The newly published English edition of Jazz in Armenia, authored by the late Armen “Chico” Tutunjyan — an honored artist of the Republic of Armenia, acclaimed jazz musician, drummer, jazz historian, founder and bandleader of the “Chico & Friends” jazz group, and the creator and host of the “Jazz Time” television show—was recently presented at the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s center in Yerevan. In an interview with Aravot.am, Hayk Tutunjyan, the son of Armen Tutunjyan, stated that the primary objective of releasing the book in English is to popularize the rich 85-year history of Armenian jazz in its native language of jazz, English.
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As Hayk explained, the book was initially published in Russian and subsequently in Armenian. With its new English edition, millions of readers can now explore the vibrant jazz traditions of Armenia and the remarkable musicians who have shaped and continue to enrich this cultural landscape.
Several organizations and individuals have played a crucial role in bringing this project to fruition. A grant from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia helped cover a portion of the budget necessary for this publication.
Additionally, I would like to highlight the significant contributions of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), particularly the AGBU Headquarters in New York. As Tutunjyan notes, AGBU New York provides invaluable support not only for the publication of this book but also for the promotion of Armenian jazz and its artists of Armenian descent.
Thanks to the AGBU Arts Project, under the direction of pianist Hayk Arsenyan, we will soon have the opportunity to present Jazz in Armenia in the birthplace of jazz: the USA. Four events have already been confirmed as part of this initiative. On April 30th, coinciding with International Jazz Day, Jazz in Armenia will be presented in New York, followed by events in Boston on May 2nd, Dallas on May 3rd, and Los Angeles on May 4th. All of these presentations are organized with the support of AGBU and under the auspices of the Armenians in Jazz initiative of the AGBU Arts project. We are thrilled as we prepare for these presentation events, which will transform into Armenian jazz nights, featuring performances by the Armenians in Jazz Quartet, led by renowned jazz pianist Vardan Ovsepian, alongside outstanding American-Armenian jazz musicians, as Hayk Tutunjyan shares.
Hayk Tutunjyan noted that the publication project received support from the German-Armenian cultural association NOAH, as well as DiliJazz Hotel and Restaurant. The book was published by the “Sarer” cultural nonprofit organization. Tutunjyan emphasized that Jazz in Armenia could serve as a unique calling card for the promotion of Armenian jazz culture worldwide. The book features over 70 special QR codes, allowing readers to watch and listen to exemplary performances of Armenian jazz while engaging with the text.
In his introduction of the book’s translator, Ruth Addison from the UK, Hayk mentioned that, unfortunately, Ruth was unable to attend the launch event. She sent a video greeting, which was screened during the event. “I very much enjoyed this journey with Chico, learning about how jazz came to Armenia. It was something that was completely new to me, and for me, it was an extremely educational experience. But this book is not about education. It’s also about entertainment, it’s about music, it’s about love for this genre and love for Armenia. I really enjoyed working on this project. I very much hope that you will enjoy reading the book,” said Ruth Addison, who translated the book from Chico’s original text written in Russian.
Gohar Hakobyan
