Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain passed away on Monday morning in San Francisco, California, leaving behind a profound legacy of rhythm and innovation for generations to come. A quintessential musician who formed a mystical bond with his instrument, the tabla, he created magic on stage and never hesitated to bridge the gap between himself and his audience through enthralling performances.
Hussain, who explored the vast possibilities of the tabla, eventually, transformed it into a universal language. In his last conversation with us during his visit to India, he said, “It was very important for me to let the tabla speak about me. The environment of freedom opened the space for ideas, and that was amazing.”
He believed moving out of India was important for his journey. “I was lucky because I was away from India. My father was a purist who watched over me, but he was kind enough to allow me to collaborate with other musicians worldwide,” Hussain shared. He credited legendary santoor player Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and flutist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia for mentoring him. “They were like cricket coaches. They taught me how to catch the ball coming from different directions. They overlooked my mistakes and helped mold me into a musician,” he had confessed.
Hussain’s relationship with rhythm and an impeccable ear for 'taal' enabled him to perform on global stages. He formed historic collaborations such as Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin and violinist L. Shankar in the UK, Planet Drum with Mickey Hart in the US—earning him a Grammy Award in 2009—and Tabla Beat Science, among others. He also collaborated with artists like George Harrison, Joe Henderson, and Van Morrison, pushing the boundaries of classical music at a time when purists dominated the scene in the early 1970s. Just this year (2024), he received three Grammy awards for Global Music Performance, Contemporary Instrumental Album, and Instrumental Composition.
Born to legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha, Husain also spoke about his father’s liberal approach to training. “I consider myself very lucky to be born and raised in the house of a musician. My father, as a guru, was very tolerant,” Hussain had said. He credited his father for giving him the confidence to explore uncharted musical territories. “He never stopped me from exploring something he hadn’t explored. That gave me the confidence to step out and venture into new things without hesitation,” he said.
Known for his humor and ability to improvise on stage, Hussain often brought audiences into his performances as a shared moment of joy and discovery. His work not only elevated the tabla as a solo instrument but also ensured that Indian classical music resonated with audiences worldwide.
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