Tigran Hamasyan - For Gyumri (LP)

Facts Vinyl LP pressing. 2018 release, the third recording from pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan. A companion to last year's An Ancient Observer, For Gyumri includes five songs. Hamasyan says of the two records: "These songs are musical observations about the world we live in now, and the weight of history we carry with us." Hamasyan named the album in tribute to his hometown of Gyumri, Armenia, where he was born in 1987 before relocating with his family to Los Angeles in 2003. He currently resides in Erevan, Armenia. Hamasyan began playing piano at the age of three and started performing in festivals and competitions when he was eleven, winning the Montreux Jazz Festival's piano competition in 2003. He released his debut album, World Passion, in 2005 at the age of seventeen. In addition to awards and critical praise, Hamasyan has built a dedicated international following, as well as praise from Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Brad Mehldau.