KENEN AZERBAYEV

en Azerbayev (1884-1976) was a singer, composer, honored art worker of the Kazakhs SSR, people's akyn of the Kazakh SSR, member of the Guild of Writers and Composers of the USSR. He was the pupil and follower of Zhambyl Zhabayev.

He was born in Matybulak locality (now Azerbayev village) of Korday municipality in Zhambyl region. His father Azerbay and mother Uldar were good singers and musicians. When he was 11 years old he composed 'Boztorgai' and 'Koksholak' songs. His songs 'On Altynshy Zhyl', 'Kairan Yelim', 'Attan', 'Bulbul', 'Ali Batyr', 'Kyrgyzbai' were devoted to the national-liberation uprising of 1916. In 1950-1970 he created terme, tolgau and several poems which praised peaceful life and labor.

He wrote about 150 musical-poetic works in which he praised the life of Balkhash and Shymkent workers as well as miners of Karaganda, fishermen of Caspian Sea and builders of Turksib. The main topic in his works is the life of people and their historic past which were mentioned in his works as "Zhainady, Tynym, Zhainady", "Zhas Malshylar Ani", "Korday", "Kazakhstan", "Kos Batyr" and others.

He took part in Aitys competitions with Latipa, Kenzhekozha, Abdigali, Yesdaulet. Over 200 his songs were recorded and published by separate collections as 'Olendery', 'Ali Batyr', 'Alatau Shyny' and others. The most of his works were translated into Russian language by Bakhytzhan Kanapyanov.

Kassyk secondary school of Korday municipality in Zhambyl region, cinema in Taraz city and one of the streets in Almaty city received his name.

K. Azerbayev was awarded with two Orders of Lenin, of the Red Banner of Labor and two Orders of Badge of Honor and several medals.

Source: Kazakhstan, National Encyclopedia, Volume 1.