Fusion music at Gourmet Bazaar

The melodious Eastern raga and harmonious Western strains were juxtaposed in a cello performance, combined with flute and tabla in a music performance at Gourmet Bazaar as part of its regular program titled “Crossover.”

Bansuri (flute) player Mortuza Kabir Murad  initiated the musical fusion by playing Lalon’s  folk song, “Ami Opar Hoye Boshe Achi,” in raga Bhairavi. Cellist Razef Khan joined the fusion with his untitled Turkish style jazzy tune. The Eastern and Western mishmash of music not only enamored the multinational audience but also re-established the possibility of hybridization enriching music. 

Kabir said: “When I first heard Razef’s music, it reminded me of raga Bhairavi. Slow in style, the Bhairavi has an inner connection with most of Lalon’s songs. So we are trying to fuse Western and Eastern music and I hope the audience will enjoy it.”

The second portion of the fusion was driven by the famous Carnatic raga “Hansadhwani,” which means the cry of the swan. Kabir played the alap in the initial stage to launch the emotion and later on provoked the cellist to participate in the counter melody part. 

The musical conversation of these two instrumentalists brought a new dimension to the fusion and dramatized the environment through their playful performance. 

Apurba Deb, an apprentice of Shilpakala Academy accompanied them on the tabla. Ahir Bhairav and raga Brindabani Sarang were also played by Kabir in the solo section of the program. 

Razef ended the program with his closing speech where he thanked the audience for appreciating the fusion music scene in Bangladesh.