Zerkalo, April 16, 2002
We don’t say "Good Bye"!
By Irada Asadova

The Jazz week presented by the Americans is over. I admit that it finished quite successfully, and people liked it very much. What else do you want? Who wouldn’t like the performance of living legend Toots Thielemans, enjoy the outstanding improvisations of other jazz stars and to see famous countrymen that left Azerbaijan long ago.

American Jazz Prima Donna CoCo York, Mike Del Ferro Trio, Sax ’n Hop played at the first concert. During the evening concert Toots Thielmans came up to the stage although his performance was scheduled for the following day. He was sitting in the audience but could not sit any longer! He came up to the stage and played. On the final day, the jazz legend gave a two-hour gala concert. We also heard young jazz talent Emil Mammadov who played Azeri composers in jazz style, Elza Seyidjahan and Anar Yusifov.Warm applause greeted our countryman Ruslan Agababyev living in New York at the moment. As always Bary Bakh has put on a good performance. Their activity is highly valued by American Voices Association, and we still remember their triumph with CoCo York in 1998.

It is also necessary to stress that within the framework of the festival there were two concerts in refugee camps and jams sessions every night, various master-classes held in musical educational facilities. This was all for this year’s first jazz festival. However, according to the head of the festival, John Ferguson, we just say ‘see you at the next festival’. He says that it is being planned to conduct this festival annually and for that reason a local NGO will be established.

Echo Newspaper, April 17, 2002
Jazz Magicians
By Sh. Hajiyev

Delight! This is the right word to express in short the feelings about the jazz festival held in Baku last week. It had seemed it would be difficult to amaze our city by such an event due to our own rich jazz traditions. But the two-day holiday given by our guests on the Baku stage can only be called a miracle.

We didn’t just have a chance to listen to good music but we also had the chance to experience international level jazz. So many international jazz stars have never been to Baku before.

It is remarkable that the festival gathered musicians who work in such different styles of jazz. In this regard, the festival can be called a show of modern musical tendencies, so-called Haute Couture of American and European jazz. It is doubly pleasing that among these stars we saw our countryman Ruslan Agababayev and countrywoman Amina Figarova, who have been working in the West for long time.

Performances by the 80-year-old Toots Thielmans, Afro-American CoCo York, Mike Del Ferro Trio, US Air Force Big Band and Amina Figarova septet were unforgettable. If the festival was holiday for the audience, it was two-day master-class for local musicians, get to know the modern school better.

Unfortunately, the majority of our musicians failed to compete with the international stars, and their inner restrictions and understanding that guests were better just strengthened this feeling. One of the participants admitted that our musicians were not ready psychologically. The main reason is that our jazz suffers hard times at the current moment. Many jazzmen are living rough because their music is not required by the society. Many local musicians had to leave the country for better jobs. For instance, Vagif Sadikhov lives in Moscow at the moment. At last Baku musicians have had a chance now for creative exchange and joint work with their famous colleagues from America and Europe.

For that reason, the most important action of organizers was that they enabled us to go to New Orleans, to admire the Sunny Valley Serenade and get burnt by CoCo York’s temperament.

There was some bad behavior by some audience but I don’t want to speak about that. I want just to thank all those who presented such a holiday to us.

Bravo organizers! Bravo sponsors! Thank you all!

Echo Newspaper, April 16, 2002
Jazz is Freedom!
The Caspian Jazz & Blues festival in Baku has come to an end
By D. Karakmazli and Muzartkizi

"When I hear jazz I want to scream and cry…"

American singer CoCo York was singing these words during the Caspian Jazz & Blues Festival at the Republic Palace. The audience acclaim for this Afro-American jazz diva was so warm that she said, “I sing everywhere in the world but I feel this audience is the most excited jazz lovers in the world.”

Her remark was correct because there was little emotional distance between the audience and the stage. Listeners followed her request to clap with pleasure while she was singing. In short, the singer felt that she was at home.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sevda Mammadaliyeva, said that despite the fact that jazz was born in the USA, it has become traditional for everyone in the world. Moreover Vagif Mustafazadeh created a basis for new jazz-mugham direction. Such famous names as Tofik Guliyev and Rafik Babayev performed and composed in this country. Jazz has no limits, she emphasized.

