Ustad Zakir Hussain was a peerless percussionist who exalted tabla to a global status and blurred boundaries.
The world of music lost a gem with the demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain, who rendered new dimensions to Indian music as he took the culture and the humility associated with our music, across the world. Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, his contributions were uniquely transformative.
Born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, Zakir was the eldest son of legendary tabla master Ustad Allah Rakha and is widely considered one of the greatest tabla players of all time. As much as a great musician he was, the Ustad was also known for his nature, his conduct on stage, and his respect for the art and fellow artists.
A child prodigy, he collaborated with virtually all of India's iconic performers, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma. His groundbreaking work with Western musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Lloyd, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Mickey Hart, George Harrison, and John McLaughlin brought Indian classical music to an international audience, cementing his status as a global cultural ambassador.
His unique mastery of rhythm allowed him to cross borders freely and create authentic connections between different genres of music. He participated in many historic collaborations, including Shakti (which he founded with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar), Remember Shakti, Making Music, The Diga Rhythm Band, Planet Drum and Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, and Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland.
His performances and recordings include collaborations with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Yo-Yo Ma, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Airto Moreira, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Alonzo King, Mark Morris, Rennie Harris and the Kodo drummers.
He struck a chord with every generation and every set of listeners owing to his exceptional skills, his charm and the ability to blend in with every genre. The sight of him belting out his prowess on tabla for a tea brand is a core memory of every 1990s kid.
While the space of Indian television commercials was still walking on its wobbly legs, it was Zakir, who gave it the required strength with his stellar screen presence, his unmatched brilliance on tabla, and the way with which he said, “Waah Taj”.
His illustrious body of work was feted with several awards like four Grammy Awards, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, Government of India’s Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Ratna Sadsya, United States National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship, the highest award given to traditional artists and musicians. Zakir Hussain continues to leave a deep impact on India’s music and its cultural heritage. (IANS inputs)
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(Photo courtesy: Instagram@zakirhq9)
"Deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain Ji. He will be remembered as a true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music. He also brought the tabla to the global stage, captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythm. Through this, he seamlessly blended Indian classical traditions with global music, thus becoming an icon of cultural unity."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
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"Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the legendary Zakir Hussain, who inspired generations of musicians and whose remarkable gift touched so many people around the world. May his memory be a blessing."
US Ambassador Eric Garcetti
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Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together. You shall be truly missed."
Music composer A R Rahman
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(Photo courtesy: X@ikamalhaasan)
"He left too soon. Yet we are grateful for the times he gave us and what he left behind in the form of his art. Goodbye and Thank you."
Actor Kamal Haasan
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"Still not able to digest the loss of Ustad Zakir Hussain .. so many personal and private moments , just a wonderful pleasant memory now."
Actor Amitabh Bachchan
The Ustad and his student
A former student of Ustad Zakir Hussain, Mathematician and Fields Medal winner Manjul Bhargava, turns to music often for inspiration. Of his own experience, he said in a 2018 interview: “I play the tabla every day for at least a few minutes. I don’t get as much time as I’d like. [But] If I’m stuck in something in maths, I go play for a little while and then I’ll come back and sometimes the mind has cleared. You think in a different way and you are able to make progress. The same applies if you are stuck in a tabla composition. Go and do maths for a little while. By going back and forth on both sides of the brain, you often make progress.” |
