Harry Tavitian

Harry Tavitian (born 11 August 1952 in Constanta, Romania) is a Romanian jazz pianist and singer, whose style covers free-jazz, blues, ethno-jazz and avant-garde. He plays piano solo, as well as with Orient Express septet and with Black Sea Orchestra. Creativ is the duo formula with Corneliu Stroe (drums and percussion). Tavitian was born in Constanţa to Armenian parents and graduated the Academy of Music in Bucharest. He came to prominence in 1978-1987, when he set up a jazz club, organizing recordings and listening sessions where he presented albums by some of the world's most prominent jazzmen. The club was hosted by Constanţa Library, where he was working at that time. Musicians he performed with over the years include: Johnny Răducanu, Cserey Csaba, Mihai Iordache, Anatoly Vapirov, Alexander Bălănescu, Edi Neumann, Hanno Höfer, Ivo Papasov, Jürg Solothurnmann, Wolfgang Puschnig, Hans Kumpf, Floros Floridis, Jimi El Lako and Mario Florescu.