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Originally Posted by Ned
From cyberspace: Aziza interviewed:
I was eight-months-old at the time, just a baby really. Once, my father was improvising at the piano playing in the mugam mode known as "Shur," which creates a mood that evokes very deep, sad emotions. As my father was playing, I started to cry. Everyone wondered what was happening to me. Why was I crying? And then mother realized the correlation between my feelings and the music. "Vagif, please," she told my father, "change the scale. Go to 'Rast.' Play 'Rast.'" And he did. Now 'Rast' is characterized by its joyfulness and optimism. And sure enough, with tears still running down my cheeks, I started to make dance-like movements. And Mom pointed out, "Look, look what she's doing! Change back to 'Shur!'" And when he did, I started crying again louder than before. Back to "Rast," and I began dancing again....
It seems [my father] hadn't been feeling well, and doctors cautioned him not to play. But he insisted, "No, I must play." And he gave a superb concert, although not many people filled the great hall. It was a special Muslim religious day there-the day of Ashura Hussein when men march in the streets and beat themselves in commemoration of the death of Hussein, the third Shiite Imam. After my father finished the concert, he had a severe heart attack and died. He was only 39.
Why was his concert scheduled on that day? Because of the stupid Soviet system. They were always doing things completely wrong. I can't understand this old system. It broke the lives and hearts and careers of so many people. My father used to receive so many invitations from abroad inviting him to participate in different international festivals in America, in Europe-everywhere. Once he was invited to Finland to participate in a jazz festival, but a few minutes before the plane was to take off, someone called, "Mr. Zadeh, Vagif Zadeh, please return. Someone is waiting for you." And he went to see what was happening, and they wouldn't allow him back on the plane. It was a ploy to keep him from going abroad.
I've just now learned that a few months ago some women in Azerbaijan's Parliament were raising quite a fuss about the cover of my latest CD-the one called "Seventh Truth." You'll have to see it. They criticize me for being naked on the cover. But I'm not really naked at all. Actually, you don't see anything. Just skin, nothing more. Actually, I find it amusing! Why all the fuss? Maybe some women are jealous, or maybe they're too fat to appear like that themselves.
What do I do in my leisure? I love to sleep. Maybe it's because I usually sleep so poorly and so little. I wish it were possible to sleep on a cloud. That's what I wish I could do-sleep on a cloud!
I think Azerbaijan has a great future because Azerbaijanis deserve it. Don't you think that Azerbaijanis deserve to be happy? I truly believe that the future will be bright for Azerbaijan. I have a highly developed sense of intuition that makes me feel that way. And I have dreams. And most of my dreams come true. For example, there have been times when I sensed dangerous situations beforehand, and I've called and warned people about them. "Please don't go out, or don't drive your car on Thursday at 6:30 p.m." Sometimes, I see people smiling and speaking very warmly to me, but then when I see their auras, I realize they are completely different.
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