US Ambassador Ross Wilson also greeted jazz lovers. He expressed his gratitude to all organizations supporting the festival, Panalpina, Bakcell, Unocal, ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco etc.

In general the festival was not only just pleasing time spending for jazz lovers but also it was very useful event. All collected funds will go to United Aid for Azerbaijan, an NGO that cares about orphans, refugees and low-level income people.

Bakiniski Rabochiy (Baku Worker) Newspaper, April 16, 2002
Final Jazz Stars Melodies
By Svetlana Mirzoyeva

Four outstanding concerts in the Republic Palace disclosed fully the activity of musicians gathered in Baku for the festival.

Toots Thielemans played classical arias and Neapolitan songs in his own arranging on the harmonica. He was accompanied by Mike Del Ferro Trio. Vagif Sadikhov the pride of Azeri jazz has shown his outstanding jazz improvisations during the final evening concert.

German Sax’n Hop trio played together with Azeri Bakustic Jazz. The Rain Sultanov Group and AzTV & Radio Jazz Group have demonstrated a European level of jazz improvisations. Children’s group Bary Bakh, grown up by jazz master and former Gaya member Rauf Babayev sang well. Coco York and Kim Prevost amazed the audience by their voices.

US Air Force Band performed at a high level of proficiency and Young Azeri jazz star Ruslan Agababayev cheered listeners. We should also note the role of main festival organizer American Voices Director John Ferguson. He opened every concert and was MC.

The outstanding performance of the young Azeri jazz stars that were selected from among master class participants made John Ferguson and school director proud of the kids.

The festival and master classes generated so much interest in jazz among students of secondary schools and so inspired jazz masters that it was almost worrying!

“Is that just a splash in our musical life?” I asked the festival manager Seymur Kerimov.

“No, this is just a beginning of our constant work,” he replied, “We should reach the level of jazz that was in 1950-60s, when Baku was the place of jazz musicians gathering. We will carry on all good that this festival brought.”

Bizim Asr – Our Century (Azeri Edition), April 12, 2002
Jazz is the Free Spirit Music
Today is the opening of the Caspian Jazz & Blues Festival 2002
By Nushaba Huseynli

All festival participants have already arrived in Baku. They held master-classes for students in several music educational facilities, helped young musicians improve their skills and shown various improvisation techniques.

The results are very pleasing. As it was expected by music experts, young students of music educational schools and academy amazed foreign jazz musicians who did not expect that level. They highly valued the way our young students improvise and play jazz compositions.

There are several reasons that foreign jazz musicians are amazed by the level of development of our jazz. It can be explained by that Azeri jazz has already been played abroad and got high recognition. In this regard, this festival, which gathered many international musicians from different parts of world, can also become a path enabling talented Azeri jazz musicians to get international exposure.

Internet News Newspaper, April 11, 2002
Caspian Jazz & Blues Festival
By Sabina

Finally we got jazz! The last festival was held in Baku in 1988. And after 14 years we can say welcome to real music. The guests were really world famous! American Voices Association brought to Azerbaijan such stars as Toots Thielemans, Mike Del Ferro, Amina Figarova (she was born and grew up in Baku but left in 1992), Kim Prevost and Bill Solley.

The idea to hold such a festival appeared during joint performance of CoCo York with Azeri Bary Bakh choir in 1998. CoCo’s first visit was so successful that she has to come to Baku again. The rich festival program featured international guests and outstanding music. What more do you want in order to have nice time?

However, no festival could be without our local jazz musicians. Many people know about Azeri jazzmen. For instance Vagif Mustafazadeh brought so much success to Azerbaijan as Baku is called second motherland of jazz music.

If you want to get more information about jazz and blues, festival organizers and participants are inviting classical and jazz trained students to seminars at Music Academy, Bul Bul secondary music school and Jazz club from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. You can also get detailed information about the festival and its guests from website www.bakujazz.com.festival.

Bakiniski Rabochiy (Baku Worker) Newspaper, April 6, 2002
Saxophone Sings and Cries
Descendants of jazz legends gather in Baku for international festival
By Svetlana Mirzoyeva

As of April 8 Baku will become a center to gather many European and American jazz musicians when it will host an international jazz festival.

