Tigran Hamasyan: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Suraya Mohamed | November 11, 2020
Pianist Tigran Hamasyan settled down in his home country of Armenia during the pandemic, and took the opportunity to catch up on projects that have been lingering, unfinished, for years. For a touring musician, it's one of the few benefits of the COVID-19 lockdown, having the time to get things done and engage with new work.

Tigran first wowed me in 2006. Earlier that year, he'd won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and his performance at the John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts for NPR's annual Jazz Piano Christmas program was truly memorable. I've been following him and his robust discography ever since.

The first performance in his Tiny Desk (home) concert, "Road Song," features a melody Hamasyan wrote in 2008, but recorded with a quintet on his imaginative 2013 album, Shadow Theater. He frequently plays a solo version of it live, but had never played it alone in a studio until now. That's followed by "Our Film," from Hamasyan's latest and most enterprising release, The Call Within. This performance mirrors the intensity and sentimentality of the album version, but here it's more intimate and fanciful. The last tune, "A Fable," is the title track of his 2011 solo album, which was inspired by 13th century Armenian writer Vardan Aygektsi.

SET LIST
"Road Song"
"Our Film"
"A Fable"

MUSICIANS
Tigran Hamasyan: piano

CREDITS
Video By: Elena Petrosyan
Audio By: Tigran Hamasyan

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Associate Producer: Bobby Carter
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Maia Stern
Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

[nprmusic]

Tiny Desk Concerts are only possible through donations from our community. This year has been unprecedented but we’ve made sure to keep producing the concerts you love. Show your support with a donation to your local NPR station at n.pr/support-the-tiny-desk

[blindsided]

Tigran is so underrated. He is one of the greatest jazz artists I've heard in my life and I'm so happy to see him on Tiny Desk. He deserves more recognition!

[annamnatsakanyan]

Especially these days when Armenians all around the world are in great sorrow, Tigran's music is like a shred of light for our brocken souls. Thank you.

[chilluminare]

It's no lie when Herbie Hancock, Jazz legend, said "Tigran, you are my teacher”

[gigawertz]

you can hear the real squeak of the pedal, the wispy timbre of the raw piano strings, the natural reverb of the room. its just nice to have such an intimate setting playing such raw music

[mylifewithAnika]

The whistle is gangster..he is really enjoying himself..loved it..my first time hearing him..

[pondlakes]

WE LOVE TIGRAN HAMASYAN!! TREASURE OF THE WORLD

[arammartirosyan]

Tigran Hamasyan is a living legend with his unparalleled style, bold performance, imaginative composition, and conceptual depth. Everything from love, beauty, chaos, sorrow, nostalgia, and optimism can exist in each of his pieces simultaneously. He bridges dynamism and exploration in a way that few have accomplished. I can only hope that his legacy will continue to be recognized for centuries to come.

[da-usco]

did NOT expect to see this in my notifications today

[cooldebt]

Still one of my favourite Tiny Desk Concerts to enjoy again and again. The plaintiveness of isolation in the music and solo piano but all the parts of the music which could have been played with and by others emanating from Tigran like he can't hold the music inside anymore in never ceases to amaze me.

[swindle]

This guy is on something else entirely. One of my favorite musicians

[AlexC-rkhu]

Tigran's playing is so metal he has to blink a lot to avoid shrapnel.

[EixtremeDrummer]

The king of piano polyrythms. Impressive

[justice_was_taken]

Everybody who knows Tigran knows how incredible he is because every live performance is varied in very unique ways. We know what the songs are because he plays them through enough for us to recognize them, but still adds enough spice to keep you drawn in at every turn. He will be remembered in history as a true titan of our time

[hamacaboy]

From a pianist perspective, he is absolutely brilliant in meshing avant garde jazz with armenian and world music /scales, ehile also being able to sing and whistle and orchestrate all his music easily. Mozart level badassery

[LucasRodmo]

When I listened Tigran for the first time, was like suddenly being able to see a new color. And a beautiful one. ❤

[aarontsangaris]

Only 5:26 - 5:38 alone qualifies Tigran as one of the most amazing human beings

[ceciledesmet]

I am just discovering the Tiny Desk concept. It's like being sat next to Tigran, watching his hands dancing on the piano, seeing his face, almost feeling his emotions... what a privilege !

[rafaelpernil]

In my opinion, Tigran is the best piano composer and player alive. Absolute genius

[kentosalazar]

i hope he never stops playing this song