A virtuoso named Emon Chowdhury

For almost two decades, Emon Chowdhury astonished people with his near-celestial guitar playing, a craft which he has given his unique, soulful voice. In the past few years, he emerged as one of the finest music directors in the country, weaving his magic in films like "Hawa," Gunin, "Raat Jaga Phool, and "Maya – The Lost Mother."

Yesterday, the entire country grooved to Coke Studio Bangla's "Kotha Koiyo Na," orchestrated to perfection by Emon, on lyrics by Hashim Mahmud. The Daily Star sat with him over a cup of raw tea moments before the release, to talk about his own raw talent.

"You are too kind with your words, but I owe all this to the blessings of the Almighty," said the shy musician. "Actually, Sumon (Mejbaur Rahman Sumon), Shiblu (Arfan Mredha Shiblu) and I really wanted to produce another song with Hashim bhai. He has beautifully written the song, while we took 6 lines from Maimansingha Gitika and I tuned them."

Photo: Collected

Emon, who is always on the prowl for new sounds, did not stop there. "I wanted the music of 'Kotha Koiyo Na' to sound extremely raw, and have a collusion of string and percussion sections of both eastern and western influences", he said. His words rang true, as his inclusion of Baulmata Aleya Begum, the unique violin section, Baul orchestra, and the dulcet whistling of the leaf-flute. He dubs the genre of the song to be 'urban folk', and the term does do justice to the marriage of emotions and instruments that are used in it. Aleya and Arfan Mredha Shiblu, the male voice, complement each other like yin and yang.

The conversation took a different tangent when we asked the musician how he actually decides what the song will employ as instruments, as Emon is no stranger to using objects like water containers or even boat-helms to serve his music, as evident in "Shada Shada Kala Kala." "I've never really thought about my own processes, to be honest. Whether it be the voice or instruments, I just go for what sounds the most natural to me, whomever or whatever it may be".

Th entire team of "Kotha Koiyo Na" from the sets of Coke Studio season 2. Photo: Courtesy of Coke Studio

Did years on the road as a band musician, and being a virtuoso guitarist himself, help him become a better music producer? Emon, ever-humble, refuses to give a straight answer, "Once again, it is a blessing by the Almighty. I come from a musical family, and this craft is something that I love immensely. That love carries me all the way" he said.

Photo: Collected

On the work front, Emon Chowdhury can be heard in upcoming films "Antarjal," "Shurongo" and "Kajal Rekha," by Dipankar Dipon, Raihan Rafi and Gias Uddin Selim respectively.

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Coke Studio Bangla’s ‘Kotha Koiyo Na’ redefines ‘urban folk’

"I have never done music for the fame. How many people know me at the end of the day, honestly doesn't matter," Emon asserted. "However, do pray for me and 'Kotha Koiyo Na', we did put a lot of heart into it", concluded the multi-instrumentalist.