Glimpses from the celebration of International Jazz Day in Dhaka
International Jazz Day is celebrated around the world every year on April 30 since UNESCO declared this day as a means to highlight jazz music and its diplomatic role in uniting people, no matter which part of the globe they are from.
The Seesaw Quartet, Shuvendu Das Shuvo (Guitar), Koushik Ahmed Antar (Piano), Imran Ahmed (Guitar), Towfiq Arifin Turjo (Drums), Mohaimin Karim (Double Bass and electric bass), Francis Maginn (Trombone), Rahin Haider (Saxophone), Tanveer Haque (Bass), gave a mesmerising jazz music performance.
Bangladesh has been actively part of this celebration since 2015. This year, experiential and digital marketing solutions provider Innovative Creations Limited (iCreation) curated an exciting and unique event for the country’s jazz lovers on this day, in collaboration with veterans musicians of Bangladesh’s jazz scene, Imran Ahmed, Towfiq Arifin Turjo, Rahin Haider, Mohaimin Karim, and Raihan Rashid Majumder, among others. The International Jazz Day Celebration event was held at The Garage Food Court, Tejgoan.
The Seesaw Quartet, Shuvendu Das Shuvo (Guitar), Koushik Ahmed Antar (Piano), Imran Ahmed (Guitar), Towfiq Arifin Turjo (Drums), Mohaimin Karim (Double Bass and electric bass), Francis Maginn (Trombone), Rahin Haider (Saxophone), Tanveer Haque (Bass), gave a mesmerising jazz music performance for the Dhaka audience. There was also an exceptional performance by Poland’s eminent jazz artist and educator, Grzegorz Karnas, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the European jazz scene. He founded the renowned Jazz festival Voicingers in many countries, including Poland, Denmark, Vietnam, China and more. At the end of the event, guest Shayan Chowdhury Arnob gave an impromptu performance, to the audience’s delight. The venue was packed entirely, thanks, in part, to the fact that entry was free.
There was also an exceptional performance by Poland’s eminent jazz artist and educator, Grzegorz Karnas, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the European jazz scene.
Event organiser iCreation is a concern of Impress Group, a group of companies that have RMG and pharmaceutical companies, construction companies, as well as media houses and publication companies Channel i, Radio Bhumi and Ananda Alo. Impress Group always aims to contribute to the cultural scene of Bangladesh, that is, the art, music and literary industry.
Even a decade ago, there were only a few jazz shows in Dhaka. However, a few musicians passionate about jazz music kept practising and organised the country’s first-ever International Jazz Day in 2014 at Shilpakala Academy. These musicians built Dhaka’s jazz scene from scratch. Legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and the Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, has recently recognised the country’s jazz scene. If this event was any indication, jazz in Bangladesh has a bright future, and we can expect to see many more of these events!