Bhoomi (translation: earth), a musical band from Kolkata (Calcutta), is a group of five music lovers. The band was formed in 1997, with the aim of reviving the folk music of Bengal and making it popular among all sections of the society by providing it an urban touch.
It is the only band which defines its music as decidedly “urban folk”. The band uses a consistent fusion of modern, urban lyrics with Bangla rural folk tunes like Baul and Bhatiyali (traditionally sung by the boatmen on the rivers Ganga and Padma). Bhoomi has successfully taken urban music beyond the college campuses and youth circuits into the lives of listeners of all ages. Their music is inspired by everyday city life, which they experience and which is experienced by so many people everywhere.
Bhoomi was the first Indian band to be invited by the United Nations to perform on July 12, 2006 at the Dag Hammerscholjd Auditorium in New York. They joined the ranks of legends Lata Mangeshkar and Pandit Ravi Shankar, becoming only the third Indian act to be invited to play at the United Nations. Bhoomi wasfeatured in the series Global Hit by the BBC and Public Radio International.
Discography:
Jatra Shuru (2000)
Gaan Doriyae (2010)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
