The New Nation - Internet Edition

Entertainment Report

On Fridays, the busy city life shifts into a slow gear. Last Friday (May 23) many music aficionados gathered at the National Museum to enjoy a solo performance by Kabir Sumon. The main auditorium was packed; some waited outside hoping to get tickets. A local organisation Chirkut organised the programme.

Sumon alone was on the stage with a guitar and a harmonica. A keyboard was also placed on the stage, which Sumon played with two or three songs.

The artiste began with a rendition of Anek din por abar chena mukh. The song could also refer to the fact that it was Sumon's first solo concert in Bangladesh after a gap of 10 years. The artiste did perform in a couple of programmes with others.

His next rendition was O gaanwala. "Singing in Dhaka is certainly a pleasant experience. Sabina's (Yasmin) well being adds to that bliss." Sumon dedicated the programme to the memory of Begum Sufia Kamal and Language Movement veteran Abdul Matin.

Next, the artiste rendered Oito lokkho chhele meye, a song Sumon wrote and composed on Begum Sufia Kamal. "I was introduced to Begum Sufia Kamal in 1996 at Asaduzzaman Noor's residence," Sumon said at the programme.

Sumon's music is characterised as "Jibonmukhi Gaan" - - a genre that addresses contemporary issues. One of his recent albums highlights the violence in Nandigram, a small village in West Bengal.

One after another, Sumon performed Shal Banglar beray agun, Janan dichchhey Nandigram and Rasta aatkey debo themey jabey shob. The highlight of the programme was Sabina Yasmin's performance. The seasoned artiste rendered Kemon achho, a song composed by Kabir Sumon. Though the audience requested the diva to perform more, she left the stage soon after the song.

"This is Sumon's solo programme and it should remain so," said Sabina. Sumon also sang some of his familiar songs including Haal chhero na bondhu, Jatiswar and Kotota poth peroley. The curtain came down with a rendition of Tomakey chai. Ekushey Television was the media partner of the programme.