Reliving Warfaze - premier heavy metal band of Bangladesh celebrates 25th Anniversary

Faizul Khan Tanim attends the historical Warfaze re-union concert and returns with added respect and appreciation for the band and their contribution to rock music.

During the early 80’s, heavy metal and thrash was all about velocity and aggression. It was a war, a war of speedy guitar riffs and solos, killer drum rolls, thumping bass lines and vivacious shrilled voices of the contemporary local bands like Warfaze, Rockstrata, In Dhaka, Aces and more.

From that particular era, Warfaze is the only heavy metal band who survived breakups, patch ups, transition, coalition, demolition and many other phases that most successful bands go through. As a result, the band has solidified ‘rock’ as a genre to historical proportions.

The energy was anticipated and the hype was well-deserved, as news broke of a ‘reunion’ concert. The passion was felt by fans on the eve of October 15 at the Sheraton Winter garden, when they witnessed the fire-cracker lineup of 11 past and present members of the band including Babna, Roger, Shams, Mizan, Sumon, Kamal, Oni, Russel, Tipu, Sunjoy and Balam.

It was no less than an arms race with musical weapons of mass illustration as the guitars revved with the riffs, speeding up now and again. The drum kits pounded on which sloshed the bass lines, propelling the vocalists to unleash their seemingly pent-up rage to the jam-packed auditorium. As the music got louder, over 1200 fans in the winter garden swayed and head banged, as if enchanted by the wizards of rock.

I am only human and so my blood too churned like others at the concert. The sudden rush I felt increased my urge to behold the band’s original lineup of Sunjoy, Babna, Kamal, Russel and Tipu. The fantastic five had composed and produced iconic and optimistically liberating songs like Ekti Cheley, Shadhikar, Koishor or Obak Bhalobasha.

The sight of the original lineup probably worked like an aphrodisiac on the crowd who began screaming Sunjoy’s name. The air and the mood was no different from his concert during his heydays with the band at Dhanmondi Women’s Complex in 1997 when the relentless vocalist quit as the band’s front-man.

As the members looked like action figures from my initial vantage point, I wanted to see them up-close. I cruised and made my way towards the stage, aided by the energetic crowd dancing to the beats of thunder.

The move was audacious but seriously worth it as it was elevating to see the energy and interaction of ‘our heroes’ on-stage. Shams, Roger, Sumon, Russel, Oni, Mizan, Babna, engaged with the crowd. Catalyzed by the interaction and chemistry between each other, they justifiably performed such classic Warfaze tracks as Obak Bhalobasha, Aasha, Money Porey, Nirbashon and finally the immortal Ekti Cheley.

It was truly poetry in motion, from the guitarists kneeling in front of the amps, to Russel’s nu-metal-ish guitar stunts, from Babna’s heavenly voice and flamenco guitar playing to Sunjoy’s jumping and cajoling the crowd. Even Tipu’s non-stop energetic drumming made me feel that the guys were born for ‘this’.

By the time they finished Hotasha, Bewarish, Jibondhara and launched in to singing Nei Proyojon, Mukti Chai and others, I was at the edge of the stage and it was absolutely worth it! The lights poured and the simulated fog floated and created the ‘valley of life’ from where the rock stars emerged ‘undaunted’. These were definitely some very spirited Warfaze moments that I haven’t seen in a long time. Truly a ‘reunion’ that Dhaka will remember till the next 50 year celebration concert.

'Groovetrap'-TRAPPED IN THE GROVE

It is believed that our generation has a small audience for funk. It is further emphasized how today's musicians don't cater to the genre and therefore, the audience suffers from a lack of exposure. We are prone of fall into the stereotypes because there are few who choose to be different. Well, not in this case. Allow me to introduce you to a group of musicians who go by the name 'Groovetrap' and are indeed, struggling to create something different.

GT, short for 'Groovetrap' recently released their self-titled debut album and has caught the attention of many listeners and musicians already. The album is a pure breed of funk with jazz and rock thrown in awkward places. Experimentation at its core, what is most remarkable about the compilation is how daring the ternary has been in order to produce and record numbers as such that have yet to be proven commercially successful. This only goes to testify that we still have musicians amongst who us choose to be different and will stick with their own originality, irrespective of what the mass audience demands for.

The album opens with a vibrant combination of instruments and words in 'Ek Ochena'. It is taken from the song 'I Heard it through the Grapevine', co-written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, and tuned by The Funk Brothers. The number is said to be popularized by Marvin Gaye. Followed shortly by 'Keno Bolona' that begins with playful piano notes and flows smoothly into the vocals of Simin and Jasper. One of my personal favourites, the second track from the album is tuned and arranged by Saif Quadir. Incidentally, Quadir is the recording, mixing and mastering maestro behind the album and has done a splendid job out of it.

With soulful sax from Andrew Morris and commingling of various instruments, the songs uplift the listeners to another level of sensuousness. Different with each of their presentations; Saif, Simin and Jasper have managed to blend in their individual styles into a collective effort that reflects in all the numbers. The 9th and 10th tracks are in English with slap of rock, fast riffing, piano on the run and a hit of jazz; must favourites for anyone and everyone. Jasper's vocals shape into that of an early '70s entertainer and leave the listeners begging for more. The album closes with an instrumental titled 'Aphrodisiac', a 4-minute blend of funk and rock, smoothly thrown in the right places.

GT's self-titled debut comes in a sleek brass-metal coloured sleeve, redolent of the time of classics played in gramophones and smoky jazz clubs. With the trends diminishing, it is applaudable to listen to music that resonates experimentations from the early '70s. Released under Rage Records, 'Groovetrap' has indeed lived up to its name of bringing a groove to fall for.

