brad Mehldau—were “humility and continuous exploration.”

Known for his complex meter and polyrhythm performances, he said, “I don’t count the beats one by one when playing.” “Music must first feel good. Otherwise, making it complicated is meaningless.” When asked what has remained unchanged between his 19-year-old self, who won the competition, and now, he replied, “I still play with music like a child.” To him, jazz is “a way to explore my inner world,” and he hopes “this exploration resonates with the audience, allowing them to escape the material world and embark on a journey.”

◇ Jazz in Autumn… Jazz Stars’ Performances Line Up in the Second Half of the Year

This second half of the year will see several renowned jazz masters visit Korea, including Hamasyan. Nate Smith, a Grammy Award-winning drummer who won two awards at this year’s Grammys, and Cuban-born jazz pianist Alfredo Rodriguez—famous for being selected by Michael Jackson’s producer Quincy Jones—will perform as headliners on the 9th and 10th, respectively, at the Jarasum Jazz Festival.

The UK-based five-piece jazz band Ezra Collective, making their first solo Korean performance on the 8th at Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, is also not to be missed. The group showcases jazz’s infinite expandability by crossing genres like Afrobeat, hip-hop, and funk. They won the UK Mercury Prize in 2023, the first jazz act to do so. On the 20th and 21st, Kenny G, the saxophonist most beloved by Koreans, will hold his first Korean performance in two years at the Grand Theater of Donghae Culture and Arts Center at Kwangwoon University in Seoul. On the 23rd, American saxophonist Joshua Redman, a global jazz legend, will perform his quartet’s first Korean show in 12 years at Yonsei University’s Centennial Hall Concert Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.

Various jazz vocal performances will also follow. On the 17th, Michael May, a male jazz vocalist nominated for two Grammy Awards this year, will hold his first solo Korean concert at Yes24 Live Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. His performances are characterized by layering vocals using a looper station in real time. Next month, domestic and international jazz divas will take the stage at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. On November 22, Diana Krall, whose eight albums topped the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart, will perform in Korea after 10 years. On November 25, Woongsan, Korea’s representative jazz vocalist, will present a concert celebrating his 30th anniversary.

Additionally, on the 11th, T-Square, a band symbolizing Japanese fusion jazz, will perform at Yonsei University’s Grand Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. From November 19–20, Stacey Kent, an American jazz vocalist who has collaborated with Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro on lyrics, will hold performances at LG Art Center in Seoul and HD Art Center in Ulsan.