Why bands like The Seesaw Quartet need your attention

Recently, I was welcomed to witness an up-and-coming jazz band in Dhaka, The Seesaw Quartet, at Alliance Française de Dhaka, Dhanmondi. I was pleasantly surprised by the tenacity with which this group of musicians showcased their hold on one of the most complex genres of music.

While a wider variety of music is being explored by many hidden talents in the underground music scene of Dhaka, jazz is yet to find a strong foothold with music enthusiasts. Yet, during the show, the sheer number of people that showed up debunked the myth of how the local audience is 'not interested in jazz'. “Even though I don't know any of these songs, the band looks like they are enjoying the music they're playing,” said Tanha, who had travelled all the way from Uttara to attend the show.

The band started off with some popular jazz songs by artistes like Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker and even a jazz rendition of a song by Arnob. The performance also included a few originals, played by Rahin Haider on the saxophone and Jishnu Haider on electric guitar. Alistair Sarkar Raj was the bassist and Samiul Wahid was the drummer. Throughout each song, the band showed diligence and a deep understanding for jazz while giving the spectators a unique experience in live music.

Even with the rarity of such musical acts in Dhaka, there are talented jazz bands who are taking the genre forward. Imran Ahmed Trio has been a pioneer in Dhaka's jazz scene, whereas the Robert Russell Trio has recently been doing house-full shows. Organisations like the National Music House (NMH), one of the oldest retailers of brass and woodwind instruments in the country, are taking initiatives to help and promote artistes as such.

For music enthusiasts, bands like The Seesaw Quartet offer hope for the music scene in Bangladesh, where new talent is being appreciated and sought after.