Mugam Trio Djabbar Karyagdyoglu - Mugam from Azerbaijan - LP from 1991

Zakhid Kuliev - Vocal, Naqara

Mokhlat Muslimov - Tar

Fakhratdin Dadashev - Kemanche

Zakhid Kuliev - his name is transcribed sometimes as Zahid Guliev or Quliyev - is
next to Alim Qasimov perhaps the singer with the most amazing and beautiful
voice of his generation.

Side 1

Maxur – Xindi (Mahur-Hindi)

(folk music – A.Vakhid) – 22.26

Side 2

Simai – Shems

(folk music – D.Vasif) – 10.30

Heiraty – 6.45

Gyullyu Gafiya – 3.18

(folk music and text)

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Liner notes:

Classic Azerbaijani “mugam” dates back to a long history. It was developed, polished and passed from mouth to mouth. The only thing that wasn’t changed is the creative task of bearers of mugam, which comprises the ability of joining the strict rules of formations and freedom of its interpretation. A mugam performer sings and plays traditional variant of classical composition while demonstrating at the same time his ability of improvisation to listeners that adds a unique colour to the sounds of popular melodies.

Traditional mugam ensemble is a trio, casting a singer-hanende and performers on Azerbaijani national musical instruments “tare” (stringed) and kyamanche (bow). Drumming (“def”) party of music is performed by a singer himself.

From the earliest times Azerbaijani mugam art presents three main performing schools – Karabakh, Shirvan and Baku. Each of them added their amazing tints to the development and formation of this Azerbaijani “dastgyakh”.

The performance of “dastgyakh” can be compared with climbing to the Everest from all slopes by the strongest, skilled and well trained professionals.

Mugam trio named after Djabbar Karyagdyoglu offers organic blending of tastes of two schools: lower-Karabakh (in its turn Karabakh School has three trends: gorno- (mountain), middle- and lower-Karabakh) – singer-hanende Zakhid Guliev and Baku stringed musical instrument player Mokhlat Muslimov, and a bow player Fakhratdin Dadashev. Each of them, possessing an impressive individual performing aspect, tactfully locates the orientation of the improvisatory fantasy of a partner in the ensemble.

A repertoire of classical Azerbaijani mugam ensemble consists of mugams, zerbi-mugams, Azerbaijani-mugams and even traditional ashug (Caucasian folk) melodies.

Ancient land of Azerbaijan has been always generous with talents. Majority of them glorified this beautiful land to the world, entering to the golden foundation of world musical art. Safiaddin Urmevi, Abdul Kadyr Maragi, Uzeir Gadjibekov, Sadykhdjan, Djabbar Karyagdyoglu, Mirza Mamed Gasan, Kurban Primov, Bakhram Mansurov and other Azerbaijani musicologists and performers are the stars of “mugam galaxy”. Undoubtedly, we are the spectators of appearance of new stars, flaring with special glitters.

Gasan Adigezal-zade

Many thanks to Berdak Bayimbetov for the translations and transcriptions, especially the big work of translating the liner notes.