The “Oshten”, established in 1996, has gradually turned into one of the most popular musical groups, not only in the Republic of Adygea, but also far beyond. The name of the “Oshten” from the Circassian language is translated as “stopped hail”. Mountain Oshten one of the most beautiful mountains of the Greater Caucasus range.
The creative team formation is linked with the name of the pianist and composer – Aslan Gotov. Since 1996, Aslan Gotov is the artistic director and founder of pop group “Oshten”. His creative energy, striking composition and performing talent, open the verge of performing ensemble, and to diversify his repertoire: jazz standards, rock and pop music, contemporary songs of Adyghe composers, popular Russian and foreign pop songs. Genre universality of ensemble, possessing a variety of performing styles, professionalism, have become the interpreter of the collective works of many composers of Adygea: U. Thabisimov, D. Natho, A. Nekhay, Yu Chirg, A. Khachak, N. Emizh, M. Hupov, A. Gotov.
The brightest feature, the art collective, is rethinking Adyghe folk musical traditions within the framework of traditional jazz styles. Thus, the composer Aslan Gotov prepared block pop-jazz treatments – “the pearl” of Circassian music. In the block represented by the song: “Scharatym”, “Sy Mamat”, “Kolen”, “Tsyrats”, “IstambylyakIo”, “Kasey”, “Adyif”, Potpourri on the melodies of Circassian folk dance tunes “Laparyf-Scheschen”, “Kafa kuanche”, “Zagatlat” and “Islamy”. On the basis of pop group “Oshten” was released CD with recordings of Circassian dance tunes performed by Zalim Irugov (Circassian harmonica), two CD solo album “Oshten”, solo album of Ali Khachak . In 1999, in Jordan was issued a joint magnitoalbom of group “Oshten” and singer-guitarist Alia Khachak. The records on the radio, participation in television programs, music videos, created a documentary film(directed by Yu. Nekhay) about “Oshten”, points to the best concert venues of Adygea and successful tours in the North Caucasus (Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol and Krasnodar Krai, Dagestan) – all this shows the limit saturated creative collective life, and contributes to its growth and strengthen credibility. Popular North-Caucasian singers as: Z. Tutov, T. Nekhay, R. Sheozheva, N. Emizh, M. Guchetl, R. Tletseri, performed with the group “Oshten”.
Numerous festivals and competitions Group “Oshten” was awarded: Diploma for active participation and creative contribution to the development of jazz in the VIII and IX of the North Caucasian Jazz (Stavropol 1997-98) Diploma Laureate jazz festival on the 100 years since the birth of George Gershwin (Tuapse, 1998); Laureate Diploma IV interregional festival “Student Spring” (Nalchik, 1998); Diploma Laureate Festival (Cherkessk 1999), the diploma of the laureate variety of festival songs, “Good Neighborhood “(Elista, 2000); Laureate Diploma IV interregional festival world Caucasus (Makhachkala, 2000).
The team continues to work and is currently under the leadership of a talented musician and singer Aliy Khachak.