Pomegranate Music is a world and classical music record label that was established by Raffi Meneshian in 2001. Since its inception, the label has produced an output of twenty-one albums that has ranged in genres from contemporary Armenian folk rock to classical guitar music. Initially, Pomegranate Music strictly focused on raising awareness of the hidden talents in Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh) by producing music from Gor Mkhitarian, Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia, Bambir, Lav Eli, and various choirs from Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh). All of the early albums were recorded either in Yerevan, Armenia or on location in Shushi, Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh). Gradually, the label kept its independent spirit, moving on towards producing world class classical guitar music from the likes of SoloDuo (Lorenzo Micheli and Matteo Mela), Iakovos Kolanian, Megerdich Mikayelian, and João Kouyoumdjian. Those recordings were done in Greece and Italy. The results from these special recordings garnered critically acclaimed reviews capturing a small but loyal fan base in each of their micro-niche markets. Reviews came from esteemed publications such as the Washington Post, Soundboard, Classical Guitar Magazine (UK), All Music Guide, and Global Rhythm to name a few. Each of these twenty-one albums produced on Pomegranate Music served to either introduce each artist to the record buying public for the first time, or to elevate an already existing recording career to new heights through innovative distribution channels and/or highly creative and tasteful packing.
An equally important component in the Pomegranate Music presentation formula was commissioning uniquely talented artists/designers/photographers to each project to give the listening public a visual companion to the talent they heard on record. Examples of stark and provocative photography from Winslow Martin, Garo Lachinian, Gilberto Tadday, George Imirzian, Berta Martirosyan, and Arsineh (Khachikian) Valladian challenged the conventional norm previously seen in commercially available music releases from its respective genres. Illustrations from Alik Arzoumanian and Ivana Krcadinac elegantly displayed original interpretations of each music release from their own creative imaginations. Finally, the one golden thread in each of the twenty-one albums was the stunning graphic design work from the award winning Arsineh Valladian, whose talent of tying together the soul of the music, visual art, and contemporary mood of the music industry into a consistent vision was nothing short of astonishing.
The legacy and spirit of the label, and of those who created each recording, lives on today through compact discs, digital downloads, and whatever medium may come to be in the future.