On November 12, 2021, the AAMF collaborated with ADA University’s Washington Center to launch the “Jazz, Freedom, and Independence” event, celebrating the life and legacy of Willis Conover, the legendary broadcaster of Voice of America’s Jazz Hour program, alongside Azerbaijani jazz pianist Vagif Mustafazade. The event also honored the remarkable contributions of Frederick Starr, Chairman of the Central Asia and Caucasus Institute, who played a significant role in fostering bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the United States.
A photo exhibition showcasing the lives and collaborative efforts of Vagif Mustafazade and Willis Conover, commenced the event held at the ADA University’s Washington Center. This was followed by a brief seminar, dinner, and a jazz concert at the historic Whittemore House.
Attendees included rector of the ADA University, Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev, deans, faculty members, students from ADA’s partner universities, as well as public and government officials. The audience was captivated by a lecture delivered by Maristela Feustle, a researcher on Willis Conover and the Music Special Collections Librarian at the University of North Texas. The evening culminated in a jazz concert led by the extraordinary Azerbaijani American pianist Amina Figarova.
Based in New York, Amina Figarova is an internationally acclaimed composer and pianist, recognized as a prominent female bandleader in the jazz scene, alongside luminaries such as Toshiko Akiyoshi, Carla Bley, and Maria Schneider. Born and raised in Azerbaijan, Figarova received formal training as a classical pianist before pursuing degrees in Jazz Performance at the Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands and Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. The concert featured performances of works by Vagif Mustafazade, alongside Amina Figarova’s original compositions and popular American jazz standards. The band also included exceptional musicians: Rashaan Carter on bass, Luca Santaniello on drums and composition, Bart Platteau on flute, and Marc Mommaas on tenor saxophone and composition.
