REVIEW: Mariam Matossian delivers emotionally rich performance (greenvilleonline.com)

Greenville News, SC
March 1 2009

By Ann Hicks ¢ STAFF WRITER ¢ March 1, 2009

Pure notes layered with emotional intensity marked Canadian-Armenian singer Mariam Matosssian's Southeastern debut at the Warehouse Theatre on Saturday night.

The house was packed ' extra seats had to be brought in. People came from Asheville and as far away as Atlanta to hear the beautiful young singer accompanied by Free Planet Radio, a trio of exceptional musicians. They not only backed her, but also performed their own eclectic selections.

Matossian's choice of program was a rare fusion of storytelling and vocal artistry that at times sent shivers down your spine, as in her mournful opener `Groong' (The Crane), performed a cappella. Her follow-up love song quickly changed the mood, prompting the audience to clap joyously to the pulsing rhythm of the ancient folk song.

Early on in her program, she told the story of her grandmother, after whom she was named, who at age 5 became a refugee with her decimated family in the aftermath of the 1915 Armenian genocide. The only thing the little girl took with her on her long journey from Armenia to Syria was the tattered family Bible, the songs of her homeland and hope, said Matossian. The singer added, `this is what inspires me to sing for you tonight.'

Her program undulated from the upbeat to several shades of dark. From `Oror,' a haunting, sweet lullaby, which she dedicated to her dad ' her parents came from Canada to hear her ' to the bittersweet `Bride's Song.'

Even if you didn't understand a word of Armenian, as most of the audience didn't, you knew that love and loss were the leitmotifs of these beautiful traditional songs that she projected with pride and strength, taking each to the limit with her ringing timbre and soft-voiced high range.

During her breaks, Free Planet Radio took over and laid down some incredible chords. String player Chris Rosser riffed on Turkish cumbus and Indian dhotar, Grammy-winning Eliot Wadopian did some virtuosic bass playing and percussionist River Guerguerian showcased his mastery on dumbeg and frame drum.

While this was Matossian's first concert in the area, where she now lives with her husband and child, one hopes to hear her much more in the future. For sure, Matossian is a rare, compelling artist who can spellbind any audience.

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