Azerbaijani music has a long history dating back thousands of years. Some of the earliest information about Azerbaijani music comes from rock carvings from the 18th-3rd millennium BC. Traditional genres include ashig music, an oral folk tradition centered around poets and musicians called ashigs. Azerbaijani folk songs reflect the lives, emotions, and culture of the people. Pop, rock, classical, jazz, and other modern genres developed in Azerbaijan in the mid-20th century, with notable artists influencing each style. Vagif Mustafazadeh is particularly praised for blending jazz and traditional mugham music.

1. AZERBAIJANI MUSIC

2. History of music in Azerbaijan
◦ The first information about the music of
Azerbaijan was obtained in a number of
monuments at the rock carvings during the
archaeological excavations in Gobustan (XVIII-III
millennium of BC) and Gamigaya (III - I BC).
◦ Rich information was given about medieval
music, music genres, musical instruments in
“Kitabi-Dede Gorgut epos (VII century), works of
Nizami, Fuzuli.

3. Ashig music
◦ Ozan-ashug art form began to form in
Azerbaijan since ancient times.
◦ Ashiq’s art is a music form of oral art
formed in folk environment and in terms of
impact strength, popularity and uniqueness
of maturity it is an expression having no
analogue. This is a small performance, the
music, saz and author-ashug make here
unity.

4. Ashig music
◦ Part of the ashiq songs is full of sadness, (Yaniq Karami,
Dilqami), and the other part can be like in Afsharı Sharili
songs, which are wonderful examples of ashug lyrics.
◦ Gurbani (16th century), Abbas Tufarqanlı, Sary Ashiq (17th
century), Khasta Qasim, Ashiq Valeh, Ashiq Dilgam (18th
century), Ashiq Ali, Ashiq Alasgar, Ashiq Hussain Shamkirli
(19th century) and etc are considered as classics of ashiq
art.
◦ Among ashiq of modern time Ashiq Hussein Bozalqanly,
Ashiq Asad, Ashiq Mirza, Ashiq Islam, Ashiq Shamshir,
Hussein Sarajly, Emrah Gulmammadov, Huseyn Javan,
Ashiq Kamandar, Imran Hasanov, Mikail Azaflı, Akbar
Jafarov and etc distinguish. Ashiq art is especially spread
in Gazakh, Tovuz, Shamakhy regions, as well in
settlements of historical Goycha and Borchali.

5. Azerbaijani folk songs
◦ Song is much-loved musical genre. The life of the Azerbaijani people, the struggle, fine-human
emotions, joy and sorrow are reflected in folk songs. Azerbaijani folk songs, all based on the
classic mughams, and benefited from them.
◦ The most ancient songs are Shepherd’s sound , Tutu grandmother”, Milking song, Flower,
plough the land, Song of plough.
◦

6. Azerbaijani folk songs
◦ 1. “Ay gözəl”
2. “Aman, nənə”
3. “Aman, ovçu”
4. “Ay Güləbatın”
5. “Ay bəri bax”
6. “Ay dili, dili”
7. “Ay yollara gül döşəyin”
8. “Almanı atdım xarala”
9. “Aranda qaldım”
◦ 10. “ Ay qız, sənə mailəm”
11. “ Ağacda leylək”
12. “ Brilyant”
13. “Calal Xalıq”
14. “Dolayı gəl, dolayı”
15. “Evləri var xana-xana”
16. “Əsmə, badi-səba, əsmə”
17. “Əlində sazın qurbanı”
18. “Əcəb səfalı dağlar”
19. “Gülgəz”
20. “Girdim yarın bağçasına”
21. “Gəldim”
22. “Gözəlim sənsən”
◦ 23.Susen sunbulu
◦ 24. Sudan gelen surmeli qiz

7. Azerbaijan folk songs
◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNUdZ
QteaC0

8. Pop music
◦ History of appearance of pop music in
Azerbaijan coincides with mid of twentieth
century.
◦ In 1956, the Azerbaijan State Theater
Orchestra, in 1957, We are from Baku pop
ensemble, in 1960 Azerbaijan Television
and Radio Variety Orchestra, in 1960-es
Qaya quartet (later became a vocal-
instrumental ensemble), in 1968 Azerbaijan
State Theatre of Songs, in 1975 the
Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra
were created and played an important role
in the development of pop art in
Azerbaijan.