"SOULS"

"SOULS" is one of the most popular and oldest bands in Bangladesh. The contribution of this band in the field of band music in our country is noteworthy. "SOULS" came into being in 1972 and celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1997. (It completed its 25 years in 1997) "SOULS" is the only band which is surviving for such a long time. The self composed songs and music of "SOULS" attracted a large number of audiences and fans from the 80s which has continued well into the 90s.


"SOULS" had to face a lot of problems in its long venture in the last 25 years. In spite of so many obstacles, the activities of "SOULS" are remarkable. Many of the members of "SOULS" are now well established in their respective fields both at home and abroad.

"SOULS" has so far performed about four thousand shows, some in the remotest areas of Bangladesh. More than one hundred songs have been recorded by BTV. Its first program was telecast in 1975 in BTV. Seven volumes of cassettes of "SOULS" are now available in the market. The first cassette was released in 1982. Last Album was released in 2001.

On an invitation by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation "SOULS" made its first foreign tour to Singapore and Malaysia in 1979. It performed in the UAE in 1988. In 1997 and 1999 it took part in an open air concert at the University of Jadavpur, Calcutta. And in December 1997 "SOULS" performed two open air concerts in KL Malaysia.

Starting from Sajid, who with some of his friends got together and formed a fledgling musical group calling themselves Surela. In time this band changed its name to SOULS as they had decided to make music which reached the hearts and souls of all.

Sajid, Ronny, Lulu, Tajul, Nawaz, and later Rudy, Lorenzo, Tapan, Naqib, Shahed,Rouf from its inception. Then Pilu, Bacchu, Gerard, Raleigh, Ali, Khokon, Jewel all contirbuted in one way or another to the Band through the years making it what it stands for now.

A few of the former members are now in various places such as: Sajid is now in Sweden, Tajul in the States, Ronny still contributing as the current Manager, Lulu and Nawaz in business, Rudy, Gerard in Canada, Lorenzo in Australia, Raleigh in service in Bangladesh, Nakib and Pilu have formed their own Band, Bachhu in the music business (he has a Band of his own), Ali is in Government service, Khokon is in Private service and lastly Jewel has recently left the band and has joined another. And Fanty has joined Souls as drummer in Nov 99. He left the Band after a few Months. Now Ashik is playing Drums with SOULS.

Present Lineup:
Naseem Ali Khan (Lead Vocals), Partha Barua (Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals), Naimul Hasan Tanim (Bass), Iftekhar Uddin Sohel (Lead Guitar), Ashik (Drums), Masum(Keyboard).
Album
1st vol : Super Souls
2nd vol: College er Corridore
3rd vol : Manush O Matir kacha kachi
4th vol : East and West
5th vol : A Amon Porichay
6th vol : Aj Din Katuk Gaane
7th vol : Aushomoyer Gaan
8th vol : Mukhorito Jibon
9th vol : Tolet
10th vol : Jhutjhamela

Balam-Music sensation

The music sensation Balam, who continues to create new tunes and medley for music
lovers, speaks of his passion, his work that began a decade ago and plans for creating
more music.
His signature style of combining eastern and western fusion incorporated with
humming tunes has indeed won hearts and opened a new dimension to upcoming
artists across the country. On the spring afternoon that I met this versatile and
talented artist, Balam, in his studio, he was busy working on a new composition—
playing with organ, piano and string tones.
Needless to say, like always, the sound that he was creating before my eyes was fresh,
elusive and mystic. With passage of time, we can safely say that Balam is one of those
artists who has brought unique musical perspective to the electro pop genre and
captured attention of critics and fans.
Although his sudden shift from rock to pop may have disappointed his core fans, it has
nonetheless made him reach a larger audience. It actually increased his fans and his
recordings sound better and have sold more than most people would imagine. His role
in the musical industry has been nothing less than significant. The producer and the
singer has appeared in countless concerts and CDs and gained immense popularity.
But his popularity has in no way diminished his versatility and rare talent.

Back in the old days..

