Tigran Hamasyan: Manifeste

Tigran Hamasyan has established himself as one of the most remarkable and distinctive jazz-meets-rock pianists and composers of his generation. A piano virtuoso with formidable groove power, he seamlessly fuses potent jazz improvisation and progressive rock with the rich folkloric music of his native Armenia. His accolades include winning the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition in 2003, the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition in 2005, the Echo Jazz Award for International Piano Instrumentalist of the Year for his Nonesuch Records debut, Mockroot (2015), and the Deutscher Jazzpreis in 2021.

Hamasyan has earned praise from jazz luminaries, including Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau, and the late Chick Corea, while building a dedicated following worldwide. As NPR notes, “With startling combinations of jazz, minimalist, electronic, folk and songwriterly elements . . . Hamasyan and his collaborators travel musical expanses marked with heavy grooves, ethereal voices, pristine piano playing and ancient melodies. You’ll hear nothing else like this.” With Manifeste (2026), Hamasyan crystallizes his profound artistic vision, merging the mythical with the modern in a work that stands as both spiritual journey and sonic innovation.

Performers:

Tigran Hamasyan, piano
Yessaï Karapetian, keyboards
Evan Marien, bass
Arman Mnatsakanyan, drums

More information about Tigran Hamasyan can be found on his website (opens in a new tab).

The views expressed by performers during this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cleveland Museum of Art.