Embassy Celebrates 4th Annual Jazz Appreciation Month

April 12, 2005

April is Jazz Appreciation Month: a worldwide celebration designated by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. to celebrate America's extraordinary heritage and history of jazz. In Armenia, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, along with partners The Film Program of the National Gallery of Armenia, the Armenia Marriott Hotel and TV5, have organized a range of exciting events taking place April 6 -27.

Highlights have included a student painting competition and poetry reading held at the Artist's Union of Armenia on April 8th, a Swing Ball held in the Marriott Hotel Armenia on April 9th, where the Armenian Public Radio and TV Big Band provided great dance music, concerts by well-known local groups, including the Armenian Jazz Band, Time Report, Vahagn Hayrapetyan and the Cats, Chico and Friends, and others.

On April 11th, the Otar Magradze Trio from Georgia performed original jazz compositions infused with Georgian folk melodies. On April 16th, guest musicians from the United States, the Franck Amsallem Quartet with Guest Vocalist Sara Lazarus, performed original compositions and jazz standards at the packed Aram Khachaturyan Concert Hall on Opera Square.