It is hard to forget the immortal Warfaze song Mone pore jai amar koishor- this
brilliant composition was actually done by Balam, who was then a class eight student.
At that age, Balam had learnt the rare art of experimenting through strings and
composing new sounds and Mone Pore was just the beginning for him.
‘Babna bhai is my cousin and that is how I got myself introduced to Warfaze and
amongst a lot of my tunes, the band picked up Koishor’s composition and added it as a
song in their album. And I must say, that was a huge morale boost for a kid like me,’
says Balam, with a hint of nostalgia.
Interestingly, a lot of Balam’s music enthusiasts don’t know that Balam was in a band
where he worked with now musical icon Habib, who was the keyboardist of the group
in the mid 90’s.
‘My first band was Renegades which was formed after my SSC examination in 1995.
We used to compose pop/rock mellow songs and the band actually formed just from
random musical jamming. All the members used to live in the same area and those of
us who shared a common taste, actually went on for musical addas. It wasn’t all that
serious even,’ he remembers fondly.
‘However, like many others, we also got our first break when we became the second
band in the first Cocacola Band Music Awards in 1997. That was the beginning of our
inspiration and especially, mine personally. We made an album in the end of 1995
called Phiriye Dao, which was released from a record label called Enteck. And very
sadly, that album was recently re-released as it is, just the cover picture changed by
the record label who bought Enteck, says Balam, while answering to a question about a
re-made version of the album by Balam and Habib. ‘We did not make any re-make or
remixed any songs. If there is such a rumour in the market, it is hundred percent false
and we are thinking of taking legal actions,’ added Balam.
By the end of 1998, Balam joined the celebrated band, Warfaze. ‘That was like a whole
new life again and I enjoyed being a part of that crew,’ he says laughing.
And today..
‘The moment I decided to quit bands and go solo, my feelings and work became more
synonymous with the terms ‘freedom’ and ‘satisfaction’. Honestly, after my debut
album Premshikari, which was a mixed compilation, my latest work – the self-titled
album- became huge and that was so unexpected. I did not expect any results before
six months but the appreciation I received, which was in less than three months, is
amazing! My worst fear is that, a standard is now set and both music enthusiasts and
critics will be eagerly waiting to review my next album strongly,’ adds Balam.
His latest album was not very appreciated by his rock fans, however he believes that,
the second compilation got a universal character. ‘It is my personal belief that a
musician should not stay rooted to a single genre and should constantly experiment to
a level which is acceptable,’ said Balam.
He composed jingles for countless television commercials and became very successful.
‘I did the Banglalink Din Bodol series, Navana Real Estate – which was my first work.
Now I have plenty of offers, but the first experience of creating music for a very short
duration was more challenging than fulfilling. But now it seems I’m doing well and best
of all…enjoying,’ adds Balam with a smirk.
T
omorrow
Balam is coming out with his new album, the third one which will feature his sister
Julie, who already is a popular artist collaborating with Habib in Moyna Go. The album
will be out in Pahela Baishakh – on the occasion of the first day of the Bangla calendar.
‘My latest songs will have some structural change, musically different which will suit
Julie’s style of singing. And I will definitely give preference to creating ‘soothing
music’…music which will give my fans audible pleasure and for a long time.’
While wrapping up the interview, this creative musician speaks of his belief- living in
the moment. ‘I will definitely continue doing music and will compose tracks — what
ever comes to my mind in an impulsive manner. That would capture the very essence
of the raw appeal I like. The album is coming out from Sangeeta record label and I
hope everyone will enjoy listening to it.’

Bangla

Bangla has undoubtedly come a long way - from a group of youngsters singing for fun to
forming a popular folk-fusion band. 
In 2002 when Bangla, then featuring Anusheh Anadil, Faiyaz Rashid Buno and Shayan
Chowdhury Arnab, released its maiden album Kingkartabyabimur(confounded), the response was tremendous. Unique tunes, soulful lyrics, masterful combination of folk and
fusion made every number of the album hugely popular and earned the band the acclaim of
being a leading folk-fusion exponent in the country.
Then came its second studio album 'Pratyutpannamatitva' (ready wit) last year, after a break of almost two years. Another instant hit, the album not only consolidated the band
position at home but also earned it international acclaim.
Bangla performed in Rostock, Germany recently in a concert, titled Your Voice against
Poverty, organised by an anti-poverty movement with the support of one of the biggest
icons in world music, Bono, the lead singer of U2. Bangla was the only band from
Bangladesh in the concert and share the stage with bands from eight other countries,
including South Africa.
Bangla’s journey began sometime in 1999; its founder members were then students of
Santiniketan. ‘Our music came from our sour-searching addas,’ Buno said.
The initial challenge was to raise enough money to get the band going and release its first
album, he said. ‘We had very little money. The three of us worked tirelessly to raise the
funds and give life to our aspirations.’
Now, the challenge is to make the time to be together, Arnab said. ‘Now that we have all
grown up and have separate lives, it is difficult to make the time to get together and

perform. But, at the end of it all, I guess, it is the music that binds us together.’
‘I think we understood each other musically and that’s what brought us closer,’ Buno said.
Despite the challenges, the band has managed to stay strong and, over the years, has
developed and expanded. It now has two members—Kartik, a renowned guitarist of the
country, and Ismahil, who has played for internationally acclaimed bands like 'Shakti'.
The Rostock concert is not the first time that Bangla performed overseas. It has performed
in England, France and India. ‘We have traveled so much and performed at so many places,
both in and outside the country. All of that was a wonderful experience,’ Buno said.
‘In England, France and India, more than just being able to perform, the honour was to
meet great artistes like Vikku Vinayakram, Sam Mills, Illa Pandey, Tonmoy Ghosh, members
of Shakti and so many others. We obtained a wealth of knowledge from these people who
are undoubtedly some of the greatest musicians in the world,’ Buno added.
Their second album 'Pratyutpannamatitva' is perhaps the continuation and development of
their first album. ‘Our music in many ways comes from our personal experiences and life and
much of what we do is reflected through what we produce,’ Buno said. ‘This album took us a
long while, because we are developing, discovering, learning and trying to make another
unique tune.’
Indeed, the music this time is very ‘off the mainstream’, reflecting perhaps how the band
has matured over time. The songs in this album are vivid as they portray true feelings
regarding the recent atrocities in the country in the name of religion and God. Some of the
famous age-old compositions have been fashioned by the group with a mixture of
instruments like tabla, mrindangam, ektara, dhol, bangla dhol, trumpet, guitars, drums, etc.
While countless fans, celebrate its success, the band is more enthusiastic about being able
to represent Bangladesh in a big event such as this. They have already performed at Halle
(near Leipzig) on June 1. The concert at Halle was sponsored by Netz Bangladesh, a German
NGO dedicated to reducing poverty in Bangladesh.
Bangla’s journey of unique and heritage sound of Bengal has taken them onto many
international stages, continues to motivate the young generation to listen to our traditional
music and visit our roots. 
Ishmail, who is primarily working with Jazz and also
Shakti, is now a strong part of the band
development. ‘Getting an opportunity to do
something different and that too a unique tone is an
amazing experience itself,’ he says. ‘I think Bangla
has a different flavour to its music — the kind that
just not something you hear all the time.’
Ishmail played with them for their recent album.
‘Playing with them is a unique experience.’

