Seth Panduranga Blumberg popularly known as Pandu in the musicians circle, is the leading musician for jam sessions that take place every Monday at the Cuppa Coffee Club in Gulshan. To interact with music lovers in the city and play music in a freewheeling environment, musicians from different corners of Dhaka gather at the venue.
An immensely talented guitarist Pandu is a frontrunner in popularising the jam culture in the Bangladeshi music scene.
However, tracing his history, we discover that Pandu was more into theatre than music for a long time. After the death of his father, he felt to play the blues. He started to play the guitar and started feeling serious about music. Musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Ron Schmoke, and Jeff Moore inspired his musical journey and his obsession with the world of music. The Michigan musician is currently living in Dhaka since 2011 and investigating the mystical music of the Bauls.
How were you involved to the Bangladeshi music scene?
In 2010, I met a beautiful Bangladeshi woman named Anusheh. She opened my mind and my heart. She allowed me into her family and her home. Music was just the excuse for us to meet. I am thankful to here participated in her life and for her in mine.
From your experience of music in the Western part of the world, how do you see the jamming culture here?
Bangladeshis love music more than any people I know. Way more than me! I get tired of the music and they are still going! So Bangladesh is “way Jamming”!
You along with some musicians are working in popularising blues music, how is that working out?
Blues can be described with the Bangla word bhaab(attitude). And as the great Baul singer Shofi Mondol said to me many times, “Shudhu Bhaab” (only attitude)! Everything is feel. I do not care about music genre, its only the feel.
You conduct many workshops on music, how does that feel?
I enjoy learning very much. A workshop is when everyone is working. It is not a masterclass. Truth is everyone has insight and creativity so your skill level has little to no impact. We are all working to get better and feel free. It is important for everyone to feel like a band-leader.
Your plans for the future?
I go with the flow as much as possible. I am working on several albums right now: one with Anusheh’s new group “Bahok,” Shofi Mondol’s album, and another featuring Kangalini Sufia. These albums are either finished or will be very soon. Other than that we are just trying to unite all humans with joy, sound, and love.