Exclusive Q& A Interview for the ALA Cristina Show with Nuevo Flamenco Guitar Virtuoso Armik

Over the last few weeks, I have been listening to the music of the Nuevo Flamenco Guitar Virtuoso Armik, personally, I love this new CD Enamor, I have to called it Enamorado in Spanish so I could get into the music and feel the music, well, sometimes I have to do that with Spanish music.

I wanted to know a little bit more about Armik since we are long distance, I thought that the best way to interview him was with a Q&A style, and I am so glad that he accepted my invitation. I prepared the questions after reading about with trajectory and hearing with new CD few times.

I am sharing with answers with my audience and friends (below) and I wanted you to know that I have not edited this Q&A so you have fun learning a little more about this wonderful guitarist as Armik is. Armik Social Media: Website, Facebook

Q & A Cristina Boyd to Guitarist Armik:

Q1 – Cristina - For years I have been interested in your music and have played your music in the ALA Cristina Show (only owned one of your CDs). Finally, after watching your videos in Utube, I decided to contact you to get to know what’s behind this high caliber musician Armik, to my surprise your answered my email. I am so excited that we finally made connection, I know you are coming out with a new CD this January could you tell me a little bit about your latest project?

A – Armik:

Christina, thank you so much. And I am glad that you contacted me. Yes, my brand new album was just released on January 27^th. It’s called ENAMOR. Just like my other recordings I poured a lot of emotions in the 11 songs on the album. It turned out very nice, and I enjoyed working on this a lot and I am happy with how it turned out.

Q2 – Cristina – Well, now after reading your bio, I want to go back to the beginning of your career, when you used to practice the classical guitar in the basement, had formal classes and by the age of 12, you were doing professional recording. Could you elaborate about those early moments of your career and how you became so interested in Flamenco music?

A – Armik: I started playing since I was six years old. I became fascinated with the guitar at that age. After formal classes, I started recording in various sessions at the age of 12. I started playing the Jazz music, but I became interested in Flamenco when I first traveled to Spain. After that I focused mainly in Flamenco style. As you can hear from my recordings, the style is a blend of flamenco inspired, jazz and Latin music.

Q3 – Cristina –

In 1981 you moved to Los Angeles and started to play the guitar with other guitarists and by 1994 you released the Rain Dancer with great success. I would like to ask you, if moving to Los Angeles was a great move for you since you become well known in the Nuevo Flamenco music world?

A – Armik:

Well at time period, Los Angeles was my best option to pursue my music career as I had better opportunities here. My first album, Rain Dancer was an amazing album released at the right time. It was added by 70 commercial radio stations over night, and San Francisco’s KKSF was the first station to play the album. The release was very successful and it was followed by Gypsy Flame, my second album, which had incredible results. It went GOLD in six months in Australia. And it was a huge success worldwide. Thankfully the success has continued, which is reflected on the Billboard Charts, because all of my recordings have been on Billboard’s Top Ten New Age weekly chart continuously since 2004 with multiple albums simultaneously on the chart. I’ve also been listed as one of Billboard’s Top Ten New Age Artists Year End Charts since 2004.

Q4 – Cristina – Eres magnifico! When I listen to your music makes me feel that true love exists and it takes me to another place where the impossible becomes possible. Tell me how you can create such beautiful pieces of music, every song tells me a story and it seems that even the title of the song matches the music content?

A – Armik:

Thank you Cristina. The music flows directly from my heart and emotions. This is me.

Q5 – Cristina – In 1982 when I started the ALA Cristina show the first album I played was the music of Paco de Lucia my Flamenco idol. In 1970 you visited Spain and you saw the legendary Flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia performed. When do you decided to really get into the Spanish culture, traditions and music?

A – Armik:

Paco de Lucia has been one of my biggest inspirations and influences. As I got into the Flamenco style of music more and more, my love for this music grew over the years.

Q6 – Cristina – My Flamenco passion started when I was seven, I have been playing Flamenco music in my show for over 3 decades. I have lived the evolution of this great music called Flamenco that now is all over the map. Living in the Bay Area in multicultural towns has kept me connected to my Hispanic heritage; I have a well-read audience that loves music and culture. Nuevo Flamenco music it sounds better every day, perhaps is the combination of all music styles as jazz, Afro Cuban, salsa, rumba, bossa nova… and the possibilities are endless. Could you give me your thoughts about the Nuevo Flamenco fusion and what direction your music is taking?

A – Armik:

My true opinion is that the Nuevo Flamenco style is heavily inspired from Flamenco music, which as you mentioned is a combination of jazz, rumba, bossa nova and other rhythms. But you can hear traditional flamenco in my solo pieces from my recordings. I usually have one or two solo tracks on each recording.

Q7 – Cristina –When I am preparing the playlist for my show, I look for the three second instant impression and your music takes me there, and also the CD covers of your albums are spectacular. It seems to me that you put a lot time and effort to produce this beautiful music, the flow of your music is outstanding and engaging, how you do it?

A – Armik:

Thanks Cristina. I create music every day. I always have extra songs, and I hand pick only a few to place in a new album. We try to match the track names with the music and also come up with a unique design for the cover. It’s a process, but we love taking the time to do this, because it is very important for us to complete a package beautifully.

Q8 – Cristina – I wanted to thank you for providing me with all the material to learn about your music trajectory. I am so happy to introduce a musician of your caliber to a community radio station audience. Do you think that community radio is a good place to promote music and culture and perhaps somehow make the difference and educate the younger generation about music and culture?

A – Armik:

You’re very welcome, and thank you for inviting me to your show. It’s been my pleasure. Yes, absolutely, I think community radio is a good place to promote music and culture. I think overall any place is good to promote music and art. We need more of it.