When it comes to Azerbaijan and music, Eurovision – and, now, Jennifer Lopez – have largely hogged the outside world’s attention. But practitioners of mugam, an ancient Azerbaijani form of musical ...

"FIZULI!" Alim Qasimov shouts the word and seems to have taken leave of his senses as he mimes a martial art move in the street. I'm already distracted by the startling sight of young Baku beauties in ...

"My idea was a love story between a mugam singer from Azerbaijan and an American artist," says the 63-year-old composer and pianist, who's in Houston for the premiere of a new chamber-opera, ...