Aram Bajakian (born 1977) is an American

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

of Armenian descent who has recorded and toured with

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, '' Billboard'' maga ...

, and with Madeleine Peyroux in 2018.Perlmutter, A
Aram Bajakian: Navigating New Territory
''

Premier Guitar ''Premier Guitar'' is a media company devoted to guitarists. It is based in Marion, Iowa, and it's staff is focused on creating the best website, videos, podcasts, and print/digital magazine for gearheads around the world. Interviews have include ...

, August 2014, accessed June 11, 2018''

Career

Bajakian received a Bachelor of Music degree from the

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, it ...

, where he studied under

Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in America. Although Lateef's main instruments ...

, a master's degree in Music Education from

Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (TC), is the graduate school of education, health, and psychology of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, it has served as one of the official faculties and ...

, and a Master of Music degree in Music Composition from the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...

, where he studied electronic music under

Keith Hamel Keith Hamel (born 1956 in Morden, Manitoba, Canada) is a composer, software designer, and professor of music. His music consists of orchestral, chamber, solo, and vocal music, often focussing on live electronics and interactivity between acou ...

Marc Ribot Marc Ribot (; born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer. His work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, rock, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Wait ...

introduced Bajakian to John Zorn, who released Bajakian's first album on

Tzadik Records Tzadik Records is a record label in New York City that specializes in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995. He is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases. Tzadik is a n ...

.Guitarist Aram Bajakian steps out of the shadows
''

The Georgia Straight ''The Georgia Straight'' is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Overstory Media Group. Often known simply as ''The Straight'', it is delivered to newsboxes, post-secondary schools, ...

'', accessed June 11, 2018 Bajakian moved with his family to Vancouver in 2013 so that his wife could pursue a degree in ethnomusicology at the University of British Columbia.

Discography

As leader

* ''

Aram Bajakian's Kef ''Aram Bajakian's Kef'' is the debut album by guitarist Aram Bajakian.Tzadik Catalogue: Aram Bajakian's ...

'' (Tzadik, 2011) * '' There Were Flowers Also in Hell'' (Sanasar, 2014) * ''Dálava'' (Sanasar, 2014) * ''There's Aways the Night'' with Pavees Dance (Noonansmusic, 2014) * ''Music Inspired by the Color of Pomegranates'' (Sanasar, 2015) * ''Dolphy Formations'' (Sanasar, 2017) * ''Dálava: The Book of Transfigurations'' (Songlines, 2017)

As sideman

Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz (born 1975 in Brooklyn, NY) is an American bassist and oud player who has recorded and performed extensively with Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits, Daniel Zamir's Satlah, Rashanim, and Pharaoh's Daughter, and John Zo ...

, '' Abraxas: Book of Angels Volume 19'' (Tzadik, 2012) *

Frank London Frank London (born 1958 in New York) is an American klezmer trumpeter who also plays jazz and world music. Early life London was born to a Reform Jewish family and grew up in New York and Connecticut. He started playing the trumpet in fourth g ...

, ''Austro Hungarian Jewish Music'' (Piranha, 2017) *

Jon Madof Jon Madof (born May 28, 1974) is an American guitarist, composer, and leader of the bands Rashanim and Zion80, who has performed extensively with other artists including John Zorn, Matisyahu, Marc Ribot, and Frank London. PopMatters' Sean Murphy ...

, ''

Zion80 ''Zion80'' is the debut album by guitarist Jon Madof's Zion80 which was released in 2013 on John Zorn's Tzadik Records as part the Radical Jewish Culture series. The album combines music written by Shlomo Carlebach performed in the Afrobeat style ...

'' (Tzadik, 2013) * John Zorn, ''

Psychomagia ''Psychomagia'' is the second album by Abraxas, led by Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, performing compositions written by John Zorn, which was recorded in December 2013 and released on the Tzadik label. Reception Martin Schray stated "these tracks are t ...

'' (Tzadik, 2014) * John Zorn, ''Masada Book 3: The Book Beri'ah'' (Tzadik, 2018)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bajakian, Aram American male guitarists 1977 births Living people University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni Teachers College, Columbia University alumni University of British Columbia School of Music alumni American jazz guitarists Guitarists from Massachusetts 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians