If poetry is the soul of music, especially contemporary Bengali music, we have reasons to feel elated. Singer-composer Sudip Bandyopadhyay, presented by Sanko at Sisir Mancha (April 26), promised succour to those romantically tuned, poetically inclined and musically seasoned.

There is an uncanny air of familiarity in Bandyopadhyay’s compositions. His eclectic approach culls inspiration from sources as remote as Carnatic ragas and Baul songs of Bengal. In Baire tui abichal thak mon, he took his cue from the Shyamasangeet tradition. Shada palaker gaan rekindled memories of K.C. Dey singing Andhakarer antarete and S.D. Barman singing Premer samadhi tire. The flexible free rhythm treatment of Hridi bhese jay alakananda jale, based on a Joy Goswami poem and backed by gentle manipulation of the guitar chords and rivetting essays on the bamboo flute, had nuances of Bhairavi writ large on it. Bandyopadhyay’s full-throated pliant timbre was in full glory in the swinging Tui dak dili sakale and the rocking Ekbar dekhechhi. Khemtawali, the unassuming lament of an out-of-job sarenghi-player finding hard to make ends meet, was the pick of the evening’s recital. Absence of a drone notwithstanding, the accompanists lead by Supratim Bhowmick did a commendable task.