DUSHANBE, November 21, Asia-Plus — Known Russian singer, People’s Artist of the USSR Josef Kobzon presented a solo concert at the Borbad Complex in Dushanbe yesterday.
Song and dance company of Russia’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) accompanied Josef Kobzon on his trip to Tajikistan, which is part of the artiste’s tour of CIS states dedicated to his seventieth birthday.
According to Kobzon the tour became possible due sponsorship of known Russian businessmen ethnic Uzbek Alisher Usmanov.
Giving the concert in Dushanbe, the artiste was sorry that he had not been able to give concert in Uzbekistan.
“President Islam Karimov did not allow us to present concert in Tashkent,” said the singer, “They same thing happened ten years ago during my jubilee tour, when I was also was not allowed to give concert in Uzbekistan. It turns out that one ethnic Uzbek helps me organize concert, while another one does not let me in his country.”
According to Kobzon, Karimov later explained him that that he did not allow him to give concert in Uzbekistan because “songs by People’s Artist of the USSR ring people back to the Socialist past…”
Joseph Kobzon, born on September 11, 1937, is an iconic Soviet crooner, who has been acclaimed as “the official voice of the Soviet Union.” Kobzon was born to Jewish parents in the mining town of Chasiv Yar, Ukraine. In 1958 Kobzon started his singing career, and in 1962, he recorded his first LP which included songs written by Aleksandra Pakhmutova. In the next 5 years, he was awarded at the international song contests in Sopot and Bulgaria.
During Leonid Brezhnev’s time in office (1964–82), there was hardly an official concert where Kobzon didn”t take part. In 1984 the singer was honored with the USSR State Prize. Three years later, he was made People’s Artist of the USSR.
