ECHOES VIGENHOVSEPYAN ECHOES VIGENHOVSEPYAN REVIVED ARMENIAN FOLK SONGS VOICE . GUITAR . CAJÓN . PERCUSSION . DUDUK 1 Msho Gorani 7 Talishu Jampan AN ARMENIAN FOLK SONG TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FOLK FROM MOUSH 8 Gulo 2 Naré AN ARMENIAN FOLK SONG TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FOLK FROM MOUSH 3 Hoy Nar 9 Drdo TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FOLK TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FOLK 4 Es Gisher 10 The Immigrant TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FOLK HÅVARD ENSTAD (1984– ) (WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING) 5 Ani MELODY–ANONYMOUS 11 Lusnyak Gisher LYRICS: ASHUGH JIVANI TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FOLK (1846-1909) (REDISCOVERED BY BOGHOS TOVMASYAN) 12 Sareri Hovin Mernem HOVHANESS BADALIAN 6 Tal Tala (1924–2001) AN ARMENIAN FOLK SONG FROM PALU FEATURED MUSICIANS Håvard Enstad Cello, Piano, Voice | Tracks 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Garegin Arakelyan Percussion, Voice, Kelstone Bass, Santoor, Pgaohú, Heckelphone | Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 GUEST MUSICIANS Ara Miqayel Harutyun Arsen Estela Dinkjian Voskanyan Chkolyan Petrosyan Broto Oud Tar Duduk, Zurna, Duduk Flute Track 2 Track 6 Pku Tracks 1, 4 Track 12 Tracks 3, 6, 7, 10 About THE Artist About THE Music Vigen Hovsepyan is a singer and multi- This album was produced with several instrumentalist of Armenian descent. A objectives in mind. First and foremost, it self-taught musician, he performs on the is a vehicle for the vocal talents of Vigen guitar, duduk, darbuka, bendir, and cajón. Born Hovsepyan, a self-taught musician who has in 1987, Hovsepyan grew up in the Erebuni split his time between Yerevan, Armenia district of Yerevan, Armenia. His interest and Barcelona, Spain. Virtually unknown, in music was immediately sparked when he Hovsepyan slipped underneath the radar of moved to Barcelona, Spain at the age of 14. talent scouts and burst onto the club scene By the age of 17, he was proficient in the in his native Armenia during the summer above referenced instruments. of 2015. At the time, he was marketed as a nuevo flamenco singer/guitarist/percussionist In addition to his current solo career, whose vocal mimicry of the likes of Camarón Hovsepyan was a member of both the HAV de la Isla was uncanny. He cut his teeth in Folk Trio and Barcelona Ethnic Band, both Barcelona clubs for years. Throughout his based on Barcelona, Spain. He has also typical three hour shows, he would drop an collaborated with Norwegian composer/ Armenian folk song or two into each set, pianist/cellist Håvard Enstad. Vigen putting audiences into a frenzy. Yet, there Hovsepyan currently resides in Yerevan, was more. In addition to singing and playing Armenia, where he maintains an active guitar, he would switch to performing on recording and touring schedule. the duduk, bendir, cajón, and dumbek all with fluidity and talent. Formal training or not, it was clear that Vigen Hovsepyan was a natural musician. MOST INFORMATION RELATED TO WHO WROTE WHAT WENT BY THE WAYSIDE AS MUCH OF THE ARMENIAN NATION WAS DESTROYED During conversations on what program to presented. The project was fortunate to present for this album, one thing became secure several influential guest artists such abundantly clear—Vigen Hovsepyan felt a as Ara Dinkjian (oud), Miqayel Voskanyan deep responsibility to present folk music (tar) as well duduk masters Harutyun in a tasteful, contemporary fashion. Here Chkolyan and Arsen Petrosyan. is that attempt to connect with a wider general world music audience. Most of the folk songs presented on this album have a bittersweet history. Due to the Another concern also centered around combined massacres of Armenians during Armenian folk songs “dying on the vine”. His the Hamidian (1894-1896) period as well as intent was to revive certain songs deemed the genocide starting in 1915 at the hands destined to be forgotten. Controversial of the Ottoman Turks, most information decisions (against the wishes of Armenian related to who wrote what went by the ethnomusicologists and purists) were made wayside as much of the Armenian nation regarding instrumentation, time changes, was destroyed. As such, only a handful of and arrangement styles. Additionally, songs have survived. Songs such as “Gulo” Hovsepyan enlisted the help of two and “Msho Gorani” can be attributed to the important collaborators in Norwegian-born, Moush (Mus) region of historical Armenia Barcelona-based composer and cellist/ (now in present day Turkey). In the case pianist Håvard Enstad as well as Garegin of “Gulo”, otherwise known as “Gyulizar’s Arakelyan, an important musical figure Lament”, the song is about a