Mashadi Zeynal Hagverdiyev was born in the 1850s (according to some sources in 1861[1][2]) in the village of Karkijahan of Shusha uezd.
[3] Mashadi took lessons from Ali Asgar and Sadigjan, well-known artists of his era, and participated in Shusha musical gatherings from a young age.
For many years, he accompanied Shahnaz Abbas, Abdulbagi Zulalov, Chekmachi Mohammad, Mashadi Mammad Farzaliyev, Segah Islam, Majid Behbudov, and later Seyid Shushinski and others at public musical gatherings and "Oriental concerts" with his tar.
[3] In 1911–1918, Mashadi Zeynal performed as a tar player in opera and drama performances and charity nights in Baku, Tbilisi and Shusha, and accompanied singers Segah Islam, Seyid Shushinski, and Majid Behbudov.
On 13 March 1915 Mashadi played the "Rahab" mugam at the "Eastern Night" organized by the Nijat Society in Baku.