Azerbaijan is best known to the general public for its oil reserves, its glittering capital Baku, and its nickname "Land of Fire."
But Azerbaijan is also a wealth and a cultural heritage, a heritage built thanks to its geographical location which makes it a gateway between the East and the West.
A culture, particularly musical, which is present in the lives of its inhabitants, giving rhythm to their daily lives.
Azeris are indeed passionate about music, particularly jazz. They have drawn inspiration and skillfully and harmoniously from their ancestral music, such as Mugham, to create a jazz style with oriental influences.
The result is Azeri jazz and jazzmen developing a rhythm with a unique expression both in their compositions and in their improvisations.
With this article, we present to you a video documentary about this incredible story of a music with African-American roots that found a second adopted homeland: Azerbaijan.
Interview with violinist Sabina Rakcheyeva, TEAS France director Marie-Laetitia Gourdin, and composer Pierre Thilloy.
Documentary directed by Michel Dupré / MD77-films.
Christelle Santabarbara
