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Aziza

Aziza is a composer, pianist, poet, vocalist, arranger and music educator. Aziza was born and raised in new york city. She started playing piano at 8 years of age and began composing music while attending The High School Of Music and Art and The Manhattan School Of Music. She has a master's degree in music education and a bacherlor's degree in theory. She taught in the new york city public schools system for approximately 16 years as a licensed music teacher. Alicia Keys was her vocal jazz improvisation and theory student for 3 years at The Professional Performing Arts School in new york city . In June 1997, Aziza received The Presidential Scholar Distinguished Teacher Award from President Bill Clinton.

Her most popularly recorded song to date is "La Costa". Natalie Cole sung and recorded it during the time when Aziza,( who was then known as Linda Williams) was her music director and pianist. Other recordings of La Costa have been done by Ahmad Jamal, Jorge Dalto, Phil Upchurch, Franciso Agua bella and many others. Aziza recorded 2 very different versions of it on her Jazzsoetry vol.1 cd.

She has collaborated and written recorded lyric versions of tunes by Ahmad Jamal( Whisperings, My latin, Picture Perfect, It's Only a flower), Ray Bryant( One Fine Day, which is the lyric version of Cubano Chant)and the late Tommy Turrentine( Big Brown Eyes). Cecil Bridgewater and Vanessa Rubin recorded a beautiful ballad written by Aziza called If My Heart Could Speak to You. Aziza's music has been sampled by artists in the U.K and Japan. "Elevate Our Minds" and "Capricorn Rising" are still very popular overseas.

Aziza is Shelton Becton's designated keyboard sub in Oprah Winfrey's Broadway Hit musical The Color Purple! And performs with her band in and outside of new york city.

Awards

1997- The Presidential Scholar Distinguished Teacher Award from President Bill Clinton @ The White House. International African Arts Street Festival- First Place winners in the contemporary Jazz 1996


Tags

Album Review

Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland: Aziza

Read "Aziza" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Se dovessi scegliere il brano per me più elettrizzante dal disco di questo super gruppo non esiterei a consigliare l'ultimo: “Sleepless Night," un concentrato di energia ritmico/percussiva al calor bianco, esaltata dal lungo confronto tra il tenore di Chris Potter e la chitarra (in questo caso distorta) di Lionel Loueke. È comunque vero che seguendo il percorso prefissato non c'è rischio di annoiarsi. Nell'album non troviamo sorprese dal punto di vista stilistico ma l'aggregazione stellare risponde appieno ...

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79

Performance / Tour

Aziza Keyes Press Quotes

Aziza Keyes Press Quotes

Source: All About Jazz

Aziza has been blessed with the beautiful gift of creating powerful music; which is inspiring, motivating and soothing. Her piano artistry and her soulful voice can send you into dimensions of contemplation and realisation - and awakening. Jazzoetry is truly beautiful.

Nobody can school an audience quite like the multi-talented Aziza. With a get down mix of smoothed out jazz grooves, R&B melodies and spoken word soul which she has aptly dubbed Jazzsoetry, the gifted composer, keyboardist and vocalist has ...

108

Festival

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh - Baku Jazz Festival 2007

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh - Baku Jazz Festival 2007

Source: All About Jazz

By Turan Mamedaliyeva The second day of the Festival gave the Baku audience the long-awaited surprise. Various Bakunians gathered at 21.00 at Opera and Ballet Theatre. Filled parterre and overloaded amphitheatre. Applauses - calls. Aziza Mustafa Zadeh, our dear Aziza, did not keep the audience waiting for a long time. After presenter R. Azeri's warm greetings and after his acknowledgments (I am nervous, can not believe that this moment has come) there was a pause - the pause of waiting ...

311

Music Industry

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh - The Princess of Jazz

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh - The Princess of Jazz

Source: All About Jazz

By Jean-Claude Elias AMMAN - Jazz, with its infinite palette, can surprise the most blas listener. Aziza Mustafa Zadeh hails from Baku, Azerbaijan, plays an innovative form of jazz and is beyond any doubt one of the most inventive artists alive. I was recently given two of her CDs by a friend in music. The impact on me was the equivalent of an electroshock, an immense surprise - in many a way I found the discs to be superlative, exceptional ...

315

Recording

The New CD of Aziza Mustafa Zadeh "Contrasts 2 Opera Jazz"

The New CD of Aziza Mustafa Zadeh "Contrasts 2 Opera Jazz"

Source: All About Jazz

The new CD of Azerbaijani jazz pianist-singer-composer Aziza Mustafa Zadeh: Contrasts 2 Opera Jazz (2007).

Recorded at the Jazziza Records in December 2006/January 2007. Mastered at the Bauer Studio in February 2007. Take an abundance of Liszt, a little Shumann, add some Ravel and Rimskiy-Korsakow and just a little more Bach.

As if that was not enough contrast already, Aziza Mustafa Zadeh mixes in Jazz - a lot of Jazz - and Mugam music from her Azerbaijani hometown of Baku. ...

267

Recording

Pianist Aziza Mustafa Zadeh Releases "Contrasts"

Pianist Aziza Mustafa Zadeh Releases "Contrasts"

Source: All About Jazz

The new CD of jazz pianist-singer-composer Aziza Mustafa Zadeh: Contrasts (2006). Recorded at the Jazziza Records Studio in october-november 2005. Mixed and edited at the Bauer Studios.

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh - a sketch

Singing, playing. Still singing? “My hands and my voice are fighting like a married couple, they are jealous of each other". Says Aziza mustafa Zadeh. And sometimes she lets both meet each other forcefully. Dancing Bolero with passionate piano explosions and an unleashed powerful voice she then ...

"Aziza has mined the depths of black music to come up with a sound that is sophisticated, melodic and funky as hell".... Kenny Barron, jazz pianist and composer.

"What can be said about such a musical work of sheer genius." " Aziza, in her latest work titled, Jazzsoetry demonstrates her musical mastery in her use of harmonious melodies and spell bounding rhythms.This is definitely one that should be in the IPOD."..Andrea M. Moore, Executive Director, SmoothAtlanta.com

"Aziza's lush new CD release,Jazzsoetry, combines all of the essential elements that comprise musical excellence: gorgeous performance, hip production, soaring melody and sophisticated songcraft

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Master Degree in Music Education and Bachelor Degree from The Manhattan School Of Music. Schools of Employment: The Professional Performing Arts School The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Arts Connection The Abrons Arts Center/Henry St. Music Settlement 92nd St. Y West Angeles Christian Academy

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Aziza

Dare2 Records
2016

buy

Jazzsoetry Vol. 1

Nonesuch Records
2007

buy

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