Datevik Hovanesian's heart and spirit are always linked with Armenia

NEW YORK, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Datevik Hovanesian's name is inseparable from the Armenian jazz. The media and fans characterized her as "the queen of Soviet jazz". Datevik Hovanesian has settled in the United States since 1990s and continues her successful creative activity beyond the boundaries of the Motherland and attracts the foreign audience not merely by her jazz performance, but Armenian national songs as well.

In a conversation with "Armenpress" the singer tells about her creative activity in the United States and her constant ties with Armenia from New York.

- Your name has always been in the centre of attention of the jazz fans in Armenia and elsewhere despite the frequency of Your appearances on TV and number of Your performances. How does Your creative activity develop in the United States?

- I am very very glad and touched that the Jazz lovers in Armenia have not forgotten about me, no matter how frequent my music is played on the radio or TV. After all even though I am far away, my heart and soul is always connected to Armenia.

The short answer to your question is that my creative work is going well in the United States. But if I had to expand on my answer I would say that throughout my life, be it in Armenia or United States or anywhere else, my creative, artistic road has never been easy, I always had to have harder way but a better way......, and I never shied away from difficult challenges, it was like that when I was in Armenia and it has continued in the United States and I am glad for it.

- Very frequently various publication call You “the queen of Soviet jazz”. Do You accept that characterization?

- Actually it is not a question of agreeing with that description or not, during the Soviet Union years, there was an official poll going on which was voted by Jazz critics and experts of the Soviet Union who would select the best jazz instrumentalists and vocalists yearly and for 9 consecutive years I was voted as the #1, "First Lady of Jazz" Vocalist in Soviet Union, which was a huge honor and recognition for me personally and of course for the small republic of Armenia.

- Once You have noted that it’s a serious challenge and test to be a jazz musician despite the place of residence. What did You mean by that?

- Jazz will always be a very different and difficult musical genre if to compare it to other forms of popular music. Jazz is not easy to understand or to follow, hence the people who love the music and follow it need to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of it, naturally that limits the number of people who become fans of the music. Since we live in a world that business and profits dictate a lot of what we do and the type of art that is recognized, to be a jazz musician in any part of the world one needs to have a lot of courage and dedication and strong belief to walk that rocky road, that's what I meant when I said it is a big challenge.

- How would Your jazz career develop in Armenia, if You did not depart for the United States in 1980s?

- This is really a difficult question to answer for anyone and I would say no one knows.

- You gave a concert in “Aram Khachaturian” Concert Hall on the Armenian Jazz anniversary in 2008. Is it possible to give a big or a small club concert in Homeland for the audience, which has missed Your voice so much?

- Of course it is possible, I would love to, it just requires invitation from professional & competent organizers who would be interested in taking on the task.

- You gave concerts in the United States, Europe and Australia; You participated in number of international festivals, and performed Your songs in such prominent concert halls as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Do You consider giving concerts in future and in what countries?

- Yes there are upcoming concerts in US, Europe in the coming months.

- You have signed an agreement with Sony Classical Company on recording and releasing five albums. On what stage are the activities now?

- Unfortunately because of huge changes in the Sony company and its management after producing the first CD things have remained frozen. I am hoping that in near future things will change. I have to add that the 2nd album "Listen to my Soul" was also recorded and most of the work completed which such giants as Frank Wess, Ben Reily, Paquito D'rivera, Claudio Roditi and many others.

- People say that jazz is an international kind of music. What do You think how compatible is jazz with ethnic music and how the foreign audience understands them?

- Actually Jazz is not an international music by its origin, it was born from the African roots and blues, it was nourished and took strong wings in the United States. Only later on it has become international. Over the years the wings got spread, different nationalities brought their own rhythms and soul into it, specially since it's a very open and accepting form of music it was possible to braid with different folk and traditional elements, which created a new beautiful form called ethnic jazz, or I would argue just jazz.

You are correct. It is now an international music, hence it is accepted and loved all over the world.

- Do You follow the recent developments of the Armenian music? What positive and negative changes do You see now in comparison with the Soviet years?

- To be honest I do not follow it enough to form and express my professional opinion on that topic.

- What do You miss most of all living and creating away from the homeland?

- The nature and my childhood. HOV SARER MOV SARER MANKOOTUNS YET BEREK (COOL MOUNTAINS, BLUE MOUNTAINS, GET MY CHILDHOOD BACK!).

Interview by Tatevik Grigoryan

Photo by Levon Paryan