Aziza Mustafa Zadeh

 

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh's music found us many years ago in one of our favorite places to listen to and discover music somewhere in the south. The first impression was the pleasure of immersion in a magical world, gathered from pieces of classical music, oriental traditional melodies and jazz.

The reason to listen and talk about Aziza is her upcoming visit to this year's edition of the Belgrade Jazz Festival - a fact that made her fans look forward to meeting the beautiful "Princess of Jazz", as the Western press calls her.
Today we are transported to the world of the Azerbaijani musician, who records in New York and has lived in Germany for years.

Born into a family of musicians, Aziza became interested in music and dance from a very early age. The influence of her famous father - composer, pianist and author of the unique style of mugam-jazz Vagif Mustafa Zadeh determines the direction in the music of Aziza for life. After winning the Thelonious Monk Pianist Award in the United States, she recorded albums with musicians from the class of guitarist Al Di Meola, bassists John Patitucci and Stanley Clark, drummers Omar Hakim and Dave Weckl.

Last year, after a long break, Aziza released a new album called Generations (Jazziza Records 2020), in which her piano trio re-creates this extraordinary atmosphere, full of depth and wisdom, but also emotion and lyricism. An album in which she includes compositions by three generations of musicians - her father, her own and her young son. Through this continuity, the circle closes and proves that tradition and memory are alive.
And today we listen to songs from her various albums and immerse ourselves in this extraordinary world, in which classical music, jazz and folklore, combined with the voice of Aziza send us to. 

For starters, the song Boomerang, in which the pianist is in the company of Al Di Meola, Stanley Clark, Omar Hakim and Bill Evans. 

Following is the tune Always, played together with John Patitucci and Dave Weckl. 

We continue with Ay Dilber together with the percussionist Ramesh Shotam. 

For the finale, the song Netter Junge from her latest music album by her young son Ramiz-Khan.

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh's music you will find on digital platforms.

October 2021

Image© MA