9. Pop music
◦ In post-war years opera singers (Rauf
Atakishiyev, Lutfiyar Imanov) had influence on
improvement of pop art. Rashid, Muslim
Magomayev, Polad Bulbuloglu had enriched the
pop art creativity
◦ Shevket Alekperova, Gulaga Mammadov, Mirza
Babayev, Ogtay Agayev, Flora Kerimova, Elmira
Rahimova, Yalchin Rzazade, Ilhama Guliyeva,
Mubariz Tagiyev, Hadi Hadiyev, Akif İslamzade
and others rendered active service in promoting
pop songs.
◦ Today there are many well-known artists in the
genre of pop music

10. Rock music in Azerbaijan
◦ The rock music is widely spread in Azerbaijan
1966- 75. At that time, the youth listened
Western rock music on radio waves. More
young people who wanted to listen quality
music, listened groups like Led Zeppelin,
Beatles, Animals. In universities, cultural
houses, schools rock groups were created.
◦ Among the most recognized groups of the
Soviet era were Choldünya, Yuxu, Eksulap and
Khurramids

11. Rock music in Azerbaijan
◦ The band “Yuxu”
◦ “Xezerin sahilinde”
◦ 1993

12. Meikhana
◦ Meikhana is a musical-poetic genre belonging to Azerbaijan, sung with accompaniment of
percussion instrument or recitation. It is mainly spread in the villages of Baku.
◦ It is usually sung in the form of debate of two or more poet-singers impromptu. The specific
genre of meikhana, color patterns is more expressive and deep.
◦ Meikhana singers
◦ Mirza Abdulkhaliq Yusuf, Hashim bey Saqi, Mirza Samandar, Aliaga Vahid, Mashadi Azer, Yayha
Molla oglu, Ahmad Anatollu, Aghadadash Muniri, Dilgam, Aghasalim Chıldag, etc.
◦ Poets had created classic examples of meikhana.

13. Meikhana
◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an7kkW0K_iA
◦ During war years of 1941-45 meikhana turned to fellow of people, inspired the people, and
increased his belief in hope, faith.
◦ Since 90-es years of the last century meikhana stepped at third development stage. However,
when the country gained independence, the new approach to meikhana genre is formed

14. Classical music
◦ The founder of the professional classical
music is considered great composer Uzeyir
Hajibeyov.
◦ At the end of the 30-es – early of 40-es the
new generation of composers grows.

15. Jazz music
◦ The foundation of Azerbaijani jazz was laid by the State
Pop Orchestra known as State jazz at the end of the
30-es by Niyazi and T. Guliyev.
◦ Until 1950 years one of the most important performers
of jazz was saxophonist, jazzman Parviz Rustambeyov.
So-called Soviet Benny Goodmen P. Rustambeyov had
created first jazz orchestra in Krasnıy Vostok (now
Azerbaijan) cinema, and later in Nizami cinema.
◦ Azerbaijani jazz is unforgotten legend. Prominent
representatives of the national jazz Salman Gambarov,
Rain Sultanov, Aziza Mustafazade, Shahin Novrasli and
others names can be mentioned.

16. Jazz music and Vagif Mustafazadeh
◦ In 60-ies of the last century with support and
leadership of Gara Garayev, Niyazi, T. Guliyev,
Rauf Hajiyev the pop and jazz music begins its
second life in Azerbaijan. Periods of “Qaya and
quartet of Rafiq Babayev, V. Mustafazade begins.
◦ V. Mustafazade that is considered the founder of
lyrical jazz for the first time in the world
had organized in Tbilisi State Philharmonic
Society (Georgia) Caucasian jazz-trio. He had
arranged and led the first Leyli lady quartet, Sevil
vocal-instrumental ensemble, and Mugam
instrumental ensemble.

17. Jazz and Vagif Mustafazadeh
◦ V.Mustafazade presented eastern mugham in the
language understandable to the western music
listeners- that was in the language of jazz. The free
feature of the improvisation turned to main part of
links between jazz and mugham. V.Mustafazade was
well aware of it and early of 60-es the new stream in
music – jazz mugham stream was created by him.