The undeniable rising tide of saxophone moans and clarinet croons bubbling gently under Dhaka’s socialite circles known as Jazz has come to our neck of the woods and is quickly establishing itself as a can’t-miss phenomenon. The magnetic genre, with it its eclectic scenes, is considered among the great American creations of the 20th century. Now, inches away from the third decade of the 21st century, the cool stylings of jazz are making a comeback in an unlikely pocket of the world.

Rebirth of the Cool

The inner streets of Dhaka are seeing its own Coltranes and Davises and Minguses forming before them. Lighting up Gulshan Club, The Junction Dhaka, Jatra Biroti and whatever stage they grace, the trios and quartets and quintets are making sonic waves one can’t help but tap their toes and wag their heads to. Strings of self-organized events, the first a near decade back in Shilpakala Academy, has since seen upsurges in public interest and increases in attendance – to the point where a good weekend in Gulshan or Banani can be spent disappearing into those songs sung by flutes and trombones.

A New Portrait in Jazz

Ensembles like Imran Ahmed Trio, The Seesaw Quartet, 42 and Robert Russell Trio wrap their experiences of what living in Dhaka is like with the education these musicians have received in musical theory and from their piles of records, cassettes, wav files and CDs. They bring out the ever-flowing wonder that is jazz, in their own light, own hue and own voices.

Imran Ahmed Trio consists of Imran Ahmed, Mohaimin Karim and Arjo Shreshtho

Robert Russell Trio consists of Robert Russell, Tanveer Haque and Towfiq Arifin

Seesaw Quarter is – Rahin Haider, Jishnu, Raj and Samiul Wahid

Follow That Sound

The next jazz show you could stop by at is “A Jazz Recital by Imran Ahmed Trio” being hosted in Lounge Comida, Gulshan on October 18th. Fresh off their international tour in Poland, the Imran Ahmed Trio is playing a solo show two weeks from now. The band is said to have had a life-changing experience in their second international tour in Poland last month. Which was not their first time representing Bangladesh on foreign land, they have also toured Malaysia-Germany in 2018.

Apart from international acclaim, Imran Ahmed, Mohaimin Karim, Towfiq Arifin, Arjo Shreshto and Rahin Haider have been actively initiatives to keep the jazz scene in Bangladesh active.