Leyla Efendiyeva
Leyla Efendiyeva Leyla Əfəndiyeva | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Leyla Efendi |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2004–present |
Spouse | Rain Sultanov |
| Website | bakujazzfestival |
Leyla Efendiyeva (Azerbaijani: Leyla Əfəndiyeva), also known as Leyla Efendi, is an Azerbaijani journalist, magazine editor, writer, and jazz festival director. She is the director of the Baku International Jazz Festival and editor-in-chief of Jazz Dünyası ("Jazz World"), a magazine devoted to jazz in Azerbaijan.[1][2]
Career
Efendiyeva and her husband, Azerbaijani saxophonist Rain Sultanov, worked together to establish the Baku Jazz Centre and launch Jazz Dünyası. According to All About Jazz, Efendiyeva guided the redesign of the centre and, together with Sultanov, contacted foreign embassies while developing the event that became the Baku Jazz Festival.[3]
The festival was launched in 2005. Sultanov is its founder and artistic director, while Efendiyeva serves as its director.[3][4]
In its coverage of the 2017 festival, Euronews identified Efendiyeva as the festival's director and quoted her discussing its programming of jazz, funk, and ethno-jazz.[4] The festival joined the Europe Jazz Network that year, becoming the network's first member from Azerbaijan.[5] Euronews again interviewed Efendiyeva during its coverage of the 2018 festival.[6]
Efendiyeva has also served as project director of I Am Jazzman!, a competition for young jazz performers held as part of the Baku Jazz Festival.[7]
Publishing and international activity
Efendiyeva is the editor-in-chief of Jazz Dünyası, which International Jazz Day describes as Azerbaijan's first printed periodical devoted to jazz.[1] In a 2022 interview with Baku magazine, she discussed Azerbaijani jazz, the return of concerts following the COVID-19 pandemic, and a special issue of Jazz Dünyası prepared for International Jazz Day.[2]
Efendiyeva and Sultanov first presented Jazz Dünyası at jazzahead!, the international jazz trade fair in Bremen, in 2005, and subsequently returned to promote Azerbaijani jazz musicians.[3] Efendiyeva and Sultanov have also participated in International Jazz Day activities through the Baku Jazz Festival since 2015.[1]
Literary work
Writing under the name Leyla Efendi, Efendiyeva published the Russian-language novel Кольцо с рубином (lit. 'The Ruby Ring') in 2024.[8][9]
References
- 1 2 3 "Meet Our Community: Leyla Efendiyeva, Azerbaijan". International Jazz Day. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- 1 2 Johnson, Ella (29 April 2022). "Leyla Efendiyeva on International Jazz Day". Baku. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 Patterson, Ian (20 November 2018). "Rain Sultanov: Putting Baku on the Jazz Map". All About Jazz. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- 1 2 "El jazz inunda Bakú, en la 12.ª edición del Festival de Jazz" [Jazz fills Baku at the 12th edition of the Jazz Festival]. Euronews (in Spanish). 25 October 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ "Baku Jazz Festival joins the Europe Jazz Network!". Europe Jazz Network. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ Spindler, Wolfgang; Hackwill, Robert (22 October 2018). "Baku's Jazz Festival brings sparks to the 'Land of Fire'". Euronews. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ Ismayilova, Laman (24 October 2019). "Winners of 'I am Jazzman!' contest announced". AzerNews. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ "Лейла Эфенди". Ridero (in Russian). Retrieved 22 August 2026.
- ↑ "Кольцо с рубином" [The Ruby Ring]. LitRes (in Russian). 26 June 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2026.