With masterful playing and a deep love for Azerbaijan’s original traditions, Rəhman Məmmədli conjures dazzling, psychedelic soundscapes on his electric guitar. Experience a true cult figure from the Caucasus when the “man with the singing fingers” takes the stage this summer, accompanied by keyboards and percussion.

It’s hard not to be captivated by Rəhman Məmmədli’s vibrant and virtuosic playing. He is a key figure in the distinctive “Azerbaijani Gitara” scene – a style that emerged during one of the country’s most turbulent periods and has since evolved into a cult underground movement, where the electric guitar reinterprets ancient Azerbaijani traditions such as mugham and ashiq. Alongside the late Rüstəm Quliyev, Məmmədli helped shape a sound that may echo surf rock to the untrained ear, but on closer listening unfolds into a dizzying, psychedelic universe.

Rəhman Məmmədli was born in 1961 in the Karabakh region and immersed himself in music from an early age. Trained in the area’s rich musical traditions, he quickly found his way to the guitar, and it wasn’t long before he joined the Karabakh Ensemble. Since then, he has developed a unique playing style, using remarkable technique to emulate the vocal nuances of classical mugham on the guitar – an ability that has earned him the nickname “the man with the singing fingers.” With the release of “Azerbaijani Gitara Vol. 2” (Bongo Joe, 2024), a vivid and intense collection of his early work was brought to light. Performing live with his band – including his son Tural on keyboards and Elshad Abdulrahimov on percussion – Məmmədli creates a hypnotic and immersive concert experience not to be missed if you have a soft spot for beautiful, virtuosic guitar music.