Haji Husu

Haji Husu (Azerbaijani: Kazımlı Hacı Hüsü Niftalı oğlu, around 1830 – 1898) was a mugham singer.

He was born around 1830 in Shusha. Haji Husu received his first education at the mullah. Then he continued to study in madrasa. He started singing because of his beautiful voice. Kharrat Gulu one of the most prominent representatives of Shusha vocal art was his teacher. For the first time, Haji Husu sang the "Chahargah" in the "Khandamirov's Theater" in front of Shusha's audience, following the performance of Sadigjan in a charity evening. He was invited not only to the weddings of Azerbaijan, but also to the assemblies of several cities in the Middle East. In 1880, Iranian Nasreddin shah invited Haji Husu to Tabriz for his son's wedding. Haji Husu, who performed with famous Iranian singers at the wedding, was eventually awarded by the shah.

In the 80s of the 19th century, Haji Husu and Mir Mohsun Navvab organized a "Musicians' Assembly" in Shusha, where the art of mugham was discussed. Representatives of the arts such as Mashadi Jamil Amirov, I.Abdullayev, Seyid Shushinski, Sadigjan were the participants of the assembly. In 1883 they organized a circle for the training of young singers.

In addition to being a singer, Haji Husu was also engaged in pedagogical activity and was known as a musician who excelled in Eastern and Azerbaijani mugham. He improved a number of mugams and created new versions of them. He added "Shahnaz" to "Kurdi" mugham and created a new mugam "Kurdi-Shahnaz". According to Jabbar Garyaghdioglu, Haji Husu is also the creator of "Gatar" mugam accompanied by Sadigjan.

The last years of Haji Husu's life were not so successful. After returning from Arabia, he was forced to recite the call to prayer at Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha under pressure from mullahs.

Haji Husu died in 1898 in Ashgabat.