Raffi Mandalian Jazz Quartet at Radio Beirut

Radio Beirut continues the soundtrack of jazz with another swingin’ line up, this time from the Raffi Mandalian Jazz Quartet. On the musical menu tonight is a mixture of funk, fusion and latin style with some of Raffi Mandalian’s own original composition, plus a jazz arrangement for an Armenian folk tune and his own twists on jazz standards.

The Lineup
– Raffi Mandalian: guitar
– Thomas Hornig: tenor saxophone and flute
– Andre Segone: bass
– Fouad Afra: drums

At the tender age of 16 Mandalian started classical training on the guitar at the Lebanese National Conservatory and graduated with a masters degree in musicology from the university of the Holy-Spirit, Kaslik. It was during that education that his passion for jazz and latin music was sparked and he started courses with professor Arthur Satyan. It wasn’t long before he entered Beirut’s jazz scene, in 2005 and soon proved himself as a fine jazz guitarist.

Over the last nine years Raffi has performed and recorded with many local and international musicians including Arthur Satyan, Ziad Rahbani, Fayrouz, Victor Bailey, Anthony Wonsey, Walid Tawil, Abboud Saade, Carlos Abou Chabke, Thomas Hornig, Nidal Abou Samra, Jeremy Chapman, Fouad Afra and many more.