- Aram Bajakian (guitar, composer, educator, musician) is an accomplished guitarist. His music has been called “a masterpiece”, “shape-shifting”, “astonishing” and “amazing” (FreeJazzCollective), July 2017, and March 2017, respectively.Bajakian served as an instrumentist with Lou Reed, Velvet Underground singer, during his 2011 & 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). Through these tours and others, Bajakian is able to play at some top venues around the world including Carnegie Hall, L’Olympia. The Acropolis. Jay Bellerose (Elton John), Rhiannon Giddens and the Montreaux.
Bajakian, Julia Ulehla’s wife, singer, actor, and ethnomusicologist, collaborate with him. It is a reimagining folk music that she inherited 100 years ago from her great grandfather.
Bajakian made music inspired in part by the color of pomegranates. In 2014 Aram Basikian released a KEF on John Zorn’s Tzadik Label.
Bajakian, a collaborator, has appeared on many John Zorn music albums, Book of Angels as well as Psychomagia. Book Beriah Gevurah (their third album) was part of a box set which included 11 CDs by Bill Frisell. Craig Taborn, Julian Lage. Secret Chiefs 3 and Julian Lage.
Bajakian was paired with Frank London, The Klemzatics (the Glass House Orchestra), which recreates Hungarian Jewish music culture.
Bajakian is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he earned a Bachelor of music degree. He also has a Master of Music Composition from the University of British Columbia.
