Bhoomi (band)
Encyclopedia
Bhoomi is a music group based in Kolkata
, India
. They are a Bangla (বাংলা, Bengali) language band. In July 2006 they became the first Indian band to play at the United Nations
.
Bhoomi all over Bengal
Bhoomi's journey that began in Kolkata in 1999, has seen it winning hearts, souls and minds with spectacular performance in district towns and capitals such as Durgapur,Dherdhere govindapur, Harishchandrapur, Chuchura, Kolaghat, Bakreswar, Farakka, Burdwan, Srirampore, Midnapore, Howrah, Kanthi, Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Chanchol, Coochbehar, Kalyani, Raigunj, Burnpur, Katwa, Asansol, Kulti, Konnagar, Gangarampur, Media, Duttaphulia, Haldia, Rishra, Chandanagore, Dasnagar, Bankura, Hamiltongunge, Baidyabati, Malda, Balurghat, Bishnupur, Baharampore, Siuri, Bankura, Liluah, Santragachhi, Naihati, Burdwan, Shibpur, Chittaranjan, Santaldih, Habra, Bongaon, Diamond Harbour, Kharda, Bali, Kamarhati, Madhyamgram, Shantiniketan, Ranaghat, Andal, Barrackpore, Batanagore, Dinhata, Malbazar, Nabadwip and many other places of Bengal.
Bhoomi is the only Bangla Band that has conquered urban Bengal as well as the remotest villages of the state.
Bhoomi all over India
Bhoomi's performances have also conquered Shilong, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Jharkhand, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Assam as on date.
Bhoomi in other countries
Bhoomi's tunes have sailed across the Seven Seas.
Bhoomi has performed in San Francisco and Los Angeles
, Boston
, New York
, Texas
, Edmonton
, Atlanta , Sacramento
, Seattle, Chicago
, Toronto
, Chicoutimi, Ohio
, Houston, San diego , Phoenix
, Kansas
, Washington , Cleaveland, North Carolina
, Raleigh
, Abu Dhabi
, Quatar , Kuwait
, Singapore
, Glasgow
, Liverpool
, UN headquarters in New York
and the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Bhoomi has fan following in countries like Germany, England, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Muskat, Dubai, and many more as of today.
which was a very early style of music by wandering minstrels in rural Bengal or Bhatiyali (traditionally sung by the boatmen on the Ganges
and also the Padma in Bangladesh
). They have also re-done (remix would be an injustice to the band's style) old folk songs which were unknown to the modern day urban Bengali and revived such gems with an infusion of fresh music and a lively spirit and pep to the old songs.
The band's efforts have been to expand their brand of urban music beyond the college campus and youth circuit to the older listener. One of their main inspirations behind their music is everyday city life, which they experience and which is experienced by so many people everywhere.
Their popularity is rooted in a unique sound that combines a variety of traditional folk tunes with an array of western rhythms with western instrumentations and mixed harmoniously with Bengal's folk instruments like the Khamak, Ektara
, Khonjoni, etc.
From their humble beginnings - they played to all kinds of audiences - they gained popularity and their fame spread in West Bengal, their home state. They played to both urban as well as rural audiences, sometimes playing to small crowds of village gatherings in front of paddy fields, the rural Bengal backdrop forming their song's canvas and background as well as the palette into which they dipped in to get their inspiration and source, sometimes to audiences of over 40,000 people at annual village fairs.
Touring around the country in a punishing schedule finally resulted in the big break they were looking for - wide appeal beyond the college circuit and reach to the people new to this form of radically different folk music in Bengal. Their single "Baranday Roddur" written and composed by Surojit from their debut album finally caught the attention of the Bengali urban listener with its catchy tune and simplistic lyrics which jived with the modern bengali psyche very well. The song catapulted the group to new heights of stardom.
Surojit's unassuming lead along with the group members' simple and casual stage presence but lively music in live performances landed them more gigs, and very soon they were playing with other folk/rock bands from around the world - spreading their magic beyond the borders of Bengal.
Since the debut album, they have gone on to play folk songs they wrote which were influenced by influences from western music - like the blues. This is prominent in their song "Bhangor Mohiser Gaan" sung by Surojit - a salute to the herdsman's wife who waits for her husband and cattle's return from the forests - each day endangered by the threat of wild animals which prey on them both. There were gems from the traditional Baul based minstrel songs - which imparted a spiritual message alongside - like "Emon Manob Jonom" , "Kancha Haarite" & "nadi bhora dheu" sung by Surojit.
"tomae hrid majhare raakhbo" by Soumitra .
