Music

aram bajakian - small town Armenian boy makes noise.

• Sexy
• Sexy
• Sexy

As you can probably tell from my name, I’m Armenian. 

As an artist, I think that this plays a big role in how I hear and perceive sound. I don’t know if it’s genetic or cultural, but even when I was a teenager playing, people would say that there was something different in how I sounded. Yeah, you can hear my influences - the masters of the past and present- in what I do. I love them all. But there’s also something different in what I do. I think that part of the reason for that is that I’m Armenian. 

When I play, I don’t bullshit. When I play, I remember all the things my Grandfather told me about living through the Armenian genocide when he was 10 years old. How he worked for 50 years ironing shirts and didn’t get his high school diploma until he was in his 60s. He made these sacrifices so I could move to NYC and play my guitar. 

So to honor this, I recently decided that it was time to let the world hear some of my music; to hear how I perceive sound. My past ten years here in NYC have been great! I've played with a whole range of musicians, from Malian Griots to the singer of the legendary band, Can; next to Marc Ribot in Paris and in front of thousands at the Prospect Park Bandshell; and with my Kirtan band Bhakti at NY's legendary Town Hall. That's all cool, but now is the time to start leading some of my own projects.

The album is going to be great! We’re going to be recording live in Queens for two days in September or October and then in the studio after that. The album will consist of a couple of the live tracks and a bunch of the studio ones. 

The group consists of some of the best players of my generation.

Tom Swaffford on violin and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz on Bass. The musicianship of these guys is in another league. And the music is awesome, really complicated and accessible at the same time. I’ve written the bulk of it over the last year, when on tour, and on several trips to Italy when I get out of the city to visit my girlfriend. It’s quiet there. 

We’ll also be doing some traditional Armenian songs that I’ve punked out. 

It costs money to record, so I’m using the vehicle rockethub to help me raise this money.

It’s not a handout. I’m not begging for cash. This transaction is capitalism in a very pure form. In a nutshell, there are different levels of sponsorship. And at each level you get something in return. And here’s the kicker. If I don’t raise my goal of $3500 by September 13^th (my birthday), you get your money back. It’s an all or nothing deal. Please don’t make my birthday suck.

So the great thing about rockethub is that there’s different levels of sponsorship.

By getting more involved in the project financially, you get more in return. 

Other artists on the site have incorporated other interests into raising money for their albums. One person baked cakes for funders above the $25 level, others have made posters or tshirts.

I had thought about giving guitar lessons, massages or one on one s & m sessions, but then I decided it would be more fun to do something with food.

I love food as much as I love music, maybe even more. And there’s something kind of funny about bringing people who fund my avant garde punk album on food crawls to taste chive dumplings in Elmhurst.

So at the most basic level of $25 you’ll get one of the finished CDs and a copy of my world guide to hole in the wall eateries. Craving some Almond Milk in Fez? Want the best careta de cerdo in Madrid? Got a hankering for the best shito sauce in Kumasi?

You’ll know where to go! Yay….

If you fund the project on the $75 level, you’ll not only get the CD and the food guide, but you’ll also be invited to me Queens food crawl. We’ll be checking out some of my favorite ethnic eateries and then we’ll probably head back to my place for some chai. It should be a really fun day. Bring some Tums and toilet paper.

At the $150 level, you get all of the above PLUS an invitation to a very special night.

I’ll be inviting all the sponsor’s at this level to a private performance/party where I’ll be performing and cooking for all guests. I have a number of solo guitar works that I’ve never performed publicly. You’ll have a chance to hear these as well as dine on some great eats. Anyone who has tasted my cooking knows that I’m an amazing chef.  It should be a really fun night. 

It’s a great combination of two of my favorite four things: food and music. And for those of you who want to stay a bit later in the night, you can find out what the other two things are.

At the $500 level

I’ll come to you house and give you a private concert and cook dinner for you and your family. If you live in France, Germany or anywhere else in Europe I’ll come by the next time I’m on tour there. If you live in the Philippines, you might want to stick to the $5000 level.

$5000

You can give me a massage. Trust me, you’ll never forget it.