Aurthohin

Saidus Salehin Khaled (Sumon, Bassbaba) left 'Feelings' in 1993 and decided to work on a 
solo album. With the help of his friends and fellow musicians, he released the album titled 
'Sumon o Aurthohin' in 1997. The album got positive reviews from fans and critics. In 1998, 
Sumon then decided form a band. Sentu (bass) and Titi (Drums) of 'Faith' joined him and 
they started performing under the name 'Sumon o Aurthohin'. The band then also consisted 
of Zubair on flute, Adnan on percussions and Tonmoy on Guitars.

Members & Albums

Tritmatrik
In October 1999, Titi and Sentu had to leave the band as they had to make time for their 
own band 'Faith'. Rumie, the drummer of 'The Trap' joined in. Sumon changed the name of 
the band to 'Aurthohin'. Zubair and Adnan left the band few months later. Later, Shovon 
came in as a guitarist & vocalist. Early 2000, Piklu, guitarist of 'Maqsood o Dhaka' joined in 
with the departure of Shovon and Tonmoy due to educational reasons. Two other guitarists 
Russell (Winning) and Ponir (The Gnomes) also joined Aurthohin. They started recording 
their first 
album 'Tritmatrik' in April, 2000 and released by the end of that year.

Biborton
The band again faced difficulties when Rumie left in early 2001. Shuvo, ex-drummer of Jolly 
Roger, Psycho Death and Deathrow came in as new drummer. They released their second 
album 'Biborton in late 2001. Soon after the album got released, Russell left the band.
Notun Diner Michile
Imtiaz of 'Kronic' joined the band as a guest vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Aurthohin has 
released their 3rd album "Notun Diner Michhile" in November 2002, which includes 'Shaat 
Din', a 28 minute long progressive metal song (the longest song by a Bangladeshi band).

Dhrubok

Imtiaz left the band. Aurthohin decided not to take any more guest members. Shishir of dNA 
joined the band as the new keyboardist and guitarist. Suddenly, the band faced the biggest 
problem ever. Sumon got sick. Doctor told him that he won't be able to sing like before. 
Sumon had to stop singing most of the metal songs. Aurthohin decided to take a new 
vocalist. 
Rafa (the drummer of Kral) joined the band as the vocalist and also a guitarist. Aurthohin's 
4th album 'Dhrubok' got released in 2003. Due to Sumon’s illness the band stopped almost 
all the gigs. At the end of 2004 Piklu left the band. Sumon got the affiliation from MTD 
(Michael Tobias Design). In 2005 Sumon's jaw got dislocated. 
Doctors told him to give up singing permanently. Chances of recovery were very low. 
Aurthohin stopped all their activities. Sumon and the others were planning to disband. But 
suddenly things began to change. Sumon was getting well. Doctors considered it as a 
miracle.

Aushamapto coming soon...
Aurthohin performed with the same line up until 2006. Kamal of Warfaze joined as a guest 
guitarist. After doing a few gigs Sumon offered him a permanent place which he accepted. 
Now Aurthohin are preparing their new album 'Aushamapto' which is set to be released later 
this year.
Line-ups
First Line-up:
(No albums released) Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Titi : Drums, Shentu : Bass, Zubair : 
Flute, Adnan : Percussions, Tonmoy : Guitars.
Second Line-up:
(No albums released) Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Shovon : Guitars/Vocals, Rumie : 
Drums, Tonmoy : Guitars.
Third Line-up:

Album (s): Tritmatrik Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Piklu : Guitars, Rumie : Drums, 
Russell : Guitars/Vocals, Ponir : Guitars.
Fourth Line-up:
Album (s) : Biborton Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Piklu : Guitars, Russell : Guitars/Vocals, 
Shuvo : Drums.
Fifth Line-up:
Album (s) : Notun Diner Michile; Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Piklu : Guitars, Imtiaz : 
Vocals/Rhythm Guitars, Shuvo : Drums.
Sixth Line-up:
Album (s) : Dhrubok; Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Piklu : Guitars, Rafa : Vocals/Guitars, 
Shishir : Guitars/Keys, Shuvo : Drums.
Seventh Line-up:
(No albums released) Sumon : Vocals/Bass/Guitars, Kamal : Guitars, Rafa : Vocals/Guitars, 
Shishir : Guitars/Keys, Shuvo : Drums.

Shunno-Melancholic Rocking

Rock band Shunno has blasted into the music industry taking matters into their own hands by simultaneously launching a music production label called Maroon Music. Their first album, 'Notun Srot', sponsored by Samsung Mobile, was launched on June 28, 2008 at the Decagon Café, where they performed along with other bands such as Raaga, Radioactive, Nemesis, J's and 71. Famous musicians Ornob and Sanjay (from the band Warfaze) showed their solidarity for new and upcoming talented musicians by appearing as surprise guest performers, Ornob with the band Nemesis and Sanjay with the band Radioactive.

Shunno started out in 2007 when friends Emil (vocals) and Shaker (guitar), both in their mid-20s, got together and started working on a few tracks. Emil originally was in a band named Triloy, which disbanded after their first album hit the scene. He then started Shunno with Shaker. Michael (bass) and Labib (drums) (both of whom who are still completing their A-levels, thereby being considerably younger than the two friends) joined the band soon after, making the sound of Shunno, ironically contradicting the meaning of its name, beautifully complete.

