MANUSH MUSIC & ART
Baul Meets Saz
​Baul culture is a mix of the devotional Bhakti streams in Islamic and Hindu cultures in the Indian subcontinent. It has had strong presence in Bengal since ancient times. Baul philosophy comes from our conscious knowledge, built through several generations who observed life with great compassion. The inner tranquility is achieved once you have gone beyond music.
The tradition of the poetry seeks its inspiration in texts that proclaim the unification of the divine with human love.
Baul Meets Saz is more than a musical performance, it is a cultural and spiritual journey. This musical exploration highlights the unification and overlap of two distinct traditions: the mystical Bengali tradition of the Bauls and the aÅŸiks. The music serves as a unique platform for the profound lyrics, which contain a mix of both Hindu and Islamic symbolism, highlighting themes of unification between human love and the divine.
"...Born from a chance encounter in the summer of 2016, the ensemble seeks to explore the musical and philosophical correlation between the Bangali mystical tradition of the Bauls, one related to bhakti devotional song, and the allegorical poetry of the Anatolian bards known as aÅŸik, which
the saz commonly accompanies. Profoundly metaphoric in nature, the lyrical content has strong connections to both Hindu and Islamic symbolism, particularly through recurring themes of unification between human, love and the divine... "
Songlines Top of the World #143 (Charlie Cawood)
Like most mystic traditions in the world – among which Alevis from Turkey – the Bauls have their own unique set of metaphors and allegories.
Bauls believe a human being to be the absolute truth above anything else, therefore, by reverence to humankind and offering service to a human being is the only pathway to attain spiritual liberation. As a practitioner of this philosophy we believe the universe is made of five elements and so are we. If we have to understand the universal system instead of looking outside we need to dive deep inside us to find our true self which we call inner knowledge. Our songs are a journey to this inner knowledge.
In this time as we witness the intolerance and hatred across the globe, we definitely should look towards the universal system where there is no hierarchy. As a part of the universal system we are just a servant of this universe. We all have our part and worshipping human being as absolute form shall lead us to the spiritual bliss in present time. Our sole belief is to be in a world of togetherness, empathy & love ... beyond race, religion and borders.
- Baul Meets Saz
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"...With its flawless musicianship and impeccable central vocal performances, Banjara is a more than worthy continuation and a masterful work of transcendental art." : Songlines Magazine
Concerts
Baul Meets Saz is the perfect destination for music enthusiasts seeking a spiritual experience. With a strong presence in Europe's top festivals and venues, their captivating tunes are sure to leave a lasting impression. Allow their music to take you on a journey that will leave you feeling inspired and fulfilled.
28/03/24 Baul Meets Saz Tara concerts , Mercerie, Brussels
29/03/24 Baul Meets Saz with Zoltán Kodály & Arnold Schoenberg, Maison Autrique Brussels
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05/04/24. Baul meets Saz ft. Nilgün Aksoy, Hamburg
25/05/24 Baul meets Saz ft. Vardan Hovanissian, Le Senghor, Brussels
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09/12/23 Salon Musical (Rixensart BE)
24/11/23 La Villa, Centre Culturelle de Ganshoren (Brussels, BE)
10/11/23 Atelier Marcel Hastir (Brussels, BE)
04/11/23 Atelier Solarshop (Antwerp, BE)
21/08/23 La Fête de L’humanité en Musique (Florenville, BE )
24/06/23 Metno 2023 festival (Makarska , Croatia)
10/02/23 CD Release concert - Arthshila (Santiniketan, India)
12/12/22 Sacred Music Festival, Mons (Holy Fools feat Malabika Brahma Emre Gultekin & Jean Christophe Renault)
16/12/22 L’An Ver (Liege, BE)
15/12/22 Crix Cafe (Brussels, BE)
04/12/22 Esneux (BE)
29/11/22 Maison de la Creation, Muzikkafe (Brussels, BE)
26/11/22 Live in London (Place Luxembourg, Brussels, BE)
24/11/22 ZoArt (Brussels, BE)
19/11/22 Kaléidoscope de la Guitare festival (Rixensart, BE)
18/11/22 CD RELEASE concert Theatre Moliere Muziekpublique (Brussels, BE)
21/05/22 Remue Méninges, Saint Etienne (FR)
29/01/22 Muziekpublique, Brussels (BE)
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28/01/21 De Central Ghent (BE)
17/12/21 Crix Cafe, Brussels (BE)
Concert Scola Nova, (BE)
15/06/20 Alliance Française, Chandigarh (IN)
18/12/19 Great Amber Hall, Liepaja (LT)
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U.T.R.O Rennes
20/09/19 De Central, Gent (BE)
13/07/19 Estivales 2019 Pairi Daiza (BE)
16/05/19 Au Cercle des Voyageurs, Brussels (BE)
28/06/19 Hetbos, Antwerp (BE)
21/06/19 House of Religion, Bern (CH)
13/06/19 Festival Ethnoport, Poznan (PO)
15/06/19 Festival 5 Continents, Martigny (CH)
16/06/19 Festival 5 Continents, Martigny (CH)
04/05/19 Festival “Le Temps d’Une Lune” Lille, (FR)
01/05/19 Festival Stanser Musik Tage (CH)
20/04/19 Festival Nuit Solaire (BE)
09/12/18 Artsacre, Kolkata (IN)
28/09/18 Eglise de Meysse, SMAC 07 Montélimar(FR)
27/09/18 Aerogare (FR) Saint- Etienne (FR)
23/09/18 Handelsbeurs (BE)
VPRO Vrije (NL)
08/09/18 Cyklopen (SWE)

