Amina Figarova was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, and as a child studied to be a classical concert pianist. Graduated from the Baku Conservatory as classical concert pianist. In 1990, she entered Rotterdam Conservatory (where she met Bart Platteau, a fellow student from Belgium) to pursue jazz, coming to the United States in 1992 to complete her formal education at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. In 1998 she was invited to the Thelonious Monk Institute’s summer jazz colony in Aspen, and after more than a decade of bookings in major U.S. jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals, the couple gained legal immigrant status in 2013, and became US citizen in 2020. They currently live in Harlem, NY and tour constantly.
  Hailing from Azerbaijan, the New York-based Amina Figarova is an internationally influenced—and recognized—composer, pianist, and bandleader. Those three roles come to the forefront in Figarova’s sextets, bands with a remarkable chemistry that brings her detailed arrangements to life. Every member of the group stands out as a first-rate individual, but their dedication to Figarova’s eclectic and powerful compositions gives this group its depth of feeling and elite status. The Amina Figarova Sextet has been a hit at major festivals like the Newport Jazz Festival and New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 

Suite for Africa is Amina’s 18th album, all with original compositions by Amina. Other compositions for Symphonic orchestra, Musical Diana, a ballad book for Trio Del Norte, brass ensemble, flute duo and quartet, and many more. 

  In 2018, Amina composed a suite for a South African children’s choir and her sextet, which was performed at the “Joy of Jazz” Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa with a student choir from Soweto. Her aspiration was to record this masterpiece with the choir, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, it was impossible. However, fate intervened when Amina and Bart found themselves on the same flight from Europe to NYC with the Matsiko World Orphan Choir from Liberia. After conversing with the choir director, they decided to perform and record music together that was originally intended for South Africa. The Matsiko World Orphan Choir is composed of 24 orphaned and at-risk children from Liberia, West Africa. In 2024 this project performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival LA, Dizzy’s – Jazz at Lincoln Center NYC, Litchfield Jazz Festival CT, Yale University CT, Crosstown Arts Memphis TN, and many more

Saturday, Feb. 27, 2027

First Baptist Church

| Start: 7Dooors: 6
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- JazzTime