The name Shunno has a story as well. Fuad Almuqtadir produced the band's first released song, Prottasha, in his groundbreaking album 'Bonno'. The former Radio Foorti RJ and electronica-funk king had advised the band to come up with a name and as a result the four boys chose the name Shunno, which symbolises starting from scratch, as well as being a name that will be easy to remember by all their fans.

The album itself showcases four very talented musicians, somehow managing to give each other enough space to explore their musicality, but also allowing each other to shine in their own trade simultaneously. Although the band is a rock band, most of their tracks on the album, save for track 3, Probash, are of the mellow and soft rock variety. The title track, Notun Srot, starts off with a Metallica-reminiscent melodious plucking and strumming of the guitar and, as soon as you start to get into the rhythm of the song, quickly changes courses and the beat becomes almost jazzy and funky.

Guitarist Shaker's playing was an extremely pivotal part of the album. His talent was evident all through the album, but more especially in the two instrumentals, Dynsfunction of a Nervous Breakdown and the last song on the album, Serenade. While the first of the two instrumentals, true to its name, sounds like a frenzied but melodious outpouring of the band's feelings (albeit channelled into their instruments), and creates the listener to feel a burst of energy along with the band; the instrumental Serenade is a much more mellow and romantic sound, which almost causes the listener to feel a tangible sense of longing within the wails of Shaker's guitar.

In addition to the three instruments, the fourth sound that makes the sound of this album compact is the soulful and piercing voice of lead vocalist Emil. The singer's versatility is written all over the album. His voice is unique because of its unusual range, which is obvious from the songs Keo Janena, a mellow and melancholic song made even more intense by Emil's haunting voice singing very unusual minor notes. Emil's voice was also aptly showcased in the first song on the album Bedona, of which there are two versions. The first version has more of a funky rock sound to it, starting off with Labib's toe-tapping percussion, before Shaker and Michael join in without disrupting the sound of the song. The acoustic version, however, starts out completely differently, with a blend of keyboards, guitar and bass, giving off a more smooth and lilting quality to the song made even more so when after the first few chords of the song a soulful violin solo comes unexpectedly by violinist Selim.

Shunno has proved in this album that they are anything but zeros. In fact the four young talented singers came out with a bang and will hopefully have many more years of beautiful music to come. For now, however, their album 'Notun Srot' is the perfect summer album -- one which you can coop yourself up in your room on a rainy day and listen to over and over again.

BLACK-“Abar”:talks about its upcoming album

 

Hardly any youngster, in particular the urban areas, need an introduction to Black, one of the most popular contemporary bands. Black's latest album Abar is scheduled to hit the market this month. Recently the band members talked about their new album, how Black was formed and more.

Formed in 1999, Black brought together three friends who shared a common interest in music -- Tony Vincent Gomes, Khademul Mushfeque Jahan and Jon Kabir. The trio has held strong since their school years.

"We were always avid music fans. We love music more than anything else," said Jon.

"The three of us were passionate about music. May be that is why our friendship endured though we went to different colleges," Jon continued.

"While in college, we used to go to concerts regularly," said Jahan. "In '98, underground band concerts were held regularly at BCIC auditorium, Russian Cultural Centre and sometimes in NDC auditorium as well as other venues. Wherever there was a concert, we were there," he added.

Black got its first break in 2000 with Chharpotro, a mixed album; their first released song was Chena Dukkho.

"The song received a good response," said Jon. It was basically the success of the song that eventually helped Black to sign a contract with G Series.

Black's first solo album Amar Prithibi was released on 2002 under the banner of G- Series. The album featured 12 songs; among them Amra, Miththa, Prarthonad and Obhiman remain Black's most popular songs.

The following year, Black released their second album Utshober Por. The album was another success.

Black suffered a major setback in 2005. On the night of April 20, on their way to Dhaka from Chittagong, there was a terrible accident, which left sound engineer Imran Ahmed Mobin dead and seriously injured Meraj, the band's bass guitarist.

There has been no solo album from the band since.

But the band has worked in mixed albums regularly. So far their songs have been featured in 13 mixed albums.

Talking about their latest album, Jahan said, "The album was supposed to come out a long time ago. In fact, we had plans to bring it out in 2006, but due to the accident we couldn't."

Talking about the songs in the album, Jon said, "This is a straight up rock album where one will find some melodious numbers (Obosh, Abohoman, Chinho) along with some heavy rock numbers (Abar, Ei gaan, Keno?) and more."

"We have tried our best to keep the original sound of the instruments without any modification," said Jon.

The album, Abar scheduled to be released on July 10, features 10 tracks – Manush-pakhir gaan, the title track Abar, Abohomaan, Obosh, Shorobiddho, Ei gaan, Na-thaka jibon, Korun, Chinho and Keno?

The lyrics have been written by Jon and Zubair Hussain Imon.

Iqbal Asif Jewel, guitarist of Miles has worked closely with Black on Abar.

"We would like to thank Jewel bhai for his help and support," said Jahan.

After the release of the album, Black plans to undertake a nationwide tour to promote their new album. The band plans to hold concerts in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna.

The current lineup of Black is Tony on drums, Jahan (guitar), Sagar (bass) and Jon on vocal.

