Amina Figarova

By Bob PROTZMAN

While learning to play Bach, Rachmaninoff, et al, Amina Figarova also was listening to Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson and other jazz greats, and eventually, the child of classical music became a grownup jazz musician.

"A classical music education takes a lot of time, so that's what I concentrated on, but I always listened to jazz," recalled the 42-year-old jazz pianist/composer/leader by phone from her home in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

In her native Baku, Azerbaijan (located on the Caspian Sea between Iran and Russia), Figarova's parents started her on piano at the tender age of 2 learning the classical masters, but at the same time, the two jazz fans used their extensive record collection to expose their daughter to celebrated jazz artists.

After classical training at the Baku Conservatory and later at the Rotterdam Conservatory, Figarova accepted the suggestion of a noted European pianist and switched her focus to jazz.

A trip to the U.S. and famed Berklee College of Music in Boston followed, where she continued jazz studies and began her professional career.

Some 15 years, eight albums, and numerous appearances around the world later, Figarova has gained worldwide renown.

"A pianist, composer and arranger of astonishing freshness and depth…an important new talent on the world jazz stage," said critic Thomas Conrad in JazzTimes magazine.

Figarova and her Netherlands-based sextet began a 14-city U.S. tour in April that extends through June 28, and includes a stop tonight at the Erie Art Museum Annex, as well as appearances in major cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minneapolis, and New York.

A highly skilled pianist, Figarova also is a gifted composer. "I started writing music almost at the same time I began playing," she remembers. "I think at 3, I began to write."

Composing ever since, every song is hers on her first album, "Attraction" (1994), and on all seven recordings that have followed--her writing skills earning her as many, if not more plaudits than her playing.

"Composing has always been my way to express myself—my thoughts and emotions--from children's songs to pieces in the classical tradition to jazz."

Thus, there will be no jazz or pop "standards" on the program tonight.

The audience will hear, however, swinging straightahead jazz that is adventurous, yet accessible and downright enjoyable. It also beautifully and excitingly combines composition and improvisation, and as expected, sometimes bears a classical sensibility.

With a horn section of tenor sax, trumpet and her husband on flute (they went to Berklee together instead of honeymooning, she jokes), Figarova's ensemble will remind some longtime jazz fans of "hard bop" bands led by Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley and others. "I'd add the word contemporary to that," she adds.

She also notes that since she has a yen for big bands, she tries to get her ensemble to sound like "a little big band."

Actually, she'd rather not have her music categorized.

"It's hard to describe the different directions I'm going. I don't know what I'm going to do next, so I don't put categories on my music much. I like how (pianist) Herbie Hancock (her main influence) says to get out of the box, so that's what I try to do."

Tonight's repertoire will comprise songs from Figarova's newest album, "Come Escape With Me" (Munich Records), a sneak preview of a just completed CD scheduled for release later this year, and most importantly, portions of what to this point is considered her composing masterpiece.

Figarova's nine-movement "September Suite" represents her experience of watching the events of 9/11/01 from nearby Brooklyn.

In shock and sorrow that day, she went to the grand piano in the apartment where she was visiting and began to compose. "I wrote a first piece, then wrote another and another. The music came quickly and naturally."

Critics have lavished praise on the piece, which she describes as "an ode to mourning."

Figarova is looking forward to playing "September Suite" in the New York for the first time on Monday at the Jazz Standard club.

"It seems like I've played it everywhere but there," she says. "It's very, very, very exciting for me to be able to finally do that."

For further information, go to www.aminafigarova.com.

Amina Figarova Sextet: Figarova, piano; Bart Platteau, flutes; Alex Pope Norris, trumpet; Marc Mommaas, tenor saxophone; Jeroen Vierdag, bass; Chris “Buckshot’’ Strik, drums; 8 p.m. today, Erie Art Museum Annex, 423 State St.; free ($10 donation suggested); information at 459-5477

Bob Protzman has written about jazz for five decades and hosts "Everything Jazz," 9 to midnight Sundays on WQLN-FM 91.3. You can reach Bob at protz@verizon.net or jazzhosts@wqln.org.

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