Quick Facts
Biography
Shakili Alasgar (Azerbaijani: Şəkili Ələsgər), born Alasgar Abdullayev (1866 in Shaki – 1929 in Baku) was an Azerbaijani folk musician and mugham singer.
Life and career
Alasgar Abdullayev was born to a poor family in Shaki (hence his pseudonym, which literally means "Alasgar of Shaki"). At an early age, he worked as a mason in his hometown. He soon started studying mugham (classical music of Azerbaijan that is usually a suite with poetry and instrumental interludes) with a particular emphasis on its Bayati-Shiraz and Segah varieties. At this early stage, he often performed at weddings and parties along with his instructor.
He gave his first concert in Baku in January 1902. The concert given by him the following year gained him great fame. In 1912 he performed Bayati-Shiraz in Warsaw, where a vinyl recording of his performance was made, the first ever for Azerbaijani folk music. Another vinyl record was produced in 1914 during Shakili Alasgar's concert in Tiflis.