Famous Musicians Flock To Baku For 12th Baku Jazz Festival

The U.S. is where jazz was founded, but the South Caucasus can be thought of its home away from home. A nine-day jazz extravaganza, known as the Baku Jazz Festival, has kicked off in Azerbaijan’s capital along the Caspian Sea, and has been attracting jazz lovers near and far, as world-famous musicians have come to play some the musical genre’s most notably pieces.

Guinean musician Sekou Kouyate opened the event at Elektra Events Hall on Friday, October 20, thrilling jazz fans with his synthesis of funk, soul, jazz and afrobeat sounds. The award-winning Kouyate’s music was infused with his playing of the kora, a 21-stringed harp-like instrument from West Africa, for which he has come to be known.

Friday’s spectacular opening also featured a performance by Georgian percussionist Irakli Koiava, who has managed to merge Georgian folk music and classical jazz motifs together.

The festival’s second day was headlined by Germany’s Cyminology jazz band, whose masterpieces are inspired by legendary medieval poets such as Rumi, Hafez and Khayyam.

Performances since then also included Michiel Borstlap Trio from the Netherlands, and Colombian Edmar Castaneda, who is known for playing the harp.

Tarana Mahmudova is one of the Azerbaijani musicians to perform at this year’s festival. The Elbay Mamedzade Trio, which consists of Azerbaijani and Georgian jazz musicians, accompanied her performance on Monday. The second part of Monday’s show was dedicated to Rafig Babayev, the prominent Azerbaijani composer known for his contribution to the development of Azerbaijani jazz.

Tarana Mahmudova is one of Azerbaijani musicians to perform at this year’s festival. The Elbay Mamedzade Trio, which consists of Azerbaijani and Georgian jazz musicians, accompanied her performance on Monday. / Sputnik

The Rotunda Jazz Club became one of the venues to host a series of concerts within the festival. Poland’s Artur Dutkiewicz Trio and the Bendik Hofseth Band from Norway performed there on Tuesday.

In addition to music concerts, there was something for movie lovers. Daily screenings of films with a jazz theme included Sun Valley Serenade (1941), Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1960) and Miles Ahead (2015), the last which depicts the life of legendary American jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis.

The festival wraps up on Saturday, and will see performances by the American powerhouse group known as the Kennedy Administration, as well as the French accordionist Richard Galliano, who will perform with an orchestra led by Azerbaijani conductor Yalchin Adigezalov.

Now in its 12th season, the Baku Jazz Festival is supported by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and Jazz Dunyasi Magazine. Many famous musicians from a dozen countries have participated in previous festivals, including Grammy Award winners Herbie Hancock and Diana Krall, as well as Mike Stern, a six-time Grammy-nominated American jazz guitarist.

“Throughout 12 years, our festival has welcomed almost all the leading musicians of the world,” said Leyla Efendiyeva, the director of the Baku Jazz Festival and Jazz Dunyasi’s Editor-In-Chief, in an interview in March with Sputnik.

“Today we are receiving hundreds of applications from different countries for participation in the festival. The Baku Jazz Festival has stood on the same line with the best jazz festivals in Europe and America.”