Baku people love jazz because of its warmth and its virtuoso musicians with rich improvisations. Such famous Azeri musicians as Niazi and Tofik Guliyev fell in love with jazz in the 1930s. However even during jazz’s dark period of the cold war, Baku’s people continued to love it. They went to cinemas, not to watch movies, but to listen to jazz bands that played before the movie. As soon as jazz was rehabilitated in Baku, such famous groups as Gaya and many others appeared and were successful. Among them are Vagif Mustafazadeh, Tofik Guliyev and Rafik Babayev.

The above history and modern state of jazz culture in Baku urged the organizers to hold Caspian Jazz & Blues festival in Baku. It is pleasing that the festival will also gather Azeri musicians currently living abroad.

Bizim Asr – Our Century (Azeri Edition), April 4, 2002
Azeri Jazz Will Never Lose its Flavor
Initiators of the 2002 Caspian Jazz & Blues Festival are not worried about culture synthesis
By Nushaba Huseynli

Since quite recently local media has been spreading the information about the international jazz festival to be held in Baku for the first time. It is necessary to note that the festival is organized by the US Embassy in Azerbaijan and American Voices Association.

Festival participants include musicians from America and Europe, and number of local jazz professionals. Several days are left to go until the beginning of the festival. In spite of the tight schedule, American Voices Artistic Director John Ferguson and another representative of that organization Elizabeth Smailes agreed to an interview with us.

John Ferguson has been to Azerbaijan for many times. He was in Azerbaijan in last year for American Voices’ West Side Story project in Baku. At that time he got his first ideas about such a jazz event.

J.F. I felt that there is a huge interest in jazz music in Baku. This impression was getting stronger with each my visit to this city. I have come to Baku for four times for preparation of this festival since February of last year. We thoroughly studied all details for the festival organization and established necessary contacts.

N.H. Could you tell me about your organization, its activity and goals?

J.F. American Voices Association in a non-profit organization, based in Amsterdam. It was established in 1992. Its activity is to promote American music and culture all over the world.

N.H. Does it mean that the festival you’re going to conduct in Baku aimed to promote and advertise American culture to us or maybe you want to aid to develop Azeri jazz?

J.F. I like your question and I’ll answer it with pleasure. If you take a look at the festival booklet you’ll notice that we invited half international and half local musicians. I would also like to add that all foreign musicians are coming to Baku to provide educational assistance to young Azeri musicians or to play works of Azeri composers. For instance, Sax’n Hop will play together with local Bakustic Jazz, CoCo York will sing together with Bary Bakh Choir, and Mike Del Ferro Trio will play compositions by Tofig Guliyev. Various jazz musicians from Japan, America and Europe will give master-classes for students of music schools and the Music Academy. Yes, on one hand we bring American culture to you, on the other hand international musicians are able to get to know Azeri culture. Our project goes in both directions.. Another important point is we invited Azeri musicians that don’t live in the country at the moment to participate in the festival. Amina Figarova will be back for the first time since 1997. She lives abroad. She was trained and left Baku as a classical pianist but now she is back as jazz pianist. Several American musicians play in her group. One more, Ruslan Aghababyev, who left Azerbaijan several years ago, will be back in Azerbaijan. Finally, jazz pianist Vagif Sadikhov will join the festival from Moscow.

N.H. In your view, what will be the effect of meeting of different cultures? Will Azeri jazz be able to benefit from that? May such an interaction of cultures lead to the watering down of Azeri jazz by world jazz?

J.F. I think that Azeri jazz won’t ever lose its flavor. It will keep its specific features regardless of changes. Would the Mike Del Ferro Trio lose its nationality by playing compositions of Azeri composers? In contrary, after such a synthesis our creative opportunities will increase.

N.H. What about the opportunities for Azeri jazz to go out of Azerbaijan, for example to America?

J.F. This is not the main objective of American Voices Association. We do not go to the country, select most talented candidates and take them to United States for exposure there. However, Azeri musicians have the opportunity to establish contacts independently and start playing abroad. We want Azeri music to be played for huge audience. This will be helpful for both Azeri music and jazz musicians.

This is Elizabeth Smailes’ seventh visit to Azerbaijan. She is responsible for financing of the festival and she said that she was very successful in this regard.

