Our Story
How it began.
For weeks, Arthur tinkered with the new guitar, sculpting riffs, refining melodies. Within two months, he’d written enough songs for an EP and began to envision something big. Teaming up with local musicians, Arthur brought his songs to life in the recording studio. Soon this collaboration gained momentum of its own. Quarantine had devastated the musical community in Armenia, and Arthur’s project offered a vital space for bringing the culture back to life. The project — called Levels High in honor of chasing out-of-reach dreams — drew all kinds of musicians, who came to record with Arthur’s small but growing team.
Carpet Jam was born of a lemons-to-lemonade moment. Confined to a small apartment in Yerevan, Armenia at the Covid-19 pandemic’s peak, Arthur Aghadjanians was seeking a way to pass the time. A development opportunity had brought him back to his homeland, but now quarantine stopped construction. The world was at a standstill. Amid the quiet, Arthur had a creative inspiration. One day before severe lockdown began, he walked into a local music shop and bought a guitar. It was time to reignite the passion of his youth: music.
Driven by a desire to share their music more broadly, the Levels High collective launched Carpet Jam in early 2021. Recording out of the historical Composers Union in central Yerevan, Carpet Jam is a platform where artists and performers can present their music and creativity. Releasing new content every month, we strive to not only highlight Armenian talent, but the creative legacy of our homeland. Carpet Jam is open to all and welcomes submissions from musicians anywhere in the world.
Having recently lived through a pandemic and a war, Armenians and their culture are suffering. Difficult times tempt us to sink and give up, but they also serve as launchpads, opportunities to move and reinvent ourselves. Carpet Jam is an example of art shedding light in darkness. We create despite the odds. We play because it fosters joy. We exist to keep the culture alive — and we’ll see it flourish.
Join us.
