Soul Searching in Bangla Music
When Habib Wahid burst into the music scene, he came across immediate success. “His songs were like a breath of fresh air. He helped dawn a new generation of Bangla music, somewhat akin to what his father had accomplished many decades ago”, says Wasfia, an avid follower of Bangla songs.
Music gave Habib stardom, his cover versions - iconic status, yet the lyricist and composer of most of the original tunes, Shah Abdul Karim remained in oblivion. The aged folk maestro has only recently attracted public attention, an honour much awaited.
In the near decade into the new millennium we have seen a spur of fusion, an entry of underground bands into the main stream and a new breed of composers. So, how will the future remember this generation of musicians?
Wasfia singles out “Confused!”
Muaz, another follower of current musical trends elaborates, “I guess this period will be remembered as the age of ’soul searching’. I observe with much fervour a lot of experimentation. We have Habib and Fuad, and then we have Aurthohin and we also have Black, Cryptic Fate… so much variety. I will go as far as to say that we have the best musical trend in the subcontinent. Pakistani musicians made it big with Junoon and Strings but that was almost a decade ago. India is dominated by Bollywood and economics took over giving rise to a generation of musicians catering to the taste of the audience. Here, we have bands and we have solo ventures. Our music is varied as well as rich.”
Tahmina Tabassum Cecilia, a die-hard metal fan, prefers her music hard and loud. “Actually I have never tried Bengali rock music. I usually listen to Bangla classics of Hemanta and Manna De. Bangla rock or contemporary Bangla music does not appeal to me”, she says. Her breed of music aficionado is a rarity but there are boys and girls of this generation whose musical taste finds a place only in the classic melodies. “I recently bought the tribute to Khan Ataur Rahman by Rumana Islam. Some of the songs were good but all in all, the effort seemed average”, says Shujan, a young journalist.
Shujan nevertheless relinquishes his musical thirst with a heavy dose of Dolchut, Farida Parveen and his addition, Krishnokoli. “Fusion is en vogue but I am a skeptic, a purist if you may. Fusion music loses the original tune, as it is revamped. Although this makes the tune contemporary the original composition is often lost.”
Muaz differs, “Well I doubt the matter is so clear cut. True, we possess variation as it is because of the long tradition but before Habib I doubt if young people ever used to listen to Hasan Raja or knew of Shah Adbul Karim.
“Competition is driving musicians to search new avenues or revive the old. For instance, the way Fuad is covering songs of Abdul Jabbar. So outside influence is playing a role and I believe, a constructive role.
“I am not a believer of old is gold. Nothing remains constant and everything changes. There is no yardstick to justify the claim of the critics that fusion is a threat to tradition. Without people like Habib and Fuad some of these songs wouldn’t have left the house of the critics!”
Sultana likes Bangla singer Mila and is not ashamed to admit the fact. Fusion has found new meaning through her; who would have guessed that a nursery rhyme had the making of a ‘pop’ sensation. “I am ‘disgustingly’ addicted to fun stuff and music is no different. I cannot take songs that need soul searching and analysis of its contents. I listen to music for the fun of it. Once the song ends, its out of my head.” Shujan says, “Mila is a name that just gets stuck in your head even when you don’t want it to!”
“Music is no longer about the voice and the lyrics; it is now a total package that includes composition and also the media coverage through music videos and FM radios. Thus we see singers with relatively inferior vocal strength make it big while others being quality musicians fail to make an impact in the audience”, says Cynthia, an aspirant journalist studying abroad. “When I was in Bangladesh, I had a diverse interest in music. But here in the US, I listen only to songs that come recommended from friends.
“I Google my way into Bangla music now. There are not enough portals for Bangla music, which is worth mentioning. It is a pity that the industry has not given enough attention to this market that remains detached from Bangladesh, yet so eager to bond with the local musical scene.
“When in Dhaka I eagerly follow Closeup1 and believe that it has a tremendous positive impact on the music scene. The song selection in the show takes people back and forth in time, which brings a sense of nostalgia to the aged audience, with a dash of contemporary music, just in the right proportion.”
I had initially started out with the question: How the future generation of musicians will perceive the current period of musical history? It is however, not important how we will be remembered tomorrow, what is important is how we see ourselves today.
By Mannan Masshur Zarif
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