Touring has been one of their strong points. They have played in the USA in four touring seasons - and each time doing a hectic schedule around the country - initially in California and the Mid-West and then subsequently in various cities on the East Coast. In 2006 they capped off their live performance tour program in the United States with a performance at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in a special performance for UN Staff. This was their 880th live performance - an incredible achievement for any live band who have resurrected folk music from its forgotten and dust-gathered past.
Their UN performance resulted in the group penning their first song in English - For a Better Day written and composed by Soumitra and sung by both Soumitra and Surojit.
In 2008 Bhoomi was the only Asian Band to perform at the International Jazz Festival at Montreal, Canada.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/whatwedo/where/asia/india/2009/02/090203_bhoomi_concert.shtml
Bhoomi performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival on 28 June 2008, 9 PM http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/Fijm2008/programmation/fiche_en.aspx?showId=622
Bhoomi performed at NABC 2006 Houston & NABC 2008 Toronto http://www.nabc2008.com/eventsoverseas.php
Bhoomi performed at Bangamela 2008 at Columbus http://www.bangamela2008.com/
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They are a Bangla (বাংলা, Bengali) language band. In July 2006 they became the first Indian band to play at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Beginnings
Bhoomi was formed in 1999, with the aim of reviving the folk music of Bengal and making it popular amongst all sections of the society by providing it an urban touch. The band was initially created out of the interest of the two founding members - Surojit Chatterjee and Soumitra Ray - to experiment with the vast store of traditional (and in many cases non-attributed) Bengali Folk music (প্রচলিত গান, "procholito gaan") and mix it with their repertoire of Western music and instrumentation.Bhoomi all over Bengal
Bhoomi's journey that began in Kolkata in 1999, has seen it winning hearts, souls and minds with spectacular performance in district towns and capitals such as Durgapur,Dherdhere govindapur, Harishchandrapur, Chuchura, Kolaghat, Bakreswar, Farakka, Burdwan, Srirampore, Midnapore, Howrah, Kanthi, Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Chanchol, Coochbehar, Kalyani, Raigunj, Burnpur, Katwa, Asansol, Kulti, Konnagar, Gangarampur, Media, Duttaphulia, Haldia, Rishra, Chandanagore, Dasnagar, Bankura, Hamiltongunge, Baidyabati, Malda, Balurghat, Bishnupur, Baharampore, Siuri, Bankura, Liluah, Santragachhi, Naihati, Burdwan, Shibpur, Chittaranjan, Santaldih, Habra, Bongaon, Diamond Harbour, Kharda, Bali, Kamarhati, Madhyamgram, Shantiniketan, Ranaghat, Andal, Barrackpore, Batanagore, Dinhata, Malbazar, Nabadwip and many other places of Bengal.
Bhoomi is the only Bangla Band that has conquered urban Bengal as well as the remotest villages of the state.
Bhoomi all over India
Bhoomi's performances have also conquered Shilong, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Jharkhand, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Assam as on date.
Bhoomi in other countries
Bhoomi's tunes have sailed across the Seven Seas.
Bhoomi has performed in San Francisco and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Atlanta , Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, Seattle, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Chicoutimi, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Houston, San diego , Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Washington , Cleaveland, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, Quatar , Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, UN headquarters in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Bhoomi has fan following in countries like Germany, England, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Muskat, Dubai, and many more as of today.
Style
This is the only band which defines its music as ‘urban folk’.The band uses a fusion of modern, urban lyrics with Bangla rural folk tunes like BaulBaul
Baul .Though Bauls comprise only a small fraction of the Bengali population, their influence on the culture of Bengal is considerable. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.-Etymology:The origin of the word...
which was a very early style of music by wandering minstrels in rural Bengal or Bhatiyali (traditionally sung by the boatmen on the Ganges
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
and also the Padma in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
). They have also re-done (remix would be an injustice to the band's style) old folk songs which were unknown to the modern day urban Bengali and revived such gems with an infusion of fresh music and a lively spirit and pep to the old songs.
The band's efforts have been to expand their brand of urban music beyond the college campus and youth circuit to the older listener. One of their main inspirations behind their music is everyday city life, which they experience and which is experienced by so many people everywhere.
Their popularity is rooted in a unique sound that combines a variety of traditional folk tunes with an array of western rhythms with western instrumentations and mixed harmoniously with Bengal's folk instruments like the Khamak, Ektara
Ektara
Ektara is a one-string instrument used in Bangladesh, India, Egypt, and Pakistan.thumb||EktaraIn origin the ektara was a regular string instrument of wandering bards and minstrels from India and is plucked with one finger...
, Khonjoni, etc.
