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Aram Bajakian is a guitarist, composer and educator. His music has been called “a masterpiece” (fRoots. July 2017), “shapeshifting”(FreeJazzCollective. January 2017) and “astonishing” (Georgia Straight. March 2017).

Bajakian performed as an instrumentalist with Lou Reed, Velvet Underground’s frontman, during his 2011 and 2012 tours. In 2013, Bajakian toured in Diana Krall’s band, performing over 100 concerts with the multiple-Grammy-award-winning singer, along with violinist Stuart Duncan (Yo-Yo Ma’s Goat Rodeo, Robert Plant) and drummers Karriem Riggins (Kanye West, Common, J-Dilla) and Jay Bellerose (Elton John, Rhiannon Giddens). Bajakian has been able to play at some of the best venues in the world through these and other tours.

Bajakian, along with Julia Ulehla, his wife and vocalist, actress, and ethnomusicologist is known for their collaboration entitled Dalava. This reimagines the folk songs she was given over 100 year ago from one village in Moravia, by her greatgrandfather. Their performances and their albums have received worldwide critical acclaim. Dalava’s most recent album, The Book of Transfigurations(Songlines, 2017,) was named by the Georgia Straight among the 50 Albums That Shaped Vancouver in their May 2017 issue. This edition celebrated the magazine’s 50th birthday. Bastiaan Springser stated in an August 2017 fRoots article that every now and then an album is released that is so overwhelming that it is hard for anyone to classify. The Book Of Transfigurations has been a great example of this.

Bajakian’s 2014 solo guitar album Music Inspired By The Color of Pomegranates earned 4.5 stars from All About Jazz. It also features in the documentary Sheep in the Cave that tells of the restoration of frescoes inside ancient Italian caves. there were also flowers in hell (2014 Sanasar Records), has been called “One among the best instrumental rock records” by New York Music Daily. Robert Christgau, Village Voice critic, stated that every track was unique and strong. A MINUS. A MINUS.

Bajakian is a collaborator with many artists, having been on numerous John Zorn projects. Bajakian has been a part of Shanir Rosenkranz’s (Yo Yo Ma, Cyro Baptista) band Abraxas. This group has released two albums of John Zorn music: Book of Angels as well as Psychomagia. Downbeat Magazine called their first album “Twin 6 String Assault” by Bill Milkowski. A third album of material entitled Book Beriah Gevurah came out in 2018 as part a 11 CD box set. This included albums by Bill Frisell (Craig Taborn), Julian Lage and Secret Chiefs.

Bajakian performed with Frank London (The Klemzatics), the Glass House Orchestra that recreates the musical culture from the Holocaust-ravaged Hungarian Jewish community. Their debut album was nominated to three German Critics Best of the Year Awards in Oct 2017.

Bajakian obtained his Bachelor of music degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he studied under Dr. Yusef Lastef. He holds a Masters of Music Education degree from Teachers College at Columbia University and a Master of music degree in Music Composition, both from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Keith Hamel taught him electronic music. When he’s not touring, he serves as the Music curator for the Western Front in Vancouver. It is one of Canada’s premier spaces for art, new music, and other creative activities.