02/09/18 Basilique Notre-Dame d’Avioth (FR)
01/09/18 Arscene (BE)
25/08/18 Hide and Seek Festival, Muziekpublique (BE)
20/08/18 Festival d’Art de Huy (BE)

18/08/18 Café le Parc, Liege (BE)
12/08/18 Château de Beaufort (LU)

Alevi Association (FR)
28/07/18 Les Astropies d’Olonzac (FR)
13/07/18 City Zen Festival (BE)
08/07/18 Festival Libres Troubadours (BE)
30/06/18 Suoni Mobili (IT)
29/06/18 Suoni Mobili (IT)
Piano Man Jazz (IN)
Sofar Sounds Delhi (IN)
12/07/17 Art Base, Brussels
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Press & Awards
I am very pleased with the translations of the songs so that I could find out how much love, goodness, beauty, humanity are the great values in Baul's music. In times when "Gutmensch" has become an abuse, I can really appreciate that. Apart from my personal convictions, this CD has already become a musical gem, but you might have understood that from what preceded.
Dani Heyvaert
Rootstime
It works both on record and in concert, because the sharing is done naturally. We are not in a simple meeting between musicians who wish to try something, to add an experience to their pedigree; we are in a real dialogue. In listening, in respect, in an obvious spirituality.
Etienne Bours
5PLANETS.COM
Based on openness, the nomadism of the mind, on the borders of shared spirituality, this journey fuses the baul and saz repertoires. It invents, flew over the mesmerizing voice of Malabika Brahma, a new poetic territory, somewhere between southern Europe and Bengal.
Jean-Luc-Germain
Le Télégramme
A magical meeting that transforms the evening, (...) an extraordinary spiritual experience, deeply mystical and pacifying in this world of borders and walls, that in fact are none.
Fonte Esterna
MB News Italy
This is a record that honours traditional music thanks to songs where, a beautiful and expressive song is perfectly married to a orchestration built by musicians, who exploit a whole range of traditional instruments. The whole thing is designed to make the most famous music and lands!

Philippe Thirionet
Music in Belgium
Spirituality and in fact the title of the work, "Namaz", that is prayer, speaks volumes, but the themes of bor- ders, love, respect, humility and of course travel. The female voice is protagonist with its mystical strength and, at the same time, in admirable balance with the delicacy of the instrumental fabric that makes these pieces precious.Wealth of original sounds, openness to the "other" and sharing are the reasons to listen to "Namaz". To be searched.
Carla Visca
Blogfoolk
Malabika Brahma is a singer who takes you along without you understanding one word of what she tells. She has a crystal clear voice and a special expression, so you hang on her lips...You experience the immense joy, deep sadness and sometimes anger and aversion, the poetic power that resonates in the compelling melody and Malabika's voice...Sanjay, the man extracts an incredible wealth of sounds and rhythms in a seemingly endless variety. Certainly impressive in all its sobriety! Emre lives up to his reputation as a perfect sounding board: his saz is fully at the service of the Baul, who he supervises with great preci- sion and respect or provides them with well-known intro's or outro’s...In other words: this is a quasi perfect symbiosis.
Baul meets saz, indeed.
Antoine Légat
Folk Roddles
The songs which are described as drunken songs, very haunting, were proclaimed “masterpieces” of un- esco’s intangible heritage in 2005. Emre Gultekin is an expert musician in art of saz. He enjoys traveling the world mixing his own instrumental tradition with music from other cultures. After meeting in Brussels the In- dian duo Brahmakhyapa, musicians perpetuating the baul tradition Emre proposed to extend the magic through this recording.
Larsen Magazi