Highland Revolution

Recorded at Earthstar Creation Center by: John X,   Mixed by: Nico Borromeo,

Executive Producer: Michael Vest

Highland revolution is an improviational recording that took place over the course of three evenings with master woodwind musician Norik Manoukian and gregjam. Gregjam is a group of musicians exploring the possibilities of improvisational music creation. As with every gregjam recording session, Highland revolution was created without any prior knowledge of what music anyone would play. each song is a first take recording with no do overs. Not a single note or pattern was predetermined, the only objective is to listen deeply and co create with the unraveling sonic conversation. To complicate matters further, Norik plays ancestral Armenian woodwind instruments (duduk, shivi, zurna) which have rarely if ever found their way into the western rock and jazz modalities of timing and structure. Thus to have Norik (my duduk teacher of many years) join and participate in such an experimental process after not seeing each other for many years was a grand gesture of friendship, trust and courage! This album is the result of that 100% improvised musical journey we all went on together.

Musicians

Norik Manoukian: Duduk, shivi, zurna, clarinet

Michael Vest: electric guitar, guitalele

Nico Borromeo: guitar, charango

John X Volaitis: Synth bass, keyboards

Hal Cragin: Bass

Gregory Beylerian: Drums

Get The Double CD Set

The first 25 people to ask will receive the physical double cd album for free.

A kind of art-ifact. (just cover the shipping and handling)

Listen to the music

This double CD album is available on all major streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify and Youtube.

CD 1:

1. Armenian Cowboy

2. My Brother

3. Back To The Ruins

4. Celebration

5. Summit

6. Moon flower

7. Boy running on a hill

8. Masis

CD 2:

9. finally the revolution

10.the water goes, the sand remains

11. a mother’s grief

12. the sun won’t stay behind the clouds

13. the wanderer

14. space orchid

15. midnight caravan

16. standing on the table

17. vardani mor voghb

Behind The Scenes

A documentary film crew from ZAP Entertainment filmed one of the three evening sessions. Videos edited by Michael Vest.

The music being played in these videos was completely improvised and was recorded in a single take without any do overs. None of the musicians had a musical map of what would be played and therefore relied on listening intently and respond intuitively from the heart.

Armenian Cowboy

Finally the revolution

Masis

The sun won’t stay behind the clouds

The water goes, the sand remains

A behind the scenes moment from one of the three evening recording sessions that became Highland Revolution.