Shah Mahbub enthrals audience with his melodious songs
It was at Queens Palace, all eagerly waiting for something and the musical instruments were preparing air and ears to circulate and receive the melodious voice of a favorite singer. In time came the song when the singer began his vocal performance with the words, “Amar makey jakhon dekhi amar deshkey dekha hoe” (When I see my mother it seems I also saw my country). Yes, it was the popular singer Shah Mahbub’s solo program of songs which was organized by ‘Showtime Music’ on Sept 6, 2021 (Monday) in New York.
It was a voice with confidence classified with melody in a really classic style that began enthralling the audience from the very beginning.
Then the singer offered a Nazrul song, “Allatey jar purno iman kotha shei Musalman” (Where is that Muslim who has full faith on Allah). As the singer proceeds with all the musics and devotion moulded with a hypnotizing appeal, the audience become captivated in a world of tune.
Shah Mahbub continued singing from 9PM to 12 midnight with songs following the requests of the audience. The beginning of the program was with classified songs and the ending was with fascinating songs. When Shah Mahbub offers fascinating songs, he use the modern style of communicating the listeners through exchanging emotions which nicely involve the audience with the performance. On the other hand he applies a full devotion while present classified songs sophisticated with meditative practice of tunes. Actually he strangely achieved positively to win a specific style of his own which obviously needed a long time to be acquired. Yes, we could know that Shah Mahbub has a long way to cross for reaching the day’s stage in New York, beginning from Bangladesh.
Let us have a glance at the history of Shah Mahbub’s musical life. He began singing at the age of four and the first performance on stage was at the age of six. Learning began with music teacher Narayan Chandra Mandal at his village in Gaibandha district in Bangladesh. Learning of classical music began with Ostad Abany Mohan Dey.
Shah Mahbub is a highly educated person. He did his honors and masters in Economics from Jagannath University.
Another important chapter of Shah Mahbub’s journey to learn singing was at Abbas Uddin Academy in the capital city, run under the supervision of Mostafa Zaman Abbasi. Ostad Sayeed Hossain was the teacher of classical music there. Ostad Azizul Islam was to teach Palligeeti and for Nazrul Songs the teacher was Ostad Idris Ali. Ostad Azizul Islam taught Shah Mahbub 25 songs and he arranged him the audition for enlisment in radio which Mahbub achieved successfully.
Stage performance in Dhaka was also a success story for Shah Mahbub. ‘Kranti Shilpi Gosthi’ president Mahbubul Haider Mohan was one of his best patronizers in this chapter.
At Abbas Uddin Academy, Shah Mahbub completed a five-year course on Nazrul Geeti, classical songs, songs of Abbas Uddin etc. He was enlisted in radio in 1997 and in BTV in 1998.
By virtue of radio and TV enlistment Mahbub got way to be close with music legends such as Hafizur Rahman of Magura, Moloy Kumar Ganguly, Rathindranath Roy, members of Abbas Uddin family, Rupa Khan, members of Abdul Alim family, Ostad Azizul Islam, Nadira Begum, Indramohan Rajbongshi, Ostad Shafi Mandal and others.
Shah Mahbub came to America in 2008 as he won a DV Lottery in 1998. At first he went to Pensylvania. Landing there he luckily got Kaderi Kibria to receive him at the airport. In accordance with the well-wishers’ advice Mahbub shifted to New York months later.
Shah Mahbub came close to Alamgir Khan Alam of ‘Showtime Music’, the strong promotional platform of music and culture.
Mahbub also got chance to learn from legends like Ramesh Misra, Tapan Baidya and Pandit Ramkanai Das. He has in the meantime got published two solo albums of songs. He has also mixed albums with other singers.
In New York, South Asian Music Society office is one of his favorite places. He is happy to get some good soul persons there. He is very much inspired with musical practices here which he terms “not less than that of in Bangladesh.”
The singer, knows how to contain melody together at larynx, heart, brain and soul.
An amiable person, popular vocalist Shah Mahbub, we wish him a red carpet knitted with honor and fame on the way of his journey toward progress in life.
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