Armen Boyajian is a jazz pianist and violinist based in Charlotte, NC. Originally from Binghamton, NY, he studied violin with Marianne Wallenberg, played in youth symphony, and took classes at the Eastman School of Music. While Armen is appreciative of classical music (many of his fellow high school musicians, e.g. Jim Wallenberg and Peter Kaman, went on to classical careers; and percussionist Pat Hollenbeck to a career as a conductor/arranger at New England Conservatory and the Boston Pops), jazz has been his focus, initially on violin with the first Air Apparent in Washington, DC. This straight-ahead quartet was the incubator for rising jazz stars Frank Kimbrough, Ed Howard, and Steve Williams.

Breaking news: Armen's moved to Charlotte, NC! For now, however, phone remains 706-373-0695 and e-mail armenb@comcast.net. A shout-out to some of his new musical friends there, bassists Ron Brendle (see www.ronbrendle.com) and Elisa Pruett (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=132549825), drummer/pianist Steve Gordon, pianist Bill Gerhardt, trumpeter/vocalist Jon Thornton, and saxophonist John Alexander. There are many good musicians here!

Armen's interest in jazz blossomed in 1970 when he saw Miles Davis perform in Binghamton, NY with a very electric band including Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Grossman, Airto and Dave Holland. Armen was blown away by this concert and the fusion music of that era. He studied classical violin while attending University of Rochester at Eastman with Oliver Steiner, played in the All-University Symphony, and took a jazz improvisation class. More important, he was exposed to great musicians like Phil Markowitz and Alan Broadbent (both were at Eastman during this era). Following graduation from Rochester in 1975, Armen received his MA from State University of New York, which had a pretty active music scene -- Armen got to play with pianist Lee Musiker, study with Peter Marsh of the Lennox Quartet (artists-in-residence at the time) and play in the Harpur Orchestra. After graduate school, he moved to Washington, DC in 1978, sharing a group house with fellow pianist Dan Latt.

In Washington, Armen began playing with guitarist Paul Bollenback, who introduced Armen to 15-year-old bassist Ed Howard, and Air Apparent began. Larry Scott was the first pianist in the violin-fronted quartet, but when Armen heard NC pianist Frank Kimbrough at a jam session at One Step Down, he made a change of personnel. Joe Link was the first Air Apparent drummer but replaced not long after by Steve Williams. In 1982, Steve joined Shirley Horn for 25-year association with the late singer/pianist from DC -- see http://www.abrushfire.com Ed went on to play with Roy Haynes, Clifford Jordan, Bob Berg, Steve Wilson, Randy Brecker, Joe Locke, Shirley Horn., and many others. Frank Kimbrough has lived in New York since 1982 and has received significant critical acclaim on his own, as a member of the Jazz Composers Collective, for his work with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, see http://www.frankkimbrough.org

Between 1978 and 1982, Air Apparent had a great run in DC, playing Blues Alley, Carter-Barron Amphitheater, and the Wharf, in Alexandria, VA. Armen moved to New York in 1982. Curtis Lundy, Clifford Barbaro, Onaje Allan Gumbs, and Stafford James played with Air Apparent between 1982-1985 in New York. Armen moved to Baltimore in 1985 and made the transition to piano around that time, having used the piano to hear and understand jazz voicings and chord changes. Armen learned a great deal from Kimbrough and Marc Copland (see http://www.marccopland.com) , who had studied with Lennie Tristano. Beginning in 1986 Armen led a quartet featuring Sheila Ford on vocals at the Inner Harbor Hyatt, and also played with Dennis Chambers, Vince Loving, Gary Thomas, George Colligan, Tim Murphy, Paul Gill, and Bob Butta. Armen lived in Augusta, GA from 1993 to 2007, playing with the Word of Mouth Band with former James Brown bassist David Weston. He's also played at the Partridge Inn (1997-2002), Augusta Country Club, West Lake Country Club, the Pinnacle Club and the Aiken Jazz Festival, among other venues.

Thanks to Mike Rhoden for web design -- m_rhoden@hotmail.com -- he is also a jazz guitarist, composer and recording engineer, who recorded and mastered the music you hear on this site. Armen also thanks Erik Hargrove ( www.erikhargrove.com), George Sykes, Eric Hillman, Michael Peele, Rick Hawkins, Andrew Clemons (www.dispatch.com) Wycliffe Gordon, Buzz Clifford, Chris Mangelly, Greg Alewine, Tim Blackwell, Michael Dease http://www.mikedease.com, Wayne Preston, David Weston, David Heath, James McIntyre, Kevin Hyde, Todd Edmunds, Craig Butterfield, Mike West, Joel Cruz, Travis Shaw, Fabio Mann, Joshua Marks, and undoubtedly a few I've forgotten!

Armen's operating philosophy is quite simple: find the best musicians you can, challenge them with originals and fresh arrangements, but lead with a light touch. Air Apparent was an incubator for some of the best jazz musicians of today! One night around 1982, great trumpeter Wallace Roney (then around 18 years old) came up to Armen at a gig they were co-headlining at American University in DC. Wallace said, “Who are these guys?” (referring to Frank, Ed and Steve). Are they from New York?” Armen said no, Ed’s from Northeast DC, Frank's from Roxboro, NC, and Steve is from Silver Spring. Wallace said “Well, they sound like they’re from New York!” That pretty much summed it up!

05/09/08

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