With The Guru-James

James-The musical artist who undoubtedly doesn’t need any introduction, the name itself portrays  the image of an  artist with swerve  energy level, racy appearance, a magnetic crowd-puller ,who leaves the audience absolutely spellbound with  his highly expressive singing pattern &  emotive voice modulation. Cognized popularly as the "Guru" ,he is one of those solo artists of mainstream music  of Bangladesh who have taken the arena of Bangladesh music by storm, setting a benchmark for upcoming music learners- by creating a blend between rock and psychedelic blues progression ,raising psychedelic rock to a new height in the musical platform of the country. With his album "Jail theke bolchi" released in 1994, he successfully delineated to be one of the most versatile iconic musician.  He started off as lead-singer and vocalist of "Feelings"  and later formed "Nagarbaul" with  his consistent eccentric style - comprising groovy  rock vocals, pessimistic lyrics & nifty thrumming.

The solo music projects of James captured the thriving young generation & mesmerized his huge fan-base with a blow; along with his unparalleled beatz, deviation from prototypic tunes, extremely expressive lyrics rooted deep with potpourri of emotions- the Guru created a musical charisma that captured the headlines of music media in no time. James not only maintained the sustained craze of the music-lovers of the country, but also has set  his step  outside the national borders, more precisely at the Indian musical industry, heightening his musical performance even more. Having the potential to cater a diverging array of musical tastes, James, with his grave voice and inerrant musical notes rocked and regaled the audiences there as well. He made a robust intro in the Indian music industry with the song "Bheegi Bheegi" from Gangster, which was inspired from his popular Bengali number "Prithibi". James continued as a playback singer with "Woh Lamhe", his soundtracks include Gangster (2006);Woh Lamhe (2006);Life in a.. Metro (2007), "Rishtey", "Rishtey Revisited" (DJ Nikhil Chinappa & DJ Naved) . Hence the city-bard (Nagarbaul), did not let his talents to regress, he rather made it rise  to the peak of musical spectrum.

With an intention to have a precise idea about his upcoming works & also for a little tete-a-tete, Zannatul Lamea visits James on a windy evening of February, as the media correspondent from Amadergaan.com:

AG : After the successful  release of your latest album titled "Toofan" , what are your upcoming plans ? Are you intending to do any new musical projects home or abroad?

James:  Well, I am just planning to work on a band album here, its not yet in the making-just a stray thought. But yes, I am about to work with Sony at India, they are intending to release an album of mine, with Hindi numbers mostly, maybe they will include some Bengali songs in there also. I am concentrating more on this album, after that maybe I will start playback singing in Hindi films by April again. Plus, I am also  doing some live music  shows in India.

AG:  You have worked with proficiency both with Bangladesh and Indian music. How different or how similar is it from the other?

James: Well, actually there is no major difference. It’s just the difference in perception & taste. The audiences can sort the difference more accurately. No two person have same opinion on music, perceptions or choices can’t really be judged on any common parameter.

AG:  How does it feel to work outside your home country? Is it challenging?

James :  It sure is. Bangladesh is my comfortable zone. I work independently here, with my music and compositions. At India, its challenging in the sense that its giving me a new platform, its more like experimenting with their diverse genres of music; working at a new place with new peoples, reflexively poses challenge in front of you. But in spite of that, I enjoy working there too, its fun working with challenges! Precisely speaking- I enjoy working at India, & I love working in Bangladesh :)

AG: Is there anything you think could add a new level to the music industry of our country?

James : I don't think any alteration is required, our music industry is flourishing, we  have promising musicians and the music scenario has firm roots grounded with  our  culture & heritage. But yes, I think that at present the number of acoustic instrument players are reducing; as for example now-a-days we don’t find many violin players you see.

AG : What do you think about the present music scenario of Bangladesh?

James:  Surely the trends have changed. The major drawback that has set in now is piracy. Although, true music lovers would always thrive for original music, smooth sound quality-still a fraction of music industry is affected by piracy. I think a major reason behind this is lack of proper marketing, making music easily accessible to those who want it ; when a new album is launched, if its not marketed properly, the reach decreases substantially. And hence, the audience then opts to pursue it by other means. Also, the trends have changed now, when we were at our teens, we would buy an entire album-sometimes  even for the nice illustration of our favorite artists on the covers; the present generation has discovered "mobile music" , they carry their favorite music everywhere, in  mp3 players, I-pods, cell-phones-we see the music lovers  trotting away  here & there with earplugs in. Maybe that’s why the demand of an album as a whole has deteriorated. Everything is getting virtual!

But I think its being balanced. Because, see the trends have changed, but the demand is absolutely unchanged. I would say the demand for music is much more now. The present crowd throngs every concert venue with frenzy response. A new drift is emerging, music is not only meant for CD production now- a considerable number of event management is taking place due to music as well. Also, music is also becoming a part and parcel of the media channels. Music is not only audible now; growing demand is there for visual music. The audiences not only want to hear music, they also wants to see it.  It’s taking a whole new form!

Hence that was all from the "Guru”, who has not only swept the music lovers off their feet by his sensational music, but also have relentlessly contributed his music for charitable and motivational purposes as well. Brandishing us with his unique music, the music patriot thus created an epitome musical character-to be followed, to be cherished

Balam-The music sensation

The music sensation Balam, who continues to create new tunes and medley for music lovers, speaks of his passion, his work that began a decade ago and plans for creating more music in an interview with Faizul Khan Tanim

His signature style of combining eastern and western fusion incorporated with humming tunes has indeed won hearts and opened a new dimension to upcoming artists across the country. On the spring afternoon that I met this versatile and talented artist, Balam, in his studio, he was busy working on a new composition— playing with organ, piano and string tones.
Needless to say, like always, the sound that he was creating before my eyes was fresh, elusive and mystic. With passage of time, we can safely say that Balam is one of those artists who has brought unique musical perspective to the electro pop genre and captured attention of critics and fans.

