DAVE BRUBECK
with
RAFF  BOYADJIAN

  Raff Boyadjian’s tribute to his favorite jazz group and song, “Take Five”, was recently acquired by the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific. Dave Brubeck, the founder and leader of the DAve Brubeck Quartet, is considered ot be one of the true giants of the jazz world. With a career spanning more than six decades, ha has been the seminal influence on many of today’s greatest jass musicians. The song “Take Five” is the most popular and requested jazz composition in the history of music. Brubeck and his wife Iola are ans of Raff Boyadjian’s art, and are very pleased that the large oil-on-canvas painting, “Take Five”, will be on permanent display at the Brubeck Institute.

The Institute is located in Stockton, Calfironia, and hosts an annual music festival featureing the work of internationally recognized musicians and gifted newcomers to the jazz scene.

The Brubecks have a print of “Take Five” in their hime, and call it a ‘very welcoming and pleasant sight’. Dave recently wrote to us, saying in part, “My wife and I enjoyed looking through the portfolio and were very impressed with all the paintings. In one of my early records, Nat Hentoff wrote the liner notes and he quoted from a poem, which I think was “Blue Guitar”. If I remember correctly, it goes “Things are not as they are when playing on the blue guitar”. This may not be exactly right but you could probably find the original poem. Sorry, I can’t recall the poet’s name. It could be a great caption under one of those painting. Please tell (Raff) how much we enjoyed viewing his work and thank you for showing us these wonderful pieces.
Yours sincerely, Dave Brubeck”

Dave Brubeck as a Young Man

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani

In 1981, Raff Boyadjian immigrated to American from the USSR to advance his artistic freedom, and he has since become a proud citizen of the United States. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 so touche his emotions that he was compelled to create a painting commemorating that day. The resulting artwork, an oil-on-canvas painting entitled “America” was acquired by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and now hangs in the Mayor’s headquarters in New York City.

America – Oil on Canvas – 36″ x 36″