Zaryan captivates audience at show

Çağla Pınar Tunçel - ISTANBUL

Aga Zaryan.

Jazz singer Aga Zaryan proved that she is at the top of her career during her three days of Istanbul concerts at the Istanbul Jazz Center from Oct. 6 to Oct. 8.

Not only did she look very comfortable on the stage, but she was also very dynamic and powerful in performing the songs of female songwriters.

Zaryan displayed a perfect harmony of lyrics and music and her soft voice floated perfectly on the notes in the first part of the concert. She played songs from her recently released album “A Book of Luminous Things” and performed songs from a number of female songwriters and poets from Poland.

As an internationally recognized jazz vocalist, Zaryan became popular with Abbey Lincoln’s “Throw It Away,” which was part of the show’s repertoire. She also sang “Up Jumped Spring” from the jazz diva Lincoln, who died last year in New York.

Her concert also included Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” and The Beatles’ “And I Love Her” with the modified lyrics of “And I Love Him.” “[The Beatles’] music is timeless,” she said during her Friday concert.

Zaryan was named “Jazz Vocalist of The Year” in the European Jazz Forum Magazine’s yearly jazz top readers’ poll in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.