snobb
Along with Tigran's impressive 2011 album, "A Fable", "EP No.1" is a small beautiful release that came out the same year. It contains five songs influenced by South Caucasus folklore.
The music on here is quite different from your usual world fusion and sounds somewhere in-between of Tigran's post-bop works and his Aratta Rebirth band's classic fusion. The most attractive and interesting elements on this release are the tasteful use of the Armenian duduk (a national reed instrument) and the age-old folklore vocal traditions in combination with the post-bop/fusion keyboards and piano, plus the very modern electric/acoustic rhythm section and even some electronic effects.
Everyone familiar with the best Caucasus folklore knows of its very special magnetism (especially in vocal harmonies and explosive rhythms, its kind of a East meets West sound that is improved by ages of tradition). Here on this release, Tigran demonstrates one of best examples of a modern reading of this music from the jazz musician's position with a very careful and tasteful use of musical legacy.
This is a good entry release for newcomers who want to check out modern Caucasus folklore-based jazz.