beautiful in Armenia. Both Enstad and Arakelyan Armenian girl from Moush who was helped shape the program by solidifying captured by Kurdish bandits and forcibly the unique musical arrangements Islamicized. Gulo eventually musters presented on this album. Enstad provided enough courage to go to the authorities to an important European classical influence affirm her Armenian identity, a celebrated while Arakelyan tapped into the Armenian trial ensues in Constantinople, and Gulo is “ethno-folk” elements of many of the songs released to go back to Moush where she SONGS SUCH AS “TAL TALA” WERE BROUGHT TO THE NEW WORLD WHERE THEY WERE SUNG AT WEDDINGS AND DANCES. remarries and is immortalized through this were sung at weddings and dances. Sadly, famous folk song. many of these songs never made it East to present day Armenia and as such, they Other songs also focus on regions or are largely unknown. With “Sareri Hovin villages such as Talish in the song “Talishu Mernem”, this is not the case. The legendary Jampan”. Talish has been lost and retaken vocalist Hovhaness Badalian wrote and by Armenians many times during its history. popularized this beautiful piece which is Most recently, it was the scene of a bloody known throughout Armenia. skirmish in 2016 when Armenian forces in Nagorno Karabagh successfully defended An original piece was written for this album it from Azerbaijani attacks. The song “Ani” by Håvard Enstad. Unofficially known as refers to the Armenian “City of 1001 “Drdo, Part 2” and later changed to “The Churches”, a ruined ancient medieval city Immigrant”, Enstad took inspiration from now in present day Turkey just over the the song, “Drdo”, which appears on this border from Armenia. The haunting Ashugh album. With its driving cello rhythms and Jivani (1846-1909) lyrics were rediscovered lively duduk solo, it is a fitting contemporary by ethnomusicologist Boghos Tovmasyan, composition while simultaneously paying saved from oblivion. tribute to the folk spirit of the album. In addition to the geographic locations, “Echoes: Revived Armenian Folk Songs” certain songs on this album are attributed is a work crafted in the spirit of not only to those who popularized them. “Tal Tala” preservation but reinvention. By digging comes from the historic Armenian region of up neglected folk songs and reinterpreting Palu. The song was introduced and recorded them, Vigen Hovsepyan has taken a bold by an Aleppo, Syria-born, Providence, step in reclaiming the dignity of those who Rhode Island (USA)-raised singer named created beautiful music by passing them on Maro Nalbandian. Songs such as “Tal Tala” to a new generation of Armenians and music were brought to the New World where they enthusiasts everywhere. Credits A POMEGRANATE MUSIC PRODUCTION PRODUCED BY RECORDED AND MASTERED AT Raffi Meneshian Gata Studio (Tracks 1-10) Yerevan, Armenia November 2015- May 2016 ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Garegin Arakelyan Laisla Estudio (Tracks 11, 12) Barcelona, Spain EXECUTIVE PRODUCER March 2015 Raffi Meneshian CREATIVE DIRECTOR/DESIGNER RECORDED AND MASTERED BY Arsineh Valladian Garegin Arakelyan (Tracks 1-10) PHOTOGRAPHY Mariam Gevorgyan Pablo Miranda Berta Martirosyan (Tracks 11, 12) SPECIAL CONSULTANT Martin Haroutunian LINER NOTES Raffi Meneshian Special Note: “The Immigrant” is composed and published by Håvard Enstad. Legal Stuff: © and Pomegranate Music 2017, except where noted. Manu- factured, distributed, and marketed exclusively by Pomegranate Music, San Leandro, CA USA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Unauthorized duplication, streaming, distribution or marketing of this product and its contents is strictly prohibited and is violation of applicable laws. Pomegranate Music MISSION STATEMENT Pomegranate Music is an debut solo album from independent record label Vigen Hovsepyan. currently based in Oakland, California, founded in 2001. Those Without Whom: We seek to record, market, and Natacha Samedi, Arsineh present eclectic talent who Valladian, Berta Martirosyan, share our vision of breaking Mariam Gevorgyan, Garegin new musical ground. Each of Arakelyan, Håvard Enstad, Ara our products feature detailed Dinkjian, Miqayel Voskanyan, liner notes, original design, and Harutyun Chkolyan, Arsen commissioned photography to Petrosyan, Estela Broto, Pablo fit the needs of the project at Miranda, Krikor Pidedjian, hand. We believe that artists are Martin Haroutunian, Nazeni more than just a catalog number Hovhannisyan or digital stream in a vast musical library. They deserve to And Vigen Hovsepyan be presented appropriately. Pomegranate Music Pomegranate Music is proud Raffi Meneshian, Owner to present “Echoes: Revived Oakland, California USA Armenian Folk Songs”, the www.pomegranatemusic.com .