Zamin

I first saw Zamin play at Mayne Stage. I was completely taken with the band. The lead singer has a hauntingly beautiful voice and the acoustic bass and cello add depth and resonance. They played a longer version of this song with an elaborate introduction, and at one point I started to cry from the emotion of the song. I looked around and I wasn't the only one. I imagined that the lyrics were about a union with the divine - or maybe a lover.

When the band finished playing this song, the audience erupted and gave them a standing ovation.

Zamin is playing this Sunday, July 21, at the Celebrate Clark Street festival on the Estes Stage at 6:45 PM. Go see them. I will definitely be there. - Chicago Now

I first saw Zamin play at Mayne Stage. I was completely taken with the band. The lead singer has a hauntingly beautiful voice and the acoustic bass and cello add depth and resonance. They played a longer version of this song with an elaborate introduction, and at one point I started to cry from the emotion of the song. I looked around and I wasn't the only one. I imagined that the lyrics were about a union with the divine - or maybe a lover.

When the band finished playing this song, the audience erupted and gave them a standing ovation.

Zamin is playing this Sunday, July 21, at the Celebrate Clark Street festival on the Estes Stage at 6:45 PM. Go see them. I will definitely be there. - Chicago Now

The main act of the evening, Zamin, is quite unlike anything else. They open their set with vocalist Zeshan Bagewadi playing a table harmonium, accompanied by cellist Genevieve Guimond to his right. Next comes percussionist David Eisenreich, adding accents on a trumpet, followed by bassist Josh Fink. Their opening song evokes the image of a slow, lumbering caravan moving through some foreign city. Then Bagewadi starts singing, and it all changes. It isn’t possible to place Zamin in a genre. They sing in Urdu and Hindi, with cascading half tones and lilting Eastern melodies, combined with decidedly Western influences. Though their songs bear some resemblance to those of contemporary indie rock groups such as Beirut, Sigur Ros, and even Radiohead, the overarching sounds of Bagewadi’s strong, resonant “light Hindustani”-style vocals make the style all their own. The audience loves them, especially the two small girls in the front pew who unfailingly give standing ovations after every song. - Chicago Weekly

“Hindustani singing with classical guitar and acoustic bass. Beautiful singing and melody from Zeshan Bagewadi. I would go very far out of my way to hear his voice again, a perfect marriage of a naïve folk quality and rigorous academic training, one which apparently can be heard fronting the Chicago-based band [Zamin]. I’m looking forward to a full-blown [Zamin] experience.” - - Evan Kuchar, Chicago Now

“Hindustani singing with classical guitar and acoustic bass. Beautiful singing and melody from Zeshan Bagewadi. I would go very far out of my way to hear his voice again, a perfect marriage of a naïve folk quality and rigorous academic training, one which apparently can be heard fronting the Chicago-based band [Zamin]. I’m looking forward to a full-blown [Zamin] experience.” - - Evan Kuchar, Chicago Now

“The beautiful voice of Zeshan Bagewadi, accompanied by guitar and double bass, gave meaning to the text of a moving lament concluding with the words ‘So much is lost, and so little is gained.’ The young Chicago native is a talent to watch.” - Gerald Fisher, Chicago Classical Review

“The beautiful voice of Zeshan Bagewadi, accompanied by guitar and double bass, gave meaning to the text of a moving lament concluding with the words ‘So much is lost, and so little is gained.’ The young Chicago native is a talent to watch.” - Gerald Fisher, Chicago Classical Review

“My favorite guest performance of the evening was by Zeshan Bagewadi (vocals), Josh Fink (bass), and Eric Seligman (guitar). The trio performed ‘Kya Toota Hai, Andhar Andhar’. Bagewadi’s eclectic background includes training in both Western operatic music and Hindustani classical music. His sweet, tenor vocals floated over the earthy jazz backing of the bass and guitar.” - Viola Da Voce, The Contrapuntist

“My favorite guest performance of the evening was by Zeshan Bagewadi (vocals), Josh Fink (bass), and Eric Seligman (guitar). The trio performed ‘Kya Toota Hai, Andhar Andhar’. Bagewadi’s eclectic background includes training in both Western operatic music and Hindustani classical music. His sweet, tenor vocals floated over the earthy jazz backing of the bass and guitar.” - Viola Da Voce, The Contrapuntist

“Zamin is a very interesting young band from Chicago, fronted by Zeshan Bagewadi, a fluid vocal marvel with European and Indian classical training. The sextet’s niche is mixing Indian vocal techniques with underpinnings of less-exotic U.S. musics — usually classical and folk, but also a bit of rock and light jazz. Zamin crafts tight polyglot post-pop three-minute songs that are downright commercial at times, even though they are sung in Urdu and other Indian languages. It’s all acoustic music, a blend of Bagewadi’s supple and amazing vocals with cello, stand-up bass, guitar and various hand drums.” - Surowicz, Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Zamin is a very interesting young band from Chicago, fronted by Zeshan Bagewadi, a fluid vocal marvel with European and Indian classical training. The sextet’s niche is mixing Indian vocal techniques with underpinnings of less-exotic U.S. musics — usually classical and folk, but also a bit of rock and light jazz. Zamin crafts tight polyglot post-pop three-minute songs that are downright commercial at times, even though they are sung in Urdu and other Indian languages. It’s all acoustic music, a blend of Bagewadi’s supple and amazing vocals with cello, stand-up bass, guitar and various hand drums.” - Surowicz, Minneapolis Star Tribune