BP Azerbaijan publicly presented today a full documentary film about the jazz virtuoso Vagif Mustafazade. BP’s support for the production of the film “Vagif as I knew him” is part of its long-term commitment to Azerbaijan and to promoting its rich cultural heritage.
The documentary film is in recognition of Azerbaijan’s and one of the world’s grandmasters of jazz, Vagif Mustafazade - founder of a new genre in the art of music – the jazz-mugham. The film features his life episodes as well as other well-known musicians’ thoughts about this world-renowned jazz performer of Azerbaijan.
Gordon Birrell, BP’s Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, said: “As Azerbaijan’s long-term oil and gas partner, BP has been closely involved with the country’s rich cultural legacy since the early days of its presence here. We have to date initiated and implemented numerous successful projects in support of the development of Azerbaijan’s culture as well as promotion of its amazing cultural legacy.
“We are proud to be associated with the name of the most renowned representative of Azerbaijan’s jazz Vagif Mustafazade. He is one of the world’s most famous jazz pianists and composers. BP is well aware that this extraordinarily great jazzman is highly admired throughout the world and his music is a legend in Baku. He was able to create a fantastic combination of the best trends of music of the East and the West. This combination has come out as a brilliant fusing of Azerbaijan’s national music known as mugham and the Western jazz. We hope the film will be received as a tribute to Vagif Mustafazade’s fantastic performing art and will contribute to the great respect for and recognition of his talent world-wide.”
The film is based on the recollections of Vagif Mustafazade’s contemporaries including Russian, Georgian, Estonian, Polish and American jazz masters who share their recognition of and admiration for his artistic legacy and personality.
The premiere of the documentary made by Azerbaijan’s BUTAfilm company took place in the Nizami Cinema Centre of Baku today, 25 October.
Read the full speech by Gordon Birrell, BP’s Regional President for Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey
Tamam Bayatly at BP’s Press Office in Baku.
Telephone: (+994 12) 599 45 57