Biography
Amina Figarova was born on December 2, 1964, in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she demonstrated exceptional musical talent from an early age, beginning piano studies at just two years old and composing by age six.[1][8] She attended the Baku Academy of Music, where she trained rigorously to become a classical concert pianist, earning her degree in classical piano performance.[1][2] Her trajectory shifted dramatically in 1988 when she attended the Moscow Jazz Festival and was invited to study at the Rotterdam Conservatoire, marking her transition from classical to jazz music.[1] She completed her formal jazz education at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she met her future husband, Belgian flutist Bart Platteau, and became involved with the Thelonious Monk Jazz Colony in Aspen, Colorado in 1998.[1][3]
Since the late 1980s, Figarova has established herself as a prolific and internationally recognized jazz pianist and composer, performing in jazz festivals and concert halls worldwide alongside her husband.[1] Her compositional voice is deeply personal and socially conscious, drawing inspiration from significant historical events—most notably the September 11 attacks, which inspired her album September Suite while she was performing at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York.[1] Chicago critic Neil Tesser has recognized her as one of the leading contemporary jazz composers.[1] Over her career, she has released 17 albums, earning recognition as one of DownBeat's Rising Star Composers in both 2014 and 2015.[1] Her compositions extend beyond instrumental jazz to include theatrical works such as the musical Diana and Tehora, written for Israeli singer Shlomit Butbul.[1] Currently based in Manhattan, Figarova continues to tour extensively and teach, maintaining an active presence in the global jazz community.[3]
Figarova's musical style synthesizes her classical training with jazz innovation, characterized by classically-founded technique, lilting melodies, luminous harmonies, and propulsive rhythms.[3] Her work often addresses universal themes of social turmoil, personal transitions, and human connection, with compositions ranging from haunting beauty to sophisticated playfulness.[3] Her most recent album, Suite for Africa (2024), continues her tradition of socially engaged composition.[1]
Fun Facts
- Figarova began composing music at just six years old, demonstrating prodigious musical talent from early childhood.[1]
- She was in New York performing at the Blue Note Jazz Club on September 11, 2001, an experience that directly inspired her album September Suite, one of her most significant works.[1]
- In October 2024, Figarova performed at the New Orleans Museum of Art on a custom Yamaha piano previously played by Jon Batiste during the Super Bowl LIX pregame show, which featured a design by artist Suleika Jaouad.[2]
- After more than a decade of performances in major U.S. jazz clubs, concert halls, and festivals, Figarova and her husband Bart Platteau gained legal immigrant status in the United States in 2014, allowing them to establish permanent residence in Manhattan.[3]
Associated Acts
- Amina Figarova Sextet - eponymous, original
- Trio Del Norte - piano
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Baku Academy of Music Faculty - Classical piano training and foundational music education (Classical training that informed her later jazz compositions) [Childhood through early 1980s]
- Rotterdam Conservatoire Faculty - Jazz education and stylistic transition from classical to jazz (Jazz fundamentals and improvisation techniques) [1988-1989]
- Berklee College of Music Faculty - Advanced jazz composition and performance training (Jazz composition and ensemble performance) [1989-1992]
- Thelonious Monk Institute - Summer jazz colony mentorship and artistic development (Advanced compositional techniques and professional development) [1998]
Key Collaborators
- Bart Platteau - Husband and primary musical partner; Belgian flutist who performs regularly in her sextet (All major albums since meeting at Berklee; featured on Blue Whisper and touring sextet) [1989–present (married nearly 25 years as of 2015)]
- Ernie Hammes - Trumpeter featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Alex Pope Norris - Trumpeter featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Wayne Escoffery - Saxophonist featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Marc Mommaas - Saxophonist featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Luques Curtis - Bassist featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Yasushi Nakamura - Bassist featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Jason Brown - Drummer featured in her touring sextet (Blue Whisper (2015)) [2015–present]
- Anthony Wilson - Electric guitarist collaborator (Blue Whisper (2015) - featured on 'Pictures') [2015]
- Sarah Elizabeth Charles - Vocalist collaborator featuring Swahili lyrics (Blue Whisper (2015) - featured on 'Hewa') [2015]
- Kim Prevost - Collaborator on early album (On Canal Street (2002)) [2002]
- Jazz at Lincoln Center - Commissioned works for New Jazz Standards series ('Pictures' and 'The Traveler' commissioned compositions) [2014-2015]
Artists Influenced
- Shlomit Butbul - Israeli singer for whom Figarova composed the musical work 'Tehora' (Tehora (musical composition)) [Unknown specific date]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Road To The Sun | 2020-05-10 | Album |
| Above The Clouds | 2008 | Album |
| Suite For Africa | 2024-05-03 | Album |
| Persistence | 2020-04-10 | Album |
| Blue Whisper | 2015-07-29 | Album |
| Twelve | 2012 | Album |
| Night Train | 2002 | Album |
| If Barrels Could Talk | 2022-12-09 | Album |
| Joy | 2022-09-23 | Album |
| Road to the Sun | 2019-02-26 | Album |
| Blue Whisper | 2015-09-25 | Album |
| Twelve | 2012-05-01 | Album |
| Attraction | 2011-01-30 | Album |
| Sketches | 2010-12-05 | Album |
| Sketches | 2010 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Road to the Sun (Road To The Sun)
- Dancing Clouds (Suite For Africa)
- All We Dance (Road To The Sun)
- "A" Dance (Above The Clouds)
- NIGHT TRAIN (Night Train)
- Blue Whisper (Blue Whisper)
- Ernie's Song (Above The Clouds)
- Above the Clouds (Above The Clouds)
- Sharp Corners (Above The Clouds)
- Blue Wonder (Above The Clouds)
External Links
Tags: #jazz
Heard on WWOZ
Amina Figarova has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2025 | 06:38 | Only Peace Liberatesfrom Joy | The Morning Setw/ Scott Borne | |
| Dec 3, 2025 | 08:36 | Snow Messfrom Road to the Sun | The Morning Setw/ Breaux Bridges |