Tigran Hamasyan featuring Matt Garstka touring the EU

Tigran Hamasyan – a prominent American jazz pianist of Armenian descent – released a very warmly received album last August, entitled “The Bird of a Thousand Voices“.

Photo by Vahan Stepanyan

The band accompanying the leader consists of Areni Agbabian (vocals), Marc Karapetian (bass guitar), Yessaï Karapetian (keyboards) and none other than Matt Garstka on the drums, which is of particular interest to us.

As of yesterday, the musicians are in Europe doing concerts. If you want to see how Matt handles jazz, it certainly is a good opportunity!

Here is a list of all the European shows scheduled for this year:

April 2, 2025: Antwerpen, Belgium – De Singel
April 9, 2025: Cully, Switzerland – Cully Jazz Festival
April 10, 2025: Lisbon, Portugal – Aula Magna
April 11, 2025: Ovar, Portugal – Centro De Arte De Ovar
April 13, 2025: Aubervilliers, France – Théâtre Zingaro (T. Hamasyan solo)
April 15, 2025: Stuttgart, Germany – Theaterhaus Stuttgart
April 16, 2025: Lille, France – L’Aéronef
April 24, 2025: Berlin, Germany – Maxim Gorki Theater
April 25, 2025: Nancy, France – Nancy Jazz Pulsations (T. Hamasyan solo)
May 23, 2025: Vicenza, Italy – Teatro Comunale Di Vicenza
May 24, 2025: Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal Club
June 16, 2025: London, United Kingdom – Barbican Centre
June 28, 2025: Wolfisheim, France – Wolfi Jazz
July 4, 2025: Marseille, France – Jazz Des Cinq Continents
July 12, 2025: Gent, Belgium – Gent Jazz Festival
July 13, 2025: Rotterdam, Netherlands – North Sea Jazz Festival
November 2, 2025: Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg

Matt Garstka is best known to fans of progressive metal and djent as the drummer with Animals As Leaders, whom he joined in 2012. However, he also has collaborated with such artists as Backstab, Rohn Lawrence, David Stolz, Tigran Hamasyan, Tony Smith, Doug Johns, Toni Blackman, Derek Jordon and Evan Marien. He also has a solo album in his musical C.V., entitled “Heavy Volume.” He attended Berklee College of Music and is a DW and Meinl endorsee.