Live concert filmed in June 2019 in Baku, at the opening ceremony of the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. A British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of Azerbaijani origin, Sami Yusuf is one of the great voices of spiritual world music, at the crossroads of Sufi traditions, mugham and the art music of the Middle East. For this show titled « Azerbaijan: A Timeless Presence », he composes, arranges and directs a monumental work gathering fifty-seven musicians, blending mystical poetry and traditional Azerbaijani instruments — tar, kamancheh, balaban, qanun, naghara. Alongside the singer are Sevda Alekperzadeh, tar player Sahib Pashazade and balaban master Shirzad Fataliyev, in staging by Andrei Boltenko. The capture conveys the solemnity of the venue and the richness of traditional modal systems, weaving a thread between past, present and future. This filmed full concert from 2019 is an ideal gateway to Azerbaijani music and world music, in an ambitious production celebrating the intangible heritage of a land at the crossroads of cultures.
Personnel & credits
- Sami Yusuf — musical director, composer, vocals
- Sevda Alekperzadeh — vocals
- Sahib Pashazade — tar
- Shirzad Fataliyev — balaban
- Toghrul Asadullayev — kamancheh
- Samira Aliyeva — ashik vocals
- Andrei Boltenko — stage director