Although his sudden shift from rock to pop may have disappointed his core fans, it has nonetheless made him reach a larger audience. It actually increased his fans and his recordings sound better and have sold more than most people would imagine. His role in the musical industry has been nothing less than significant. The producer and the singer has appeared in countless concerts and CDs and gained immense popularity. But his popularity has in no way diminished his versatility and rare talent.

Back in the old days..

It is hard to forget the immortal Warfaze song Mone pore jai amar koishor- this brilliant composition was actually done by Balam, who was then a class eight student. At that age, Balam had learnt the rare art of experimenting through strings and composing new sounds and Mone Pore was just the beginning for him.

'Babna bhai is my cousin and that is how I got myself introduced to Warfaze and amongst a lot of my tunes, the band picked up Koishor's composition and added it as a song in their album. And I must say, that was a huge morale boost for a kid like me,' says Balam, with a hint of nostalgia.

Interestingly, a lot of Balam's music enthusiasts don't know that Balam was in a band where he worked with now musical icon Habib, who was the keyboardist of the group in the mid 90's.

'My first band was Renegades which was formed after my SSC examination in 1995. We used to compose pop/rock mellow songs and the band actually formed just from random musical jamming. All the members used to live in the same area and those of us who shared a common taste, actually went on for musical addas. It wasn't all that serious even,' he remembers fondly.

'However, like many others, we also got our first break when we became the second band in the first Cocacola Band Music Awards in 1997. That was the beginning of our inspiration and especially, mine personally. We made an album in the end of 1995 called Phiriye Dao, which was released from a record label called Enteck. And very sadly, that album was recently re-released as it is, just the cover picture changed by the record label who bought Enteck, says Balam, while answering to a question about a re-made version of the album by Balam and Habib. 'We did not make any re-make or remixed any songs. If there is such a rumour in the market, it is hundred percent false and we are thinking of taking legal actions,' added Balam.

By the end of 1998, Balam joined the celebrated band, Warfaze. 'That was like a whole new life again and I enjoyed being a part of that crew,' he says laughing.

And today..

'The moment I decided to quit bands and go solo, my feelings and work became more synonymous with the terms 'freedom' and 'satisfaction'. Honestly, after my debut album Premshikari, which was a mixed compilation, my latest work – the self-titled album- became huge and that was so unexpected. I did not expect any results before six months but the appreciation I received, which was in less than three months, is amazing! My worst fear is that, a standard is now set and both music enthusiasts and critics will be eagerly waiting to review my next album strongly,' adds Balam.

His latest album was not very appreciated by his rock fans, however he believes that, the second compilation got a universal character. 'It is my personal belief that a musician should not stay rooted to a single genre and should constantly experiment to a level which is acceptable,' said Balam.

He composed jingles for countless television commercials and became very successful. 'I did the Banglalink Din Bodol series, Navana Real Estate – which was my first work. Now I have plenty of offers, but the first experience of creating music for a very short duration was more challenging than fulfilling. But now it seems I'm doing well and best of all…enjoying,' adds Balam with a smirk.
Tomorrow

Balam is coming out with his new album, the third one which will feature his sister Julie, who already is a popular artist collaborating with Habib in Moyna Go. The album will be out in Pahela Baishakh – on the occasion of the first day of the Bangla calendar.

'My latest songs will have some structural change, musically different which will suit Julie's style of singing. And I will definitely give preference to creating 'soothing music'…music which will give my fans audible pleasure and for a long time.'

While wrapping up the interview, this creative musician speaks of his belief- living in the moment. 'I will definitely continue doing music and will compose tracks — what ever comes to my mind in an impulsive manner. That would capture the very essence of the raw appeal I like. The album is coming out from Sangeeta record label and I hope everyone will enjoy listening to it.

Article published in: March 07, 2008 page of Glitz, inside the Daily New AGE.
Last Updated ( Monday, 10 March 2008 )

Firebrand: Rock on the Roll

The slow rise of rock music has been evident in the past few years and, several bands have taken up the challenge to continue serving this genre of music. Firebrand is the latest band in this breed coming out with a stellar debut album. Writes Faysal Islam.

Firebrand's self-titled debut album deserves the tag 'one of the best rock albums of 2007' in every sense. The talented and somewhat unknown group has produced an album which is the ultimate fantasy of any rock fan. Formed in 2003 by school friends Yameen (Guitars), Nabil (Guitars) & Shahir (Drums), Firebrand entered the rock scene quietly with a few performances here and there. Zubaidur (Bass) and Niloy (Vocalist) finished the present lineup.

The band got their big break last summer when G-Series picked them up for an album deal. 'We compiled a 5 track Demo CD and went to Khaled Bhai of G-Series. After hearing the stuff, he commented that we had potential and signed us up,' says Shahir. 'We worked for months and finished the album. The final product was very personal for us. We wanted to make something different – a sound, a story, a message in some cases that would connect with the listener. And, It took us a while to figure out what we would call it, but in the end “Firebrand” was explanation enough,' he adds.

The greatest feature of the album and the tracks for that matter is the energy of the songs. Great rock albums like Oniket Prantor (Artcell), 64m 53s (Arbovirus) were groundbreakers in this regard. Firebrand just takes it up a notch and sets a new benchmark for upcoming bands from the scene. Although it might not be of the same league as Danob (Cryptic Fate) or Oniket Prantor in terms of creativity, the 9 track album makes up for it with a great influence of 80's hard rock music and the current style of progressive rock. The finished products are rock numbers of the highest quality, and provide endless head banging opportunities to the fans. 