L.S. The festival budget started from zero dollars. I wish to thank all sponsors for help in organization of the festival.

N.H. How much is the festival budget now?

L.S. We didn’t know about exact amount till January this year. There were rumors going in the city about jazz festival but we, organizers, didn’t know till the last point whether we could hold it. It was very difficult to collect enough contributions for the festival.

N.H. As I know, around 30 foreign and local companies are sponsors of the festival. Was it difficult to involve local companies into sponsorship?

L.S. It was. Our first difficulty was that we are not local organization and local business people were very skeptical about the festival. In Azerbaijan, there tends to be a suspicious attitude towards events to be done for the first time. When I asked local companies for sponsorship in June last year for next year in the spring they thought was from Mars! It was difficult to explain that to them. They said to come one month before the festival, in March. This would be very late. In Europe, such kind of events are planned three-four years in advance. Besides the two local structures supporting us, there is one more local company Garadagh Cement that will be sponsoring our festival CD. We say thank you to all of them.

N.H. How much is your budget at the moment?

L.S. Around $100,000. As you see, we have huge expenses.

N.H. What about tickets distribution?

L.S. We distributed 50 percent of all tickets among music and other educational facilities for free. Moreover everyone can obtain free tickets at our office. For those able to donate from $5 to 20 dollars to United Aid for Azerbaijan will get one VIP ticket and Festival T-shirt.

Bizim Asr – Our Century (Azeri Edition), April 9, 2002
The 2002 Caspian Jazz & Blues Festival Begins its Seminars
Famous international jazz musicians arrived in Baku
By Tunzale Babayeva

Jazz festival started its workshops. Although there are several days left until the opening of the festival many of the musicians are already in Baku. Among them are renowned pianist Mike Del Ferro, double-bass players Yasuhito Mori and Ruth Davies, drummer Sebastiaan Kaptein, worldwide famous singer CoCo York, pianist, Azeri Amina Figarova, singer and dancer Kim Prevost, flute player Bart Platteo, guitar player Bill Solley, saxophonist trio Sax’n Hop, and horn player Dmitri Matheny.

It is necessary to note that above mentioned musicians will lead master-classes held in Music academy, Jazz Club and Bul Bul Secondary Music School. One of the master class teachers in Bul Bul school is Amina Figarova. She started her first class with the blues, which is one of the basic styles of jazz. Students of the school were very active during the class. After short joint training with Amina, young students played several improvisations alone.

Seminars will last till April 13th. We will be trying to print interviews with all festival musicians.

Bizim Asr – Our Century (Azeri Edition) April 11, 2002
I am Amazed by these Kids
Amina Figarova says that there are real talents in Azerbaijan
By Tunzale Babayeva

One of the master-class teachers is our countrywoman Amina Figarova.

T.B. When have you been to Baku last time?

A.F. Unfortunately, I can’t come to Baku regularly. I don’t have much free time because of the concerts in different parts of the world. When I’m in Holland I have just time for teaching. I last came to Baku five years ago but my parents come to see me regularly. It is very important to me to be in touch with my parents.

T.B. After such a long period, what is Baku like?

A.F. It has been changed greatly since I last remember it. However, even if I don’t live here I keep in touch with my parents, so I have information about all events in my hometown. It is pleasing that Baku is getting cleared up by new Mayor. Now Baku is more clean than some European and American cities. All changes are for good. It will be good idea if jazz music school to be opened in Baku, because we have many talents here.

T.B. Can you tell us about the level of your master-class students?

A.F. My husband is the flute player. We are both giving master-classes here. He was just amazed by his students because they start improvising as soon he shows them one scale! It would take one month to teach that in Holland.

T.B. You told that you traveled to many countries. Do they know Azerbaijan?
 
A.F. Wherever I go, Indonesia, Brazil, America, I always try to provide full information about Azerbaijan, because all think that Azerbaijan is a part of Russia. I explain to them that this is wrong and argue with them. I always have to get map to show them. It is not pleasing that they don’t know us.

T.B. What are you going to play during the jazz days?

A.F. I came to the festival with two groups. Along with traditional compositions that we always play in such occasions, we are going to perform classical jazz compositions. First we will try to cover the development of jazz from concert music to its modern level. Then my septet will introduce modern jazz compositions.