Album Notes

Mirage is proud to announce the release of their second CD, Visions, as they continue to give new energy and zest to old favorites! Like their first CD, Yarus (winner of JPF Iindependent Music Awards for Best New Middle Eastern), Visions is a compilation of traditional Armenian and Middle Eastern music with contemporary arrangements.

Mirage is based in the Central California San Joaquin Valley area. The band has played informally in the Central Valley and the Bay Area for many years. For the past four years, Mirage has been a favorite performer at the annual Rakkasah belly dance festival in Richmond, California. The Visions CD was formally released at the Rakkasah festival in March 2006.

Mirage is Jim Karagozian on Kanun, Eddie Karagozian on Doumbek, Michel Awad on Derbekki and Khatchig Jingirian on keyboards and vocals. Between them, Mirage has many years of individual musical experience from which to draw. Together, they skillfully enliven traditional folk music for a modern audience without diminishing its original charm. The result is a repertoire of songs appealing to a wide variety of listeners and dancers. By intertwining modern and popular influences with time-honored standards, Mirage achieves an eclectic mix of high-energy music. They project this energy in live performance as well as in the recording studio. Their considerable talent and dynamic approach to the music is what makes Mirage one of California's most exciting Middle Eastern bands.