BAKU Lifting his daf, a traditional Azerbaijani tambourine, to his ear, Mutalim Damirov begins to sing. As his voice rises to a long ululating lament, Damirov closes his eyes, lost in the ancient ...

Azerbaijani singer Alim Qasimov reflects on his roots, artistry, and how traditional mugham carries emotion and meaning far beyond borders. For Alim Qasimov, music is memory, resistance, and release.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about emerging markets, fashion, arts, and culture. This article is more than 7 years old. There was a time when Baku – ...