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Artist
Rafiq Babayev
12+ albums
funkjazzazerbaijanifunk-hopAzerbaijani jazz
about
31.03.1937 - 19.03.1994 The musician, composer and professional pianist Rafiq Babayev was born in Baku, Azerbaijan into the family of Farzi Babayev who worked for the Communist party. In 1937 Farzi was imprisoned and tortured by the Committee of Internal Affairs and later executed (in 1956 he was posthumously rehabilitated). Rafiq’s brother, three sisters and he were brought up in very poor conditions by their mother - Shakhbegim khanum. All four children grew up to become professional musicians. In 1943 Rafiq went to musical school and having finished it in 1950 he entered the piano department of the Asaf Zeynalli Musical School in Baku. In the class of the brilliant teacher P.S.Levina Rafik’s talent came to the fore. While at the college he worked as musical leader of an instrumental group and from that time his passion for jazz led him to mastery of the art of improvisation. In 1954 in Rafiq’s final examination for the college, besides the classics included in the program there was also a composition of the American jazz pianist Bill Evans. Later Rafiq completely devoted himself to jazz music. In 1959, having graduated from the Baku Conservatoire, Rafiq left for a long tour of the Soviet Union as musical leader of a jazz instrumental group. Upon returning to Baku, Rafiq made acquaintance with the outstanding singer Rashid Behbudov. In 1966 the Theatre of Song was established by Rashid Behbudov and Babayev was invited to work as a musical leader. Behbudov and Rafiq start