The band
Surojit Chatterjee and Soumitro Ray's meeting and their experimentation with folk resulted in the formation of the band with the name Bhoomi - meaning Earth - which gelled in, in spirit and essence with their earthly and folksy style - along with the other members. Their current line-up includes 5 band members -- Surojit Chatterjee - Song writer , ComposerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, Lead vocals, Acoustic , Electric and Slide guitar, MandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, RecorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
, FluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, dotaraDotaraThe dotara is a two or four or some times five stringed musical instrument resembling more to mandolin than a guitar...
, HarmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, AccordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, khamakKhamakThe Khamak is a stringed percussion instrument originating in India.-Characteristics and use:The Khamak consists of three basic parts. A bowl which is often made out of wood is connected by several strings to another, smaller piece . The bowl is held under the arm holding the smaller piece in the...
& castanets - Soumitra Ray - Song writer , Composer ,Lead vocals, Drums, Congas, Bongos & Percussion
- Hemanto Goswami - Acoustic , Electric Guitar and backing vocals
- Abhijit Ghosh - Bass guitar and backing vocals
- Robin Lai - Keyboards, Violin , HarmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
and also the sound engineer of the band
From their humble beginnings - they played to all kinds of audiences - they gained popularity and their fame spread in West Bengal, their home state. They played to both urban as well as rural audiences, sometimes playing to small crowds of village gatherings in front of paddy fields, the rural Bengal backdrop forming their song's canvas and background as well as the palette into which they dipped in to get their inspiration and source, sometimes to audiences of over 40,000 people at annual village fairs.
Touring around the country in a punishing schedule finally resulted in the big break they were looking for - wide appeal beyond the college circuit and reach to the people new to this form of radically different folk music in Bengal. Their single "Baranday Roddur" written and composed by Surojit from their debut album finally caught the attention of the Bengali urban listener with its catchy tune and simplistic lyrics which jived with the modern bengali psyche very well. The song catapulted the group to new heights of stardom.
Surojit's unassuming lead along with the group members' simple and casual stage presence but lively music in live performances landed them more gigs, and very soon they were playing with other folk/rock bands from around the world - spreading their magic beyond the borders of Bengal.
Since the debut album, they have gone on to play folk songs they wrote which were influenced by influences from western music - like the blues. This is prominent in their song "Bhangor Mohiser Gaan" sung by Surojit - a salute to the herdsman's wife who waits for her husband and cattle's return from the forests - each day endangered by the threat of wild animals which prey on them both. There were gems from the traditional Baul based minstrel songs - which imparted a spiritual message alongside - like "Emon Manob Jonom" , "Kancha Haarite" & "nadi bhora dheu" sung by Surojit.
"tomae hrid majhare raakhbo" by Soumitra .
Touring has been one of their strong points. They have played in the USA in four touring seasons - and each time doing a hectic schedule around the country - initially in California and the Mid-West and then subsequently in various cities on the East Coast. In 2006 they capped off their live performance tour program in the United States with a performance at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in a special performance for UN Staff. This was their 880th live performance - an incredible achievement for any live band who have resurrected folk music from its forgotten and dust-gathered past.
Their UN performance resulted in the group penning their first song in English - For a Better Day written and composed by Soumitra and sung by both Soumitra and Surojit.
In 2008 Bhoomi was the only Asian Band to perform at the International Jazz Festival at Montreal, Canada.
Albums
- Jatra ShuruJatra ShuruJatra Shuru or Yatra Shuru is the debut album of Bhoomi, a Bangla band based in Kolkata, India.-Tracks:# "Pocha Kaka'# "Dildoria Re"# "Barandaye Roddur"# "Kam Sarse"# "Madhur Madhur Chauni"# "Rangila Re"# "Kande Sudhu Mon"...
(2000) - Udaan (2001)
- Isspecial (2002)
- Paal Chhutechhe (2003)
- Lokogeeti Local (2004)
- Dekhtey Dekhtey (2004)
- Bojhai Kora Ganer Gari (2005)
- Gaan Bahan (2007) (includes the song written in English especially for the UN performance "For A Better Day")
- Lokegeetir Deshe (2008)
- Aamra Notun Jouboner Doot (2009) (Rabindrasangeet by Bhoomi)
- Gaan Doriyae (2010) (Released 8 September)
- Desh Judey (2011) (Hindustani folk songs)
Latest developments
Bhoomi performed at the Nazrul Manch stadium on behalf of the BBC World Service Trusthttp://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/whatwedo/where/asia/india/2009/02/090203_bhoomi_concert.shtml
Bhoomi performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival on 28 June 2008, 9 PM http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/Fijm2008/programmation/fiche_en.aspx?showId=622
Bhoomi performed at NABC 2006 Houston & NABC 2008 Toronto http://www.nabc2008.com/eventsoverseas.php
Bhoomi performed at Bangamela 2008 at Columbus http://www.bangamela2008.com/