Shahin Novrasli - Azerbaijan's jazz ambassador
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INTERVIEWS  23 September 2022 - 11:00

Shahin Novrasli, by all accounts, is the brightest contemporary successor to the traditions of Azerbaijani folk jazz, whose foundations were laid by Vagif Mustafazade. A graduate of the Bulbul Music School and the Baku Conservatory, he is a participant and laureate of many international competitions.

- It was not easy to access you, apparently the tight schedule is having an effect. Please let our readers know how this part of 2022 went and if there are tours planned for the end of the year.

- The first half of the year was spent on preparations for the First Baku International Piano Festival, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan. As the founder, director and direct participant of this creative forum, I headed the organizing committee and supervised the preparation of this major international festival, about which much has already been said and written and which was a great success. It was in May, in the summer I allowed myself a little rest and therefore held only one concert in Europe, in Austria. Next, I plan to give a series of master classes as part of the Culture Network House, and today more than 50 young performers have expressed their desire to participate in them. I also plan to hold a concert and master classes in Turkey, in Ankara this November

- Do you have contracts with music labels and what are your plans related to them.

- I have previously worked with several French and American labels, but today I have signed a contract with the Japanese label Eight İslands. As part of this collaboration, a CD and a vinyl record of my album "Bayaty" were released in March. This is the first ever example of cooperation between Azerbaijani musicians and Japanese labels, and within the framework of this contract, the presentation of this album and a tour of Japan will take place next year in May in Japan.

- Who are your current line-up partners? Is this line-up permanent or do you involve different musicians for different projects? I mean drums and double bass.

- During my musical career I have played with many musicians, but for the last 2 years I have been playing with bassist James Komaki (USA) and drummer Jocelyn Hazard (France). James Komaki has over 40 years of experience performing with legendary American pianist Ahmed Jamal. If I need to add folklore notes to my musical ideas, then I am happy to involve my brothers - singer Nurlan and performer on tar and kamancha Arslan.

- Let's talk about Ahmed Jamal. This outstanding jazz pianist played an important role in your destiny. Can you elaborate on this?

- For non-specialists, let me remind you that Ahmad Jamal is a great American jazz pianist, composer and teacher. According to many critics, he is second in importance to the development of jazz after Charlie Parker. For five decades he was one of the most successful small group leaders in jazz. I met him in New York, got the opportunity to play a few things for him and I must say he liked it. Maestro liked it so much that he produced 2 of my albums Emanation and From Baku to NY. He became my mentor and for many years we have maintained friendly and creative contacts with him. He was amazed by the richness of the musical culture of Azerbaijan when I introduced him to the work of such masters as Uzeyir Hajibayov and Vagif Mustafazade. The master is no longer touring, years are taking their toll, but we constantly keep in touch. He is keenly interested in the events of musical life in Azerbaijan and was very pleased to hear about the holding of an international piano festival in Baku this year. You can talk a lot about Ahmed Jamal, I will only say one thing, that he was the person who introduced me to the world jazz scene, for which I am immensely grateful to him.

- We often hear that the Azerbaijani music school is strong mainly in two areas - vocals and keyboards. Do you agree with this opinion?

- Yes, undoubtedly, vocal and piano have been strong schools since the Soviet period, fortunately these glorious traditions have not lost their former glory and I believe that violinists and conductors have also been added to them, who have already managed to loudly declare themselves in the international arena. Many promising young people today study abroad, and the fact that today Azerbaijan is an independent and prosperous country gives young cadres an additional incentive to develop.

- They say you recently participated in a jazz festival in Austria, where your eldest son Mirsamed made his debut. How did the Austrian audience meet his creative debut?

- This was my second performance at the Jazzbühne festival, the first time it happened in 2017, before the epidemic. This time I brought my sons with me and Mirsamed debuted very successfull and was warmly received by the audience. As a father, of course, I am very pleased that both my sons and Mirsamed and Mirahad have followed in my footsteps, but I very carefully guide them along this path, giving them the right to decide who they want to become in the future - jazz pianists or classical, or even to be conductors or composers.

Mirsamed Novrasli's deput performance in Austria

Caliber.Az