International Jazz Festival returns to Baku
By Laman Ismayilova
One of Azerbaijan’s longest-running music festivals is coming back to Baku in October with new venues and a feast of talent.
The next edition of the Baku International Jazz Festival will take place from October 20 to 28. Once again foreign and national jazzmen will perform on the same stage.
The Festival will open with an official reception at Rotunda Hall Landmark on October 20, Azertac reported.
The festival's first day will feature the performance the multi awarded kora player from Guinea, Sekou Kouyate.
Although often mentioned as "The Jimi Hendrix of Africa", due to his fast riffs, Kouyate is really one of a kind.
He combines musical styles virtuously, and blends jazz, classical Mandingo, grovy West African beats and a warm vocal, lifting and beautifying the subtle melodies, with funky rhythms or complex melodies with a spiritual feeling. His velvet soft voice adds to the elegant music he composes.
The concert will take place in Elektra Events Hall on October 20. The event starts at 19:00.
An exhibition of works by talented young artist Bahruz Kangarli will be opened as part of the jazz festival.
The Baku Jazz Festival is a forum and musical festival including education (seminars, master classes), competition ("Best Jazz Performer"), a "Kids jazz day", art and photo exhibitions, jam sessions and jazz concerts with the participation of best performers of the world of jazz.
The festival has become a member of the Europe Jazz Network, which bring together 115 members from 34 countries.
The revival of jazz in the Land of Fire started in 1960s, thanks to the active efforts of great national composers such as Gara Garayev, Tofig Guliyev, Rauf Hajiyev and Niyazi.
The “flowering” of Azerbaijani jazz is associated with the names of giants such as Rafig Babayev and Vagif Mustafazade, who experimented creating unrepeatable compositions, becoming the founders of a new jazz trend jazz-mugham. This unique genre assembles both a traditional Azerbaijan music and a classic American jazz.
Today, Azerbaijani jazz performers are winners of many international jazz festivals and competitions.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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