Isfar Sarabski presents new album in Baku
World-famous pianist and composer Isfar Sarabski has presented his new album in Baku. The album presentation took place at "Jazz on the Top" in Landmark.
The music album "Planet" was recorded in collaboration with Warner Music Group. It was released on International Jazz Day, which is celebrated on April 30.
As the musician says, the music album fully reflects his feelings and world view. The musician pays special attention to the major events that have affected humanity over the past years. Through his music, Isfar Sarabski engages in dialogue with listeners.
The album "Planet" includes works performed at concerts and renewed music pieces.
"So, one of the compositions included in the album was written about two years ago, but we recorded it only last year. My concerts feature all music pieces included in the album.
The album "Planet" was originally an electro album. But it gradually turned into an acoustic album. Furthermore, music pieces included in the album were performed with an orchestra.
Isfar Sarabski signed a contract with Warner Music Group for the release of two albums in 2019. He became the first Azerbaijani jazz musician to join Warner Music Group.
In 2019, the musician released the music piece "Horses of Karabakh", recorded in partnership with Warner Music Group (WMG).
The final decision was made after the musician's performance at the Jazzahead festival held in Germany.
"For me, as an artist, this is a big step forward in terms of the fact that now my music sounds all over the world and is well promoted. The contract with Warner Music Group provides for the release of another album, but it will be in a different musical genre- electronic music", said Isfar.
In July, Isfar Sarabski will present the album at Montreux Jazz Festival on July 11. The jazz festival will take place in Switzerland on July 2-17.
Founded in 1967, Montreux Jazz Festival is the second largest annual jazz festival in the world after Canada's Montreal International Jazz Festival.
In the 1970s, the festival began broadening its scope, including blues, soul, and rock artists, for instance Marianne Faithfull, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Deep Purple, Canned Heat and many others.
Notably, Isfar Sarabski is the winner of the pianists' competition at Montreux Jazz Festival 2009.
The Planet tour will kick off in October 2021 and run through mid-November. Within its framework, concerts are planned in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Czech Republic. It is possible that the tour will include other countries, and it will last until early December.
"We are also planning a concert in Baku. But now everything depends on the situation with the pandemic. At the moment, large concert venues are not available," the pianist stressed.
Although the album was only released in April, it has already received positive reviews from influential music critics.
BBC Music Magazine included the album of the Azerbaijani musician in the list of the best jazz albums of 2021. The music album was also highly appreciated in German and French media.
The album cover was designed by a German company.
"The design was a mutual decision, I had the idea to show the connection between classical and jazz music. The company representatives got acquainted with Azerbaijani culture. As you can see, the album cover displays shebeke art (stained glass)," the musician said.
Isfar Rzayev, better known as Isfar Sarabski, is the great-grandson of opera singer Huseyngulu Sarabski. His musical talent manifested itself at an early age.
Musician began playing the piano at the age of seven. Sarabski studied classic piano for eleven years at the Bulbul Music School. After that, he continued his education at the Baku Music Academy.
He completed his studies at the Academy in 2011, graduating as a classical concert pianist. In the same year the pianist received a scholarship from the Berklee Music College, Boston, and the U.S.
After that, the musician formed the Isfar Sarabski Trio with Moscowbased musicians Alexander Mashin (drums) and Makar Novikov (bass). The trio has performed in many festivals and concert venues across North America and Europe.
Azerbaijan's young virtuoso has performed in the most prestigious concert halls, including the Royal Albert Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Miles Davis Hall, the Vibrato Jazz Club, Jazz Club Ronnie Scott's, the Zinco Jazz Club, the Konzerthaus, Asphalt Jazz Club, Duc des Lombards Jazz Club, Porgy & Bess Jazz Club, Bird’s Eye Jazz Club and the Apollo Theater.