Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain Dies in San Francisco at 73
- The tabla maestro won many awards, including five Grammy Awards in his career, including three at the 66th Grammy Awards earlier this year,as well as the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain died of heart ailments at a hospital in San Francisco today. He was 73. The Mumbai-born eldest son of legendary tabla player Allah Rakha, Zakir Hussain followed in the footsteps of his father, becoming a marquee name in India and across the world. Hussain won many awards, including five Grammy Awards in his career, including three at the 66th Grammy Awards earlier this year, as well as the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Padma Shri, in 1988, becoming the youngest percussionist to be awarded these, given to civilians of merit, by the Indian government.
A child prodigy who was touring by the age of 12, Hussain made his American debut in 1970 performing with Ravi Shankar at the Fillmore East in New York City. While in New York, he met guitarist John McLaughlin, and their friendship led to the formation of Shakti, a musical group that also included Indian violinist L. Shankar. Over the years, Hussain has accompanied some of the greatest Indian musicians and collaborated with such diverse performers as the London String Quartet and Van Morrison.
His 1992 album with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, Planet Drum, earned a Grammy Award and the Downbeat Critics Poll for best world beat album. He has contributed to the soundtracks of several films. He starred in the film Heat and Dust as well as playing music for it and was nominated for an award at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival for his musical contributions to that film. A year later, he started his own percussion ensemble, the Zakir Hussain Rhythm Experience. In 1991, he was awarded the Sangeer Natak Akademi by India’s preeminent cultural institute, and in 1996 he was involved in composing music for the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
In a review of his 2009 concert at New York City’s prestigious Carnegie Hall, The New York Times wrote that “the peerless North Indian tabla player, favors an impish strain of virtuosity. He’s a fearsome technician but also a whimsical inventor, devoted to exuberant play. So he rarely seems overbearing, even when the blur of his fingers rivals the beat of a hummingbird’s wings.”
In 1990, he was awarded the Indo-American Award in recognition for his outstanding cultural contribution to USA-India relations. In April 1991, he was presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India, making him one of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India’s governing cultural institute. In 2007, readers’ polls from both Modern Drummer and Drum! magazines named him Best World Music and Best Worldbeat Drummer respectively. On February 8, 2009, Zakir received a Grammy in the Best Contemporary World Music category for Global Drum Project, his group with Mickey Hart, Giovanni Hidalgo and Sikiru Adepoju. Also, in 2009, Zakir was named a Member in the Order of Arts and Letters by France’s Ministry of Culture and Communication for his extraordinary artistic and cultural contribution. In Summer 2012, Zakir was named Best Percussionist in the Downbeat Critics’ Poll.
As news spread, tributes poured in from all over. Indian Industrialist Anand Mahindra wrote: “The rhythm of India paused today.” Harsh Goenka, Chairman – RPG Enterprises, said the tabla player’s “beats will echo eternally”
The बोल of Zakir Hussain Ji’s tabla spoke a universal language, transcending borders, cultures and generations.
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) December 15, 2024
This clip defines how we will remember him, and celebrate his legacy. The sound & vibrations of his rhythm will echo in our hearts forever. सदैव गूंजेगा, वाह ताज!
My… pic.twitter.com/duGIHgnTYY
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