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DATEVIK HOVANESIAN'S HEART AND SPIRIT ARE ALWAYS LINKED WITH ARMENIA
10:44, 17 June, 2013
NEW YORK, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Datevik Hovanesian's name is inseparable
from the Armenian jazz. The media and fans characterized her as "the
queen of Soviet jazz". Datevik Hovanesian has settled in the United
States since 1990s and continues her successful creative activity
beyond the boundaries of the Motherland and attracts the foreign
audience not merely by her jazz performance, but Armenian national
songs as well.
In a conversation with "Armenpress" the singer tells about her creative
activity in the United States and her constant ties with Armenia from
New York.
- Your name has always been in the centre of attention of the jazz fans
in Armenia and elsewhere despite the frequency of Your appearances on
TV and number of Your performances. How does Your creative activity
develop in the United States?
- I am very very glad and touched that the Jazz lovers in Armenia have
not forgotten about me, no matter how frequent my music is played on
the radio or TV. After all even though I am far away, my heart and
soul is always connected to Armenia.
The short answer to your question is that my creative work is going
well in the United States. But if I had to expand on my answer I
would say that throughout my life, be it in Armenia or United States
or anywhere else, my creative, artistic road has never been easy,
I always had to have harder way but a better way......, and I never
shied away from difficult challenges, it was like that when I was in
Armenia and it has continued in the United States and I am glad for it.
- Very frequently various publication call You "the queen of Soviet
jazz". Do You accept that characterization?
- Actually it is not a question of agreeing with that description or
not, during the Soviet Union years, there was an official poll going
on which was voted by Jazz critics and experts of the Soviet Union who
would select the best jazz instrumentalists and vocalists yearly and
for 9 consecutive years I was voted as the #1, "First Lady of Jazz"
Vocalist in Soviet Union, which was a huge honor and recognition for
me personally and of course for the small republic of Armenia.
- Once You have noted that it's a serious challenge and test to be
a jazz musician despite the place of residence. What did You mean
by that?
- Jazz will always be a very different and difficult musical genre
if to compare it to other forms of popular music. Jazz is not easy
to understand or to follow, hence the people who love the music and
follow it need to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of it,
naturally that limits the number of people who become fans of the
music. Since we live in a world that business and profits dictate a
lot of what we do and the type of art that is recognized, to be a
jazz musician in any part of the world one needs to have a lot of
courage and dedication and strong belief to walk that rocky road,
that's what I meant when I said it is a big challenge.
- How would Your jazz career develop in Armenia, if You did not depart
for the United States in 1980s?
- This is really a difficult question to answer for anyone and I
would say no one knows.
- You gave a concert in "Aram Khachaturian" Concert Hall on the
Armenian Jazz anniversary in 2008. Is it possible to give a big or
a small club concert in Homeland for the audience, which has missed
Your voice so much?
- Of course it is possible, I would love to, it just requires
invitation from professional & competent organizers who would be
interested in taking on the task.
- You gave concerts in the United States, Europe and Australia; You
participated in number of international festivals, and performed
Your songs in such prominent concert halls as Carnegie Hall and
Lincoln Center. Do You consider giving concerts in future and in
what countries?
- Yes there are upcoming concerts in US, Europe in the coming months.
- You have signed an agreement with Sony Classical Company on recording
and releasing five albums. On what stage are the activities now?
- Unfortunately because of huge changes in the Sony company and its
management after producing the first CD things have remained frozen. I
am hoping that in near future things will change. I have to add that
the 2nd album "Listen to my Soul" was also recorded and most of the
work completed which such giants as Frank Wess, Ben Reily, Paquito
D'rivera, Claudio Roditi and many others.
- People say that jazz is an international kind of music. What do You
think how compatible is jazz with ethnic music and how the foreign
audience understands them?
- Actually Jazz is not an international music by its origin,
it was born from the African roots and blues, it was nourished
and took strong wings in the United States. Only later on it has
become international. Over the years the wings got spread, different
nationalities brought their own rhythms and soul into it, specially
since it's a very open and accepting form of music it was possible
to braid with different folk and traditional elements, which created
a new beautiful form called ethnic jazz, or I would argue just jazz.
You are correct. It is now an international music, hence it is accepted
and loved all over the world.
- Do You follow the recent developments of the Armenian music? What
positive and negative changes do You see now in comparison with the
Soviet years?
- To be honest I do not follow it enough to form and express my
professional opinion on that topic.
- What do You miss most of all living and creating away from the
homeland?
- The nature and my childhood. HOV SARER MOV SARER MANKOOTUNS YET BEREK
(COOL MOUNTAINS, BLUE MOUNTAINS, GET MY CHILDHOOD BACK!).
