Azerbaijani documentary ‘Sari Gelin’ screened in Berlin
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijani documentary 'Sari Gelin' (Yellow Bride) produced originally in the German language received a screening at the Astor Film Lounge in Berlin.
The documentary, based on an idea by chief executive of German-Azerbaijan Forum Parviz Yazdani and directed by Klaus Bernhardt, demonstrates Azerbaijan's jazz traditions and a rare synthesis of jazz and Azerbaijani folk music mugham.
The film also stressed the musical center Shusha's great role in the culture of Azerbaijan.
Well-known contemporary Azerbaijani musicians Alim Gasimov, Salman Gambarov, Rain Sultanov and Isfar Sarabski visited the filming of the joint production of German `Das apartment` and Azerbaijani Salname film studios. The "Sari Gelin" documentary was produced with the support of the German-Azerbaijan Forum, E-ON, Azerbaijani state energy firm SOCAR and the Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany. The event was attended by Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany Parviz Shahbazov.
History of Azerbaijani jazz mugham
Jazz, a musical genre that originated in the U.S, is a universal language of intercultural dialogue connecting people all over the world. Jazz as an integral part of the national culture is very popular in Azerbaijan as well. Jazz in Azerbaijan is not a recent phenomenon, it is a tradition.
Karabakh, an integral part of Azerbaijan, is the cradle of poetry and music. Shusha is the historical and cultural center of Karabakh and one of the unique centers of Azerbaijani culture which is currently under Armenian occupation.
Shusha has a special place in Azerbaijani musical culture and is known as "Conservatoire of the Caucasus" as well as a cradle of Azerbaijani mugham.
Jazz had deep roots in Baku. It first appeared in Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 20th century when Baku was world-famous for its oil wealth. This new musical genre was a synthesis of various cultural traditions, covering African rhythms, Asian love for improvisation and abstract thinking and European classical music.
During the period of the former Soviet Union, Baku was one of the cities best known for jazz. However, in 1945 Stalin decided to ban jazz throughout the USSR, labeling it "music of the capitalists."
During the prohibition of jazz Azerbaijani pianist and composer Vagif Mustafazadeh became a bright ray of hope for jazz in the times of musical darkness. Inspired by Azerbaijani mugham, he wished to make jazz Azerbaijani, create in it something native, something close to the Azerbaijani soul.
Mustafazadeh was the creator of the jazz mugham movement in Azerbaijan in the 1960s. By merging two musical genres - Western jazz and Eastern mugham - he created jazz mugham and presented Eastern mugham in the language of jazz understandable to Western music listeners.
Mugham is a traditional musical form characterized by a large degree of improvisation in singing and playing. The thing that unites mugham and jazz is improvisation. In 2003, mugham was recognized by UNESCO in 2008 and was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Improvising classical jazz with traditional mugham, Vagif created a new sound - a unique fusion of Eastern and Western music.
Jazz mugham is based on the modal forms or scales of mughams. Both rhythm and scales are improvised in jazz mugham.
Jazz is one of the most popular musical forms in Azerbaijan today. There are a radio station that plays jazz all day, Jazz Hour on TV, and a jazz center in the center of Baku. Every year Azerbaijan organizes the Baku International Jazz Festival.
Azerbaijani jazz musicians regularly perform abroad and most of them are known well throughout the world. They are active participants of many international jazz festivals and winners of international music competitions. Well-known Azerbaijani jazz musicians include Salman Gambarov, Rain Sultanov, Amina Figarova, Aziza Mustafazadeh, Isfar Sarabski and many others.
Azerbaijani jazz is a kind of synthesis of Western music with Azerbaijani traditional music and a great example of intercultural dialogue between civilizations.