“The current generation of musicians is extremely talented” – Shahbaz Khan Pilu

Shahbaz Khan Pilu, best known as the drummer of pioneering Bangladeshi band Renaissance, is also one of the sharpest musical minds in the industry. The veteran is set to release his debut solo album, Tomra Bhalo Acho To?, where he sets out to show his musical flair to the contemporary audience. The musician talks to The Daily Star about his latest endeavor.

Congratulations on your first solo album, Tomra Bhalo Acho To? Can you tell us more about the project?

Tomra Bhalo Acho To? is a joint creation of lyricist Shahid Mahmud Jangi and me.  All the songs in this album are written by Shahid Mahmud Jangi, and composed by me. The music arrangement has been done by Suman Kallyan, except for the song Shob Kotha Shesh Hole which was done by Ibrar Tipu. Four of the tracks have been sung by me, while there are three duets with Samina Chowdhury and one with Fahmida Nabi.

What was your thought process while recording the album?

We wanted to arrange this album in a way that relatable to both older and younger generations, with a combination of good lyrics, melodious tunes and contemporary direction. Even though I believe that this is not a commercial album which will have millions of views overnight, the songs will be alive for long time and good music lovers will like the songs.

We have left behind the golden age of CDs and audio stores behind. How are you distributing the album now?

It is true that the golden age of CDs are not there anymore, everything is done digitally now. The album has been produced by Bangla Dhol, and the songs are being distributed through YouTube and other digital platforms. Three tracks of the album have already been released, and the full album is scheduled to come out in October.

Did you experiment with your sound in Tomra Bhalo Acho To?

To be honest, there is not much ‘experimentation’ in this album per se. We stuck to the sound of contemporary music, which will be relatable to most listeners.

What do you have to say about the current generation of musicians?

Even though the current generation of musicians are extremely talented, I think there are lack of proper platforms through which they can expose their creativity.  My advice for them would be to keep up their good work, and try to create new sounds. I am sure there would be an opportunity for them to go global if they can nurture their creativity.