I wrote this letter to a friend last year. She didn’t have the answer but maybe somebody else does:

I don’t know if you can answer this question but you know more about Armenian music than anyone I know so I figured it was worth a shot. I discovered that after the genocide a handful of Armenian orphans were adopted by Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia. These children would later become the first official orchestra of his nation and compose Ethiopia’s national anthem. I don’t know how well versed in Bob Marley and Reggae music you are, but the Rastafarian movement considered Haile a living god and Ethiopia spiritual home of their people.

I am curious how much influence Armenian music had on the roots of what is today considered Reggae? The Ethiopian emperor was very fond of Armenian music and Rastafarians look toward him for inspiration. It would be interesting to see if the folk and church hymns of Armenian had any influence on a music now popular the world over?