The UK-based fusion music band Lokkhi Terra performs on Friday at Red Shift Auditorium in Dhaka. — Ali Hossain Mintu

Musicians experimented with the music of the ‘majority world’. The perfect blending of various music traditions including Latin American reggae, African beat and Bangladeshi folk made Friday evening memorable at the Red Shift Auditorium in Dhaka.
The UK-based fusion music band Lokkhi Terra, composed of musicians having origin of Cuba, Canada, British, Turkish and Bangladesh, moved a jam-packed audience. A spontaneous response from viewers proved the power of music generated by the band to touch souls of people who were also from different ethnic backgrounds living in Dhaka.
What made the show different from such fusion concerts taking place in Dhaka was the perfect selection from various music traditions to match with reggae rhythm, Latin jazz and Afro beat. Although different types of instruments, including bass, piano, guitar, conga, trumpet, Trombone and dhol, were used, the sound that was created did not appear exaggerated and clumsy.
In fact, the lead musician of the band Kishon Khan, a British musician of Bangladeshi origin, had various options to select to tint his ‘huge canvas with many colours’ and he could create a ‘spectacular canvas’ using his ‘unique sense of proportion’. 
Four local musicians- Baby Akhtar, Labik Kamal Gourab, John and Nazrul Islam- also performed with the band.
The show began with presentation of a Ghanaian song titled Kyenken bi Adi Mawu.  Subsequently, the band covered a few Cuban reggaes such as Cumbanchero, El caretero and Pilongo.
It was a different experience for the local audience as folk singer Baby Akhtar presented Hason Raja’s popular song Baula ke banailo re with the reggae rhythm and afro beat. As the traditional music of Bangladesh is vocal based, Baby Aktar’s voice dominated the presentation. But, the incorporation of diverse instrument just added multi colours in the well composed fusion.
She also gave a brilliant presentation of traditional songs Nisha lagilore and Ranger dunia.
Audience also enjoyed a Marma song titled Uttan fige rendered by a local singer named John. Presentation of a Bangla version of Cuban song titled Badamwala, adapted from Manisero, by Cuban singers Jimmy Martinez and Javier Camilo was interesting.
The audience also enjoyed some unique Lokkhi Terra fusions based on Comi mi ritmo and Afro Sambroso.
 Moreover, the band performed a pure reggae titled Ites of Zion and a Latin jazz titled Caravan at the concert.