Tigran Hamasyan is a very popular guest at the festival. The Armenian singer and pianist appeared here in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and five years ago he won the Paul Acket Award. And all that after only turning to jazz after several musical detours. Hamasyan was born in 1987 in Gyumri, near the Turkish border. Few could have guessed that the little boy growing up to the sound of his father’s Black Sabbath records would later become an acclaimed jazz pianist. Hamasyan always weaves countless influences into his compositions. From cinematic images to jazz, classical music and Armenian folk to pop and even heavy metal, Hamasyan coalesces it all into one sound as if it should always have been so. In 2020 the latest album by his trio was released: The Call Within. At the festival he will be joined by saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, who is also scheduled to perform at the festival with his own concert.
