Earlier this week, audiences in Brussels were treated to a rare performance by world-renowned Azerbaijani jazz musician Salman Gambarov. The event, held at the world-famous jazz club The Music Village, marked the official launch of the Belgian-Azerbaijani Cultural Association.
The performance at The Music Village, Belgium’s premier jazz venue, was the perfect way to lift the January gloom.
Music Village, Rue des Pierres 50, 1000 Bruxelles
Gambaroff has delighted audiences around the world with his musical talent, and together with Bakstick Jazz, the ensemble he founded in 1996, he will perform at the city’s Music Village on Monday (January 15) with a highly entertaining 2 We did a live show for hours.
It was a two set piece, the first was more traditional jazz and the second was a bit more avant-garde in the style of early cinema and backed by old Azerbaijani films.
Gambarov, a jazz pianist, was accompanied by fellow highly talented Azerbaijani-born musicians: Nikat Bayramov on drums and Fuad Jafar on bass guitar.
During the concert, the audience also heard traditional musical instruments that they had probably never seen on the Music Village stage before.
The concert in Brussels, organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan to the European Union and attended by Ambassador His Excellency Vakikh Sadikov, was a rare opportunity for the Belgian audience to learn about the technical and musical talent of Gambarov and his band. became.
The concert was also an opportunity to inaugurate the new Belgian-Azerbaijani Cultural Association, which aims to promote friendship and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Kevin Van Knuffel, the new group’s organizer, hopes to promote events like this on a regular basis.
The band’s musical origins lie in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, a fascinating musical metropolis.
Traditional mugham music, symphonic music (the Soviet Republic’s first conservatory was built here), and a vibrant jazz scene make the city a musical capital in the Caucasus.
One of the most important leaders of Azerbaijan’s (and the region’s) jazz scene is Gambarov, who is said to admire the high art of trio playing “with a Keith Jarrett aesthetic.”
The result is something quite unique. Her two completely different musical worlds merged with high-energy jazz. Gambaroff, now 64 years old, has a rich musical heritage.
The Azerbaijani-born composer’s mother, Sula Gambarova, is herself the daughter of an opera singer, and it was she who encouraged his love of music from an early age.
Salman started playing the grand piano at the young age of four and mastered even the most difficult pieces. He then studied at a music school and amazed everyone with his playing and approach to music.
He is said to have taught himself jazz, and in his own words, “Jazz is the music that compares everything to itself.”
His first works were widely praised at the All-Union Composers Competition in Moscow in 1987, and he founded “Bakstick Jazz” in 1996.
Several famous musicians have performed this song in jazz clubs in Baku and abroad, including the Netherlands, Germany, France, England, and the United States. “Bakstick Jazz” also participates in music festivals in Azerbaijan.
Jazz in Baku – one of the positive legacies of the Soviet era.
During the Soviet era, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, was a vibrant hub for a jazz culture that blended Eastern and Western influences. Despite the harsh cultural and political environment of the time, jazz penetrated the hearts of Baku’s residents and created a unique and dynamic scene that flourished in the shadow of the Iron Curtain.
Baku’s jazz music during the Soviet era was a symbol of freedom and self-expression.
The improvisational nature of jazz allowed musicians to subtly convey their feelings and thoughts, often circumventing restrictions imposed by government cultural policies. Baku’s jazz clubs became a haven for those seeking an escape from the monotony of daily life, providing a space where creativity and individuality could flourish.
The local jazz scene has been energized by a diverse array of talented musicians who draw inspiration from both Azerbaijani traditional music and international jazz trends.
This fusion incorporated elements of mugham, Azerbaijan’s traditional musical form, into the improvised structures of jazz works, giving Baku jazz a unique flavor.
Prominent musicians emerged during this period and left an indelible mark on Baku’s jazz culture.
Vagif Mustafazadeh.
Jazz pianist and composer Vagif Mustafazadeh (1940-79), sometimes referred to as the “father of Azerbaijani jazz,” pioneered a style known as: jazz gumblends traditional Azerbaijani melodies with jazz improvisation.
His innovative approach won him recognition not only in Baku but also internationally.
Despite the difficulties imposed by the Soviet authorities, jazz festivals and concerts began to be held regularly in Baku.
These events provided musicians with a platform to showcase their talents and allowed audiences to participate in a genre that transcended cultural and political boundaries.
In conclusion, Baku’s jazz culture during the Soviet era was proof of the resilience of artistic expression in the face of political constraints.
The fusion of Azerbaijani tradition and the improvisational spirit of jazz has created a unique and enduring legacy that continues to influence the city’s cultural landscape, and its music serves as Azerbaijan’s cultural ambassador to this day.
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Also read: Little Belgium, big jazz!
From its early days as a receptive audience for American jazz pioneers to its present day as a hotbed of innovation and creativity, Belgium has left an indelible mark on the world of jazz.
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