Interview by Tatevik Grigoryan
Photo by Levon Paryan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/722795/datevik-hovanesians-heart-and-spirit-are-always-linked-with-armenia.html
10:44, 17 June, 2013
NEW YORK, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Datevik Hovanesian's name is inseparable
from the Armenian jazz. The media and fans characterized her as "the
queen of Soviet jazz". Datevik Hovanesian has settled in the United
States since 1990s and continues her successful creative activity
beyond the boundaries of the Motherland and attracts the foreign
audience not merely by her jazz performance, but Armenian national
songs as well.
In a conversation with "Armenpress" the singer tells about her creative
activity in the United States and her constant ties with Armenia from
New York.
- Your name has always been in the centre of attention of the jazz fans
in Armenia and elsewhere despite the frequency of Your appearances on
TV and number of Your performances. How does Your creative activity
develop in the United States?
- I am very very glad and touched that the Jazz lovers in Armenia have
not forgotten about me, no matter how frequent my music is played on
the radio or TV. After all even though I am far away, my heart and
soul is always connected to Armenia.
The short answer to your question is that my creative work is going
well in the United States. But if I had to expand on my answer I
would say that throughout my life, be it in Armenia or United States
or anywhere else, my creative, artistic road has never been easy,
I always had to have harder way but a better way......, and I never
shied away from difficult challenges, it was like that when I was in
Armenia and it has continued in the United States and I am glad for it.
- Very frequently various publication call You "the queen of Soviet
jazz". Do You accept that characterization?
- Actually it is not a question of agreeing with that description or
not, during the Soviet Union years, there was an official poll going
on which was voted by Jazz critics and experts of the Soviet Union who
would select the best jazz instrumentalists and vocalists yearly and
for 9 consecutive years I was voted as the #1, "First Lady of Jazz"
Vocalist in Soviet Union, which was a huge honor and recognition for
me personally and of course for the small republic of Armenia.
- Once You have noted that it's a serious challenge and test to be
a jazz musician despite the place of residence. What did You mean
by that?
- Jazz will always be a very different and difficult musical genre
if to compare it to other forms of popular music. Jazz is not easy
to understand or to follow, hence the people who love the music and
follow it need to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of it,
naturally that limits the number of people who become fans of the
music. Since we live in a world that business and profits dictate a
lot of what we do and the type of art that is recognized, to be a
jazz musician in any part of the world one needs to have a lot of
courage and dedication and strong belief to walk that rocky road,
that's what I meant when I said it is a big challenge.
- How would Your jazz career develop in Armenia, if You did not depart
for the United States in 1980s?
- This is really a difficult question to answer for anyone and I
would say no one knows.
- You gave a concert in "Aram Khachaturian" Concert Hall on the
Armenian Jazz anniversary in 2008. Is it possible to give a big or
a small club concert in Homeland for the audience, which has missed
Your voice so much?
- Of course it is possible, I would love to, it just requires
invitation from professional & competent organizers who would be
interested in taking on the task.
- You gave concerts in the United States, Europe and Australia; You
participated in number of international festivals, and performed
Your songs in such prominent concert halls as Carnegie Hall and
Lincoln Center. Do You consider giving concerts in future and in
what countries?
- Yes there are upcoming concerts in US, Europe in the coming months.
- You have signed an agreement with Sony Classical Company on recording
and releasing five albums. On what stage are the activities now?
- Unfortunately because of huge changes in the Sony company and its
management after producing the first CD things have remained frozen. I
am hoping that in near future things will change. I have to add that
the 2nd album "Listen to my Soul" was also recorded and most of the
work completed which such giants as Frank Wess, Ben Reily, Paquito
D'rivera, Claudio Roditi and many others.
- People say that jazz is an international kind of music. What do You
think how compatible is jazz with ethnic music and how the foreign
audience understands them?
- Actually Jazz is not an international music by its origin,
it was born from the African roots and blues, it was nourished
and took strong wings in the United States. Only later on it has
become international. Over the years the wings got spread, different
nationalities brought their own rhythms and soul into it, specially
since it's a very open and accepting form of music it was possible
to braid with different folk and traditional elements, which created
a new beautiful form called ethnic jazz, or I would argue just jazz.
You are correct. It is now an international music, hence it is accepted
and loved all over the world.
- Do You follow the recent developments of the Armenian music? What
positive and negative changes do You see now in comparison with the
Soviet years?
- To be honest I do not follow it enough to form and express my
professional opinion on that topic.
- What do You miss most of all living and creating away from the
homeland?
- The nature and my childhood. HOV SARER MOV SARER MANKOOTUNS YET BEREK
(COOL MOUNTAINS, BLUE MOUNTAINS, GET MY CHILDHOOD BACK!).
Interview by Tatevik Grigoryan
Photo by Levon Paryan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/722795/datevik-hovanesians-heart-and-spirit-are-always-linked-with-armenia.html