Yessaï Karapetian

YESSAÏ is the sweeping debut album from Armenian-French pianist and composer Yessaï Karapetian. The bandleader arrives in full force, after strong showings on Guillaume Perret’s “A Certain Trip” (for which he won a Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Soloist) and ONEFOOT’s “Mektonized”.

Searching for a unique sound led Karapetian to the US, where he spent a year at the prestigious Berklee Global Jazz Institute, studying with such greats as Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, John Patitucci, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dave Liebman, and others.

Over the course of nine original compositions, Karapetian is riveting, playing with astonishing virtuosity and spirit. He is matched by a stellar band, anchored by bassist Marc Karapetian (the bandleader’s brother, himself a force, recently recording and touring with Tigran Hamasyan), drummer Théo Moutou, guitarist Gabriel Gosse, and saxophonist Mounir Sefsouf. The group traces its roots back to the Paris Conservatory, and the camaraderie shows.