Tailgate 32 – aka two guys in an RV documenting the American traditions of roadtrips, tailgating, and pro football in every American city with an NFL football team –  has picked up “Stumped”, the lead track from PUSHKIN STREET, in their episode documenting the Indianapolis Colts!  Check it out –

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

It’s here!  PUSHKIN STREET, my first album of 11 original “gypsy zest” songs, is now available here, and in its entirety through the following online markets (below the embedded player):

iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify, CD Baby, Amazon, Soundcloud, Google Play, and more.  Just click on the hyperlink connected to the preceding names (in blue), and you will be directed to the music.

Here are some ways you can help for those who are willing:

1. Buy the album for $10 on iTunes, Bandcamp, CD Baby, and other online markets.

2. Share the music with your friends through email, social media, and/or word of mouth.

3. Connect via social media by liking the Raffi Joe music Facebook group, following on Twitter, or subscirbing to the YouTube channel.

4. If you know anyone involved in film, television, radio, gaming, or music industries, let them know about this music which has repeatedly been described as very theatrical, dynamic, and visual.  I have a purely instrumental version (without singing) that is more flexible to use in a variety of media settings to facilitate one of my goals: for the music to reach these industries.  It won’t be possible with your help.

5. If you or a friend are interested in collaborating in any way, especially through this music or even otherwise, let me know.

I want to thank so many of you for your extremely generous and positive feedback thus far with the music.  It has been described as “Salvador Dali-esque”, “truly original”, and “refreshing”.  I invite you to listen and share your thoughts!  It truly was a labor of love – with endless hours spent recording, re-recording, writing, re-writing – and a work I am honored to share with you.

Thank you in advance for your support and enthusiasm.  Art – any skill – unshared, is dust.  Without you this would be meaningless.

Stay tuned as gears turn – a music video may be in the near horizon, along with a CD release party here in Yerevan, and other exciting opportunities for PUSHKIN STREET!

Love,

Raffi

I never thought while recording the intro/outro bouzouki-esque guitar trills, the straight 4/4 minor chords, or the theater rock interlude, that the song Pelican Sunset  – available here on Bandcamp –  could be instrumental as an aural behavior modification tool for CATS!

As the brilliant engineer Chris Bentley at The Bunker Studio took the song to a whole new level through his masterful mixing, he informed me of something astonishing.  Apparently one of his cats – lets call him/her Feefee – was behaving rather aggressively towards the other cats in the house.  Chris brought Feefee to the studio while mixing the song, and claims that during the 4/4 section (the pounding minor chords), Feefee ran into the corner and hid.  Upon returning home a few hours later, Feefee was a little furry ball of love and respect.

So there you have it.  If your cat is behaving, consider playing them some Pelican Sunset.

Three tracks from PUSHKIN STREET are now available on Bandcamp to enjoy ahead of the full album release on Friday, January 25th, 2013.  Mark your calendars, and enjoy these free samples that are downloadable for $1!

http://raffijoemusic.bandcamp.com/

More about the songs in forthcoming posts, but a brief idea to start…Pelican Sunset is an abstract love song that apparently works wonders on misbehaved cats; Gluten Free Blues, originally written as a wedding gift, is an elegy for those who cannot enjoy wheat, barley, and other gluteny delights; and Millard County Jail reimagines one fateful day bicycling through the deserts of western Utah three summers ago.

Enjoy!

In the next few days, three free tracks from PUSHKIN STREET will be available on Bandcamp a few weeks ahead of releasing the entire album!  

In the meantime, enjoy some ruminations on this beautiful, ancient folk instrument, the oud:

A special gift arrived on Christmas Eve this year…a lost partygoer in the neighborhood knocked on our door for directions.  After the conversation my wonderful father said, “What’s with all these boxes?”  And sure enough, there they were – the hard copies of Pushkin Street on a very white Christmas Eve.

PUSHKIN STREET will be available for online and hard copy distribution within a few weeks.  Meanwhile, if you wish to support the production costs of creating Pushkin Street and/or the production of a second Raffi Joe album, please consider making a donation.

For advanced order of a hard copy, please send your address to wartanian.raffi@gmail.com and you will be mailed a copy within a few weeks.  The price of PUSHKIN STREET is $10.

Fresh off a performance in Dilijian, Armenia, it’s showtime again!

Hemingway is just down the street from my home here in Armenia.  I played at an open mic there the other night and loved the intimacy of the space.  It will be a blast!

After much deliberation and some expert advice from around the states, I’ve gone with CD Baby and DiscMakers to distribute Pushkin Street to the online marketplace and produce 1000 hard copies!  Masters uploaded today.  Expecting a January 2013 release!

Here’s some footage from the November 8th show at Calumet featuring the one and only Sarkis Atamian on keys and Sasha Hakobyan on harmonica!