A Musical Evening of Sorts

When I got the opportunity to go for this unique program put together by Amitava Bhattacharya (of www.banglanatak.com) and the eclectic Tanmoy Bose, I convinced my wife that it would be an evening of sorts. Well I wasn’t too sure myself, though. I mean Baul Music clubbed with Jazz and Bangla Adhinik. Well I just had to see this for myself. The show was called “Sahaj Mantra”.

So after rolling in my car for a good half hour to get parking I was glad to finally make it into the G.D. Birla Sabhaghar Auditorium just a bit after the first act was ready to start just a little before 7:00pm.

The songs interspersed with some sort of ‘kabita’ between each act didn’t go down too well with a certain unruly section of the audience and we were quite surprised by that, but then music heals all and finally after several hours of some traditional folk and bangle adhunik music, the final ensemble on stage with all the artists of the evening putting on the grand finale had the audience on their feet and wanting more.

I was particularly impressed by Bodhisattwa Ghosh on the lead guitars. Seeing him evolve as a musician from the gigs at Some Place Else to his performance of the night which was truly worthy of the stage he shared with the likes of Tanmoy Bose.

It was definitely an evening to remember.

• (Artists of this evening)
(Sasthidas Baul) - Vocal
(Akkas Fakir) - Vocal
(Arjun Khyapa) - Vocal
(Ranjit Gosai) - Vocal
(Arman Fakir) - Vocal

• (Accompanists)
(Sanatan Das) - Bangla Dhol
(Mohan Patra) - Flute
(Gopen Debnath) - Khol
(Tinkari Chakraborty) - Dubki
(Nitai Gayen) - Dotara

• (Guest Artist)
(Anusheh Anadel) - Vocal

• (Chandrabindoo)
(Upal Sengupta) - Vocal
(Anindya Chattopadhyay) - Vocal
(Rajsekhar Kundu) - Drums
(Surajit Mukhopadhyay) - Supporing Vocal & Guitar
(Sibabrata Biswas) - Keyboard
(Arup Poddar) - Bass Guitar

• (Jazzmin)
(Leo Dombecki) - Saxophone
(Jesse Charnow) - Drums
(Seth Blumberg) - Guitar
(Armando Cepeda) - Bass Guitar

• (Taltantra)
(Tanmoy Bose)
(Ratul Shankar) - Percussion
(Moinak Nag Chowdhury) - Contra Bass Guitar
(Bodhisattwa Ghosh) - Lead Guitar
(Saokat Hussain Khan) - Saxophone
(T. L. Majumder) - Kitar
(Gokul Chandra Das) - Bangla Dhol
(Joy Bhattacharya) - Drums

THE RENDITIONS for the Evening
Song 1 – Manush Guru Nistha Jar – Sasti Das Baul
Song 2 – Eneche Ek Nabin Gora - Sasti Das Baul
Song 3 – Seki Aamar Kabar Katha – Chandrabindoo & Sasti Das Baul
Song 4 – Moula Bole Ekbar Dak Rasana – Akkas Fakir
Song 5 – Ayat Koran Pare- Akkas Fakir
Song 6 – Bhajibo Tomar Ranga Charan – Taaltantra & Akkas Fakir
Song 7 – Sona Bandhu Re – Ranjit Gosai
Song 8 – Bhramor Koio Gia – Arjun Khyapa
Song 9 – Radha Jemon Sada Sakhi – Anusheh Anadel
Song 10 – Narir Eto Maan Bhalo Noy - Arjun Khyapa
Song 11 - Balire Manush Manush – Taaltanra & Anusheh Anadel
Song 12 – Nizamuddin Aulia Elo – Jazzmin & Arman Fakir