Zakir Hussain: ‘The King, in whose hands, rhythm became magic’
Shakti’s Tiny Desk Concert, October 2023, “Shrini’s Dream,” “Lotus Feet,” and “Bending the Rules”:
Zakir Hussain, the legendary tabla virtuoso and global ambassador of Indian classical music who has died aged 73, leaves behind a timeless rhythmic legacy that will inspire generations.
A child prodigy, he collaborated with Indian classical icons like Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma and global musicians like John McLaughlin and George Harrison.
Born on 9 March, 1951, in Mahim, Mumbai, he was the eldest son of Ustad Allarakha, one of history’s most iconic players of the tabla – a pair of traditional Indian hand played drums.
Hussain’s journey, from a child prodigy to an internationally celebrated percussionist, was a masterclass in balancing tradition and innovation.
Hussain’s life revolved around rhythm from the very beginning.
The sound of the tabla was his first language, his earliest “words”. By the age of 12, he was already performing globally, accompanying stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan during his teenage years. [Continue reading…]