Bangladeshi roots music at Songlines Festival UK

Shikor Bangladesh All Stars, a seven-strong group of top traditional musicians, are set to travel to the UK for the first time to close the annual festival organised by Songlines, the world music magazine. The UK debut of Shikor Bangladesh All Stars (on June 6) has been organised through a partnership of Songlines magazine, Ikon Arts management and Culturepot Global, run by Runi Khan.

The visit is sponsored by the Bangladesh Ministry of Cultural Affairs. “Even people who are knowledgeable about world music are completely unfamiliar with the sounds from Bangladesh,” says Simon Broughton, Songlines' editor-in-chief. “That's why I was keen to bring this glorious band to our festival. The great thing is that folk music in Bangladesh is still a thriving tradition while in India it's rapidly dwindling. And this is music worth celebrating.”

The Shikor group is led by Nazrul Islam, who is the dhol player of choice for dozens of musicians in Dhaka, including virtuoso singers Runa Laila and Mumtaz as well as contemporary groups such as Bangla and Arnob and Friends. The band also includes Nazrul's wife Baby Akter, Baul singer Rab Fakir, Anum Kumar Mandal, Mobarak Hossain, Labik Kamal Gaurob and flautist Jalal Ahmed. The group has just released their debut CD “Soul of Bengal” on Funkiwala Records.

Songlines Encounters Festival will close with a special collaboration between Shikor and LoKkhi TeRra, the multi-cultural band led by pianist and keyboard player Kishon Khan. Both Shikor Bangladesh All Stars and LoKkhi TeRra will also play at WOMAD, the UK's biggest world music festival which runs July 24-26.