An evening of baul music by singer, composer and lyricist Syed Waqeel Ahad will be held today at 6:30pm at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in the capital’s Gulshan area. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Waqeel said he would perform around 20 songs, including “Mon amar deho ghori,” “Piriti ei jogote,” “Manush dhoro manush bujho,” “Amar moner manush,” and “Kunjo shajao go.”
A Lalon devotee himself, Waqeel said: “An evening of baul music is incomplete without Lalon’s songs. I will perform a number of Lalon’s songs, such as ‘Milon hobe koto dine,’ ‘She janey ar ami jani,’ and few others.”
Waqeel spent a substantial part of his life with bauls living in different parts of the country, especially in Kushtia, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Chittagong and Sylhet, where he had a hands-on experience in baul songs.
About his performance today, the singer said: “I will mainly perform baul songs from greater Mymensingh region with traditional instrumentalists. I grew up there and have a deep attachment with such music.”
The singer stepped into the music industry with his song “Cellphone amar cellphone” that was released on mixed album “Jhalmuri 2” in 2007. He presented songs of legendary baul Lalon and other bauls in the album “Project 365” that was applauded by music lovers both home and abroad.