Tracks like 'Ognishikha', 'Jhor' and 'Ontor Doitto' are heavy riffed hard rock numbers and are already proving big hits among listeners. Aggressive and catchy, these tracks have some of the best guitar solos you will get to hear from the new generation of guitarists. As a listener you just drop your jaws as you hear Yameen and Nabil compete to play one great solo after another. Add to that, the fantastic drum work of Shahir, the grungy voals of Niloy and sleek bass from Zubaidur and you are left with 20 minutes of mayhem. Literally!

'Shopnomoyi' is an absolute joy to listen to. The romantic soft rock number brings out the other side of the band. You easily get addicted to the song, and its simple yet meaningful lyrics and a fantastic composition. 'Bewarish Mon', 'Chaya Shongi' and 'Kacher Manush' follows the trend and grabs you. I was left wondering, where this band was all these years and I'm sure I'm not alone. 'Biday' is perhaps the most mature composition of the album providing a calm listening experience with some melodious vocals and drumming.

And, finally, 'Bijoy Amar Dui Dhaap Piche' sums up what a rock track should be like. Easily the best number of the album, the song ignites the rebel in you, ready to take on the world through rock. 'This song was our take on the current happenings of our country. We wanted to sound young and yet powerful – it's a message to the masses,' says Shahir, who wrote the lyrics. The song stands out through a powerful composition with Niloy singing his heart out.

Firebrand marks the start of the 2nd generation of Rock Music from our Scene. A masterpiece in every possible way (even the album sleeve is fantastic!), the album surely sets a new benchmark. It shouts out the arrival of 5 new rock stars and yes, this is the best rock album of the year.

Band Profile-East goes West [Purbo Paschim]

 

East goes West  [Purbo Paschim]

If you've listened to any local fusion or rock music lately you might have noticed a talented flute player in the mix. Chances are you were listening to the music of Zubair Malik. One of the country's most respected flutists with a wide range of mastered styles. From classical Bangla folk music to contemporary and classic rock music, from Western classical to jazz, blues to traditional Celtic music, Zubair has mastered a diverse range of styles. His talents have brought him much acclaim from critics, fellow musicians and fans alike.

A trained singer from the age of four, Zubair has been performing music as long as he can remember. He is a multi-instrumentalist, but these days his instrument of choice is the flute. Since childhood days, Zubair has been listening to and influenced by the work of folk flutist Pundit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Zubair's brother started playing the flute when Zubair was a young child. At the age of twelve he picked up the instrument himself. According to Zubair, “For the first two years I just fiddled around, teaching myself, then I became more serious about my music and started taking lessons under Abdul Bari Siddique for the next six years and during that time I started to realise my full potential.”

After his training under Siddique, Zubair began practicing with a Russian pianist and flutist, Uena, who taught him about Western classical music. “Uena and I practised Western classic pieces and worked on our own compositions for two years.” Zubair reminisces. After his time training with Uena, he then decided to learn more about rock music from his friend Kamal of the band Warfaze. Zubair tells me, “I wanted to learn as much as possible about many musical styles before forming my own band and writing my own compositions.”

In 2002 Zubair formed the musical group Purbo-Poshchim along with a number of other musicians who were also interested in performing fusion music. “Purbo-Poshchim isn't a band. It's rather a project to bring the fusion genre to the people and any instrumentalist can play with us,” says Zubair. Purbo-Poshchim was the first instrumentalist band in Bangladesh to perform an open-air concert. The group consists of a revolving door of musicians and a core group that has remained unchanged for the past seven years. That first year they won two awards at the Benson and Hedges Star Search. One was for Best Instrumentalist which went to Zubair, and another to their drummer, Tony Vincent Gomes, for Best Percussionist.

In 2003, Zubair began a series of sessions with visiting English multi-instrumentalist, Michael McGorlick. He also held sessions with singer Joanne Kemp and other musicians who were visiting with the London Film and Music School. McGorlick is a master flutist, well known in the West for his Irish fusion style. Widely known as, ‘The Pride of Manchester,’ McGorlick . Before the group went back to London, they held a jam session, ‘East Meets West,’ with Zubair and other local musicians at the British Council auditorium. Local favourite, Bangla, also performed at the jam session. With little time to practice beforehand the session went incredibly well. Starting out with composed pieces, and ending with an all-out improvisation with musicians from all around the globe jamming together.

In 2005, Zubair held a workshop with the visiting Chicago Jazz Quartet at the Amazon Club. They held a series of jam sessions which helped Zubair to learn about jazz improvisation techniques. Ever diversifying his range of styles, Zubair has stayed with the flute this entire time. He notes, “When I play the flute I feel that I can express more than with just words alone. It is a universal language that anybody who listens can understand.”

Many of Zubair's own compositions have been released and received radio play. Some highlights of his work include, ‘Pash Chatter Prachiye,’ ‘Katchar Bithor Achin Pakhi,’ and ‘Shesh Pranto’. These past two years Zubair has been increasingly concentrating on writing his own compositions. Some solo and some to perform with Purbo-Poshchim. Recently, Zubair is mainly interested in fusing spiritual Baul folk style, tribal music, nature-based music, and Western classical and contemporary rock styles. The tracks ‘Journey to Eternity,’ and ‘An Ecstatic Love,’ are prime examples of his style, melding Eastern and Western musical styles seamlessly as if they were never apart.