Heydar Aliyev Center to hold concert dedicated to jazz legend
By Laman Ismayilova
The Heydar Aliyev Center will hold a concert, entitled "My Mother. Old City. The Caspian Sea" dedicated to the remembrance day of the world-famous Azerbaijani jazz musician Vagif Mustafazada on December 16, Azernews reports.
Speaking about the reasons behind his creative success, the jazz legend, who was born in the Old City in Baku, located on the Caspian coast, always said, "because there was the mother, the Old City, and the sea."
Famous representatives of Azerbaijani jazz and mugham music will perform Mustafazada's music pieces.
The concert will be attended by Alim Qasimov, Elbay Mammadzada, Elchin Shirinov, Elvin Bashirov, Emil Afrasiab, Etibar Asadli, Isfar Sarabski, Isgandar Alaskarov, Mir Musa Seidzada, Nijat Aslanov, Riad Mammadov, Ruslan Huseynov, Shahin Novrasli, as well as the Gaytagi instrumental ensemble under the baton of Anvar Sadigov and the Baku Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Fuad Ibrahimov.
Born in 1940, outstanding composer, pianist, founder of the jazz-mugham style, Honored Artist of the Azerbaijani SSR, and laureate of the State Prize Vagif Mustafazada received his first musical education at music school, where his mother Zivar Aliyeva worked.
From 1957 to 1963, he continued his education at the Asaf Zeynalli music school. In 1964, he entered the Uzeyir Hajibayli Azerbaijani State Conservatoire.
In 1965, the musician was invited to Tbilisi as the musical director of the famous Orero ensemble, and in the same year, he created the Caucasus jazz trio at the Georgian Philharmonic. In 1967, he attended the International Jazz Festival in Tallinn.
In 1970, Vagif Mustafazada created the Leyli vocal quartet, and in 1971 – Sevil vocal-instrumental ensemble under the State Radio.
Vagif Mustafazada became a laureate of the jazz festival in Donetsk in 1977. He was awarded the title of laureate and best pianist at the jazz festival (1978) in Tbilisi.
He also took first place as the best composer at the International Competition of Jazz Composers in Monaco (1979) for his composition "Waiting for Aziza" and won the White Grand Piano award.
In the same year, he was awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist of Azerbaijan.
Mustafazada combined Azerbaijani mughams with traditional jazz techniques, creating a synthesis of mugham and jazz.
Similar innovations made by him in Azerbaijani music are still relevant, and many musicians use the synthesis of jazz and mugham created by the composer.
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