Armen Donelian
Armen Donelian (born 1950) is a jazz pianist, composer, educator and author.
Donelian was classically trained at the Westchester Conservatory of Music in White Plains, New York. He has appeared since 1975 as a featured soloist and bandleader, and with an array of jazz musicians, including Sonny Rollins, in international venues. A composer of over 100 works reflecting Classical, Middle Eastern and jazz influences, Donelian has produced 13 albums. He has received multiple awards as a Fulbright Senior Scholar and Specialist and an NEA Jazz Fellow. An educator at several New York institutions for 30 years, including The New School and William Paterson University, Donelian is also the author of Training The Ear Vol. 1 & 2 and offers master classes at leading throughout the world. A graduate of Columbia University and private student of Michael Pollon, Carl Bamberger, Ludmila Ulehla, Harold Seletsky and Richie Beirach, Donelian is the co-founder with Marc Mommaas of the Hudson Jazz Workshop.
Discography
- Stargazer (1980) Atlas Records w/Eddie Gomez & Billy Hart
- A Reverie: Solo Piano (1984) Sunnyside Records
- Secrets (1988) Sunnyside Records w/Dick Oatts, Barry Danielian, Anthony Cox, Bill Stewart & Arto Tunçboyaciyan
- Trio '87 (1988) Odin Records w/Carl Morten Iversen & Audun Kleive
- The Wayfarer (1990) Sunnyside Records w/Dick Oatts, Barry Danielian, Anthony Cox, Bill Stewart & Arto Tunçboyaciyan
- Wave (2000) (Grand Ideas, Vol. 1: Select Standards for Solo Piano) Sunnyside Records
- Mystic Heights (2002) (Grand Ideas, Vol. 2: Original Compositions for Solo Piano) Sunnyside Records
- Quartet Language (2003) Playscape Records w/Thomas Chapin, Calvin Hill & Jeff Williams
- Full Moon Music (2005) (Grand Ideas, Vol. 3: Free Improvisations for Solo Piano) Sunnyside Records
- All or Nothing at All (2006) Sunnyside Records w/Marc Mommaas
- Oasis (2007) Sunnyside Records w/David Clark & George Schuller
- Leapfrog (2010) Sunnyside Records w/Marc Mommaas, Mike Moreno, Dean Johnson & Tyshawn Sorey
- Sayat-Nova: Songs Of My Ancestors (2014) Sunnyside Records 2 Discs: Solo Piano, Trio w/David Clark & George Schuller
With Billy Harper
- Trying to Make Heaven My Home (MPS, 1979)
- The Believer (Baystate, 1980)
- The Billy Harper Quintet (Poljazz, 1981)
- Jazz Jamboree 1980 Various Artists (Polskie Nagrania Muza, 1983)
With Mongo Santamaria
- Afro-Indio (Vaya/Fania, 1975)
- Sofrito (Vaya/Fania, 1976) Grammy-nominee, contains 3 Donelian compositions
- Mongo and Justo (Vaya/Fania, 1976)
- A La Carte (Vaya/Fania, 1976)
With Night Ark
- Moments (RCA/Novus, 1987)
- In Wonderland (PolyGram/EmArcy, 1996)
- Petals On Your Path (PolyGram/EmArcy, 1999)
With Bobby Vince Paunetto
- Commit To Memory (Pathfinder, 1976; Bomba, 1998)
- Composer In Public (RSVP, 1996)
- Reconstituted (RSVP, 1999)
With Rory Stuart
- Nightwork (Cadence, 1984)
- Hurricane (Sunnyside, 1987)
With Datevik Hovanesian
- Listen To My Heart (Sony, 1998)
- Mixing America (Huiksi, 1996)
With Roy Ayers
- Step Into Our Life (Polydor, 1978)
With Cosmology
- Cosmology (Vanguard, 1978)
Literature
- Leonard Feather, Ira Gitler: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York 1999; ISBN 978-0-19-532000-8
- Thomas Staudter: "Armenian Music Inspires A Jazz Pianist" New York Times, February 10, 2002
External links
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