Isfar Sarabski
Isfar Rzayev-Sarabski (Azerbaijani: İsfar Aydın oğlu Rzayev-Sarabski; born 2 November 1989, Baku, Azerbaijan) is an Azerbaijani pianist and composer, winner of the Solo Piano Competition of the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2009, Honorary Artist of Azerbaijan (2010), and receiver of the Zirva State Prize (2010). He is the great-grandson of Huseyngulu Sarabski, celebrated Azerbaijani opera singer, actor and one of the founders of opera in the Islamic world.
Musical career
He graduated from the Baku Music Academy and is currently studying at the Berklee College of Music. Sarabski has performed in the most prestigious concert halls, including the Royal Albert Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Miles Davis Hall, the Vibrato Jazz Club, Jazz Club Ronnie Scott's, the Zinco Jazz Club, the Konzerthaus, Asphalt Jazz Club, Duc des Lombards Jazz Club, Porgy & Bess Jazz Club, Bird’s Eye Jazz Club and the Apollo Theater.
He has played in festivals in Switzerland, Norway, France, Russia, and Georgia, as well as the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in April 2012 for ‘International Jazz Day’ with Herbie Hancock and Friends, and the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 30 April 2015 for "The International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert 2015" and for which he received a letter of gratitude from UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. In 2012-2013 he was invited to a gala concert in New York City by the Jazz Foundation of America.
In 2011, he formed the Isfar Sarabski Trio with Moscow-based musicians Alexander Mashin (drums) and Makar Novikov (bass). The trio has performed in many festivals and concert venues across North America and Europe.
Sarabski has also played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra and musicians including Igor Butman, Rudy Perez , Mino Cinelu, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ben Williams, Mark Guiliana, Alan Hampton, Pat Senatore, Greg Swiller, Erik Klass, Christian Weber and Samuel Rohrer, Malcolm Creese, and James Maddren.
His own compositions include: Novruz, G-Man, Generation, Edge, DejaVu, Melancholy Evening, Last Chance, Prelude, Agent, Revival, Eastern Market, Now I’m Here, InTransit to New York, Buta, Lullaby, Limping Stranger, Cobra Dance and In Memory of Vagif Mustafazadeh. [1] [2]
On July 18, 2009 Isfar became a winner at the 43rd Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.[3]