Ustad Zakir Hussain, the legendary tabla virtuoso whose artistry bridged continents and genres, handed away on December 15, 2024, on the age of 72 in San Francisco. Broadly thought to be one of many foremost musicians of his era, his dying marks the top of an period on the earth of music, however his profound affect will resonate eternally.
Warmth and Mud (1983)
Born on March 9, 1951 right into a household of musical excellence, Zakir was the son of the legendary Ustad Allarakha, and he started his profession at an astonishingly younger age. A baby prodigy, he carried out his first skilled live performance on the age of twelve, accompanying a few of India’s biggest classical musicians and dancers. By the point he was eighteen, he was already acting on worldwide levels, his expertise plain. He was the eldest of three brothers, every contributing to the wealthy legacy of Indian percussion, together with his siblings Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi turning into notable tabla gamers and percussionists in their very own proper.
Zakir’s brilliance was not confined to classical music alone. He was a trailblazer on the earth music motion, collaborating with a number of the biggest names in music throughout genres and borders. His collaborations with musicians like George Harrison, John McLaughlin, Van Morrison, Earth, Wind & Fireplace, and Mickey Hart expanded the horizons of the tabla, making it a world image of rhythmic artistry. He was a key member of the pioneering world fusion bands Shakti and Bear in mind Shakti, pushing the boundaries of classical Indian music whereas embracing jazz, rock, and past. By groundbreaking initiatives similar to Planet Drum, Tabla Beat Science, World Drum Undertaking, and Sangam, Zakir redefined what the tabla might do on the world stage.
Saaz (1988)
A five-time Grammy Award winner, Zakir’s achievements in music had been unparalleled. He made historical past on the 2024 Grammys by profitable three awards in a single night time, bringing his Grammy tally to 5. His outstanding skill to seamlessly mix classical Indian rhythms with world sounds earned him quite a few accolades, together with the first-ever Grammy for Finest World Music Album in 1992 for Planet Drum, and one other in 2009 for World Drum Undertaking. His collaboration with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Rakesh Chaurasia in Pashto and As We Communicate additional cemented his place as a real innovator in world music.
Vanaprastham (1999)
Zakir’s contributions went past music. He introduced the tabla to mainstream consideration and made it an emblem of each virtuosity and cultural trade. His work with the fusion band Shakti, which shaped in 1973 and lately reformed in 2020, stays some of the vital chapters in modern music. The band’s evolution, alongside John McLaughlin, L. Shankar, and different stalwarts, continues to encourage generations.
The Mystic Masseur (2001)
An completed composer, Zakir additionally discovered success in cinema, composing for Indian and worldwide movies. His notable soundtracks embody Miss Beatty’s Kids, In Custody, Saaz, Vanaprastham, and The Mystic Masseur. His appearing expertise was additionally acknowledged, with memorable roles in Warmth and Mud (1983) and Saaz (1998). The plot of Warmth and Mud follows two intertwined tales. The primary is ready in British India of the Nineteen Twenties, and offers with a bootleg affair between Olivia, the gorgeous younger spouse of a British colonial official, and an Indian Nawab. The second, set in 1982, offers with Anne, Olivia’s great-niece, who travels to India hoping to search out out about her great-aunt’s life, and whereas there, additionally has an affair with a married Indian man, Inder Lal. The maestro appeared like a pure match to the movie and excelled even within the intimate scenes. In Saaz, he performed a music director named Himaan Desai. The character, that of a maverick composer who dazzles together with his virtuosity, was reportedly based mostly on RD Burman. He was additionally the face of a well-known tea model for a very long time. He has performed tabla on the soundtracks of Francis Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Bernardo Bertolucci’s Little Buddha, and different movies.
In Custody (1993)
Zakir was showered with the very best honors and awards. He was bestowed with the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Padma Vibhushan in 2023 by the Authorities of India. In recognition of his immense contributions to music, he obtained the celebrated Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1990, one in all its youngest recipients. He was named an Previous Dominion Fellow in 2005 by the Humanities Council at Princeton College. He was honored with the Kyoto Prize in 2022 for his vital contributions to the cultural and non secular betterment of mankind. He was additionally a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from SFJazz in 2017, the place he served because the resident creative director from 2013 to 2016.
Miss Beatty’s Kids (1992)
Although Ustad Zakir Hussain is not with us, his music will proceed to encourage and uplift. His contributions to the world of tabla and world music have reshaped the creative panorama, and his boundless creativity has left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who encountered his work. He was greater than a musician—he was a cultural ambassador, a bridge between East and West, and a tireless seeker of concord by way of sound.
On the 2024 Grammys
His journey could have ended, however the rhythm of his legacy will play on eternally. And we’re certain heaven is savouring his beats…
