| Biography | Isfar Rzayev-Sarabski (born 2 November in 1989, Baku, Azerbaijan )- Azerbaijani pianist, composer. Winner Solo Piano Competition Montreux Jazz Festival 2009. Honoured Artist of the Azerbaijan Republic (2010), laureate of the Zirva State Prize (2010).
He is great-grandson of Huseyngulu Sarabski, the celebrated Azerbaijani opera singer, actor and one of the founders of Eastern opera. He graduate from Baku Music Academy and currently studying at Berklee College of Music. Sarabski has played in the most prestigious concert halls, including: the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Miles Davis Hall, the Vibrato Jazz Club, the Zinco Jazz Club, the Konzerthaus, Asphalt Jazz Club, Duc des Lombards Jazz Club, Porgy & Bess Jazz Club, Birds Eye Jazz Club and the Apollo Theater.
He has played in festivals in Switzerland, Norway, France, Russia and Georgia. Also at UNESCOs Paris HQ in April 2012 for International Jazz Day with Herbie Hancock and Friends, for which he received a letter of thanks from UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. In 2012-2013 he was invited to a gala concert in New York by the Jazz Foundation of America.
In 2011, he formed the Isfar Sarabski Trio with Muscovite Alexander Mashin (drums) and Makar Novikov (bass). The trio has played many festivals and concert venues in America and Europe.
Sarabski has played with the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra and musicians including Igor Butman, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ben Williams, Mark Guiliana, Alan Hampton, Pat Senatore, Greg Swiller, Erik Klass, Christian Weber and Samuel Rohrer.
His compositions include: Novruz, G-Man, Generation, Edge, DejaVu, Melancholy Evening, Last Chance, Prelude, Agent, Revival, Eastern Market, Now Im Here, InTransit to New York, Buta, Lullaby, Limping Stranger, Cobra Dance and In Memory of Vagif Mustafazadeh. On July 18, 2009 Isfar became a winner at the 43rd Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. |