Baku Vocal Quartet
Gaya Group
Gaya Vocal-Instrumental Ensemble
"Gaya" State Symphonic Variety Ensemble
"Gaya" State Ensemble

In the early 1960s, four young people studying at the Asaf Zeynalli Secondary Specialized Music School — Arif Hajiyev, Adil Nazarov, Rauf Babayev and Teymur Mirzayev — came up with the idea of ​​creating a vocal quartet. The group's first performances took place at student meetings and in small rooms of the music school.
In 1961, the quartet was invited to work in the Azerbaijan State Variety Orchestra, which was called "Goscaz", led by composer Rauf Hajiyev. At that time, the collective was called the "Baku Vocal Quartet". During their work at the Azerbaijan State Variety Orchestra, Adil Nazarov left the collective due to family circumstances and was replaced by Lev Yelisavetsky. The quartet went to Dagestan at the invitation of composer Murad Kajlayev. Here, the group performed accompanied by an ensemble led by Rafig Babayev. The group had to return to Baku because of unresolved financial needs and family problems. On the way back to Baku, the group's members thought about the name of the quartet on the train. Various options were heard. One of the suggestions was "Gaya".
The quartet achieved its first success in 1966 at the All-Union competition for "Best Soviet Song Performance" held in Moscow. After receiving an invitation 25 days before the start of the competition, "Gaya" managed to prepare 10 songs for the competition and won a brilliant victory. With this victory, the group gained fame throughout the USSR and became a cult group.
In 1972, by the decision of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR and the Ministry of Culture, the "Gaya" quartet was granted the status of a State Ensemble. In the same year, "Gaya" decided to create its own show program and invited Mark Rozovsky and Yuli Gusman to write the script. The show program included a suite from the rock opera "Jesus Christ - Superstar". The group became a sextet from a quartet: Tamilla Agamiyeva and Galina Barinova were invited to the group. The role of Jesus in the group was performed by Rauf Babayev, the role of Judas by Lev Elisavetsky, and Galina Barinova was Magdalene. The costumes for the ensemble were designed by fashion designer Vyacheslav Zaitsev.
Later, the group's show program called "Ogni bolshoy gorod" (Flames of the Big City) premiered in Baku at the Palace of the Republic. The program included Azerbaijani folk songs, music of the peoples of the USSR, as well as friendly parodies of the group's colleagues. The program was closed with a large sketch "Old Baku". With this show program, "Gaya" performed in other cities of the USSR, as well as in Eastern Europe.
In the 1970s, the ensemble performed in the United States at the Jazz College in Houston. During the performance, the group was surprised by the strange silence of the audience, and when they wanted to leave the stage after the performance, they were shocked by the loud applause of the audience. Later, due to the audience's request, the group repeated the same song several times. The group toured Cuba after the US tour.
In 1979, Lev Yelisavetsky left the group and was replaced by Javan Zeynalli.
In the 1980s, the composition of "Gaya" changed frequently. In 1985, a Jazz and Chamber Orchestra was created under "Gaya" and "Gaya" was renamed the State Pop Symphonic Ensemble. In 1981, another singer, Rauf Aliyev, was added to the ensemble. After Rauf Aliyev left the group in 1988, his place was taken by Abbas Ahmed, who worked in the "Gaya" ensemble. Later, a rock band called "Talisman" was also formed under the ensemble.
In 2001, the artistic director of the ensemble, Teymur Mirzayev, moved to Israel. After that, the ensemble ceased its activities, but later became the Azerbaijan State "Gaya" Ensemble.

The modern “Gaya” State Ensemble is a group consisting of young members, which has been named after the legendary Gaya Quartet and has kept its repertoire alive since 2007.
The group has worked with Faraj Garayev, Fikret Amirov, Rauf Hajiyev, Tofig Babayev, Tofig Guliyev, Vasif Adigozalov and other composers at various times.
The group has performed songs in Azerbaijani, English, Spanish, Polish and Russian.