Tigran Hamasyan may be impossible to pin down stylistically, a pianist former musical collaborator Trilok Gurtu has even commented plays piano like a raga. But one of the most acclaimed beyond-genre jazz pianists of the past decade makes his debut with a new label ECM in September performing with the Yerevan State Chamber Choir. 

Luys i Luso – clips so far heard sound extraordinarily spiritual, see video below – meaning, in English, ‘light from light’, explores Armenian sacred music, the pianist plus chamber choir interpreting newly arranged Armenian hymns, sharakans (chants) and cantos some dating back to the 5th century by among others Grigor Narekatsi, Nerses Shnorhali, Mesrop Mashtots, Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi, Grigor Pahlavuni and Komitas mainly written in grabar, the oldest form of the Armenian language.

Recorded in the Armenian capital Yerevan’s Argo studio last year, the album was produced by Manfred Eicher. “It was very concentrated work,” Tigran explains in a pre-release interview, “which I think brought out the best in all of us. Then, on the last day of recording, we had a power cut, and all the lights went out for four hours. So we took a little trip to a nearby 16th century church, and some members of the choir sang there. It was like God was telling us, ‘If you are recording sacred music you need to get to a church at least once before the recording is over’.”

Tigran and the choir will be touring in the autumn. Concert dates include London on 15 October, and Leeds the following day. Tigran, top. Photo: ECM