National mugham master to perform in U.S., Australia

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan’s mugham master Alim Gasimov and his daughter Farghana Gasimova will give concerts in the U.S. and Australia in January.

In the U.S., Gasimov will be accompanied by "Yo-Yo Ma" and "Silk Road" ensemble.

Yo-Yo Ma is an acclaimed cellist and songwriter who has produced dozens of albums and won more than 15 Grammy Awards.

The Silk Road Ensemble is a musical collective and a part of Silkroad. The ensemble is known for its series of interdisciplinary festivals and residencies presented in North America, Europe, and Asia.

It's not a fixed group of musicians, but rather a loose collective of as many as 59 musicians, composers, arrangers, visual artists and storytellers from Eurasian cultures.

The Silk Road Ensemble has regularly commissioned new works from across a broad musical spectrum.

One of the world’s truly gifted singers, Alim discovered the world of mugham as a child, when he began singing for his own enjoyment. He grew up in the town of Shamakhi, 100 km northwest of Baku. "I had no idea that I would become a singer," he remembers.

Gasimov continues to play an important role in promotion of the Azerbaijani culture, especially mugham around the world.

He was awarded the International Music Council-UNESCO Music Prize, one of the highest international accolades for music in 1999. For that achievement, he was quoted by the New York Times as simply one of the greatest singers alive, with a searing spontaneity that conjures passion and devotion, contemplation and incantation.

Also known as an artist of supreme versatility, Gasimov has collaborated and performed with some of the world’s leading musicians, including Yo-Yo Ma, Kronos Quartet and Jeff Buckley.

People's Artist of Azerbaijan Alim Gasimov was one of four Azerbaijanis among the 500 most influential Muslims in the world , chosen by competition , conducted by the Center for Strategic Studies and the famous American Georgetown University in Jordan.