Armen Chakmakian - Caravans (2004)

19 Jun, 19:06
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Artist: Armen Chakmakian
Title: Caravans
Year Of Release: 2004
Label: TruArt Records [TR 43211-2]
Genre: Jazz, New Age, World
Quality: FLAC (image + .cue,log,scans) | MP3/320 kbps
Total Time: 58:51
Total Size: 373 MB(+3%) | 139 MB(+3%)
WebSite: Album Preview

Tracklist

1. Fire Dance 5:17
2. Spirits Ride 6:16
3. Caravans 6:12
4. El Mirage 5:07
5. Without A Word 6:14
6. September 3:16
7. Trio 5:22
8. Hope Rising 5:20
Birdsong Medley
9. Journey Home 2:05
10. Birdsong 5:17
11. Journey's End 3:28
12. Last Dance 4:42

One time Shadowfax keyboardist Armen Chakmakian makes music that fuses jazz, world, and New Age modes into moody swirls of atmospheric sound. Among the many elements of Chakmakian's aesthetic is a distinctive Balkans-gypsy flavor: winding minor-key melodies that can be traced directly to the artist's Armenian roots. But while CARAVANS has its share of Slavic soul, as the evocative piano phrases of "Spirits Ride" attests, this is not the primary style of the album.

Compositions like "El Mirage" recall breezy, expansive piano pop on the order of Bruce Hornsby and the Range, while the title track nods to the broad appeal of melodic, guitar-heavy exotica like the Gipsy Kings. Chakmakian is equally effective on ballads as he is on faster-moving, jazz-influenced tracks, and the burbling backdrop of percussion (including John Bilezikjian on oud) keeps the mixture moving along at a nicely textured clip. Overall, CARAVANS combines genres in a way that should appeal to fans of Eastern European folk, New Age, and smooth jazz.

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