While tabla had traditionally been seen as an accompaniment to vocalists or instrumentalists in Indian classical music, Hussain, through his innovations, revolutionised its role and made it a solo instrument that could command the stage, writes Masrat Nabi in his tribute to the maestro
One of India’s most celebrated global maestros of classical music, who took the ‘tabla’ to the world stage, winning among other accolades all the three Padma Awards, along with an impressive five international Grammys, passed away in the USA on Sunday after a brief illness.
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The maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain, who was considered in the league of the other greats of Indian classical music, like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Bismillah Khan, MS Subbulakshmi, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, and more, was admitted to a hospital in San Francisco, California following lung complications a couple of weeks ago and was shifted to the ICU after his condition aggravated.
He passed away, aged 73, while undergoing treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, his family shared in a statement on Monday (16.12.2024).
In a tribute penned on the website mediaindia.eu, Masrat Nabi has written that a tabla maestro, percussionist, composer, occasional actor, and global ambassador of Indian classical music, Zakir Hussain’s revolutionary approach to the tabla, blending traditional Indian rhythms with global genres, had earned him global acclaim.
“Born into a musical family in Mumbai on March 9, 1951, Hussain was destined to become one of the greatest tabla players the world has ever seen. He was the son of Ustad Allah Rakha, a renowned table virtuoso, and was introduced to music at a very young age. Hussain’s innate talent and passion for the tabla became evident early on, and by his teens, he had already begun performing professionally.
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“Hussain’s first major breakthrough came when he was just 18 years old, when he had the opportunity to perform with the legendary sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. This collaboration was a turning point in his career, and it set the stage for his rise to global prominence. By the time he was 19, Hussain was playing over 150 concerts annually, both in India and abroad, establishing himself as a sought-after tabla virtuoso.
“While tabla had traditionally been seen as an accompaniment to vocalists or instrumentalists in Indian classical music, Hussain revolutionised its role. His unparalleled virtuosity and innovation turned the tabla into a solo instrument that could command the stage. His ability to blend rhythm, melody, and intricate rhythms captivated audiences worldwide, earning him not just the admiration of classical music enthusiasts but also the respect of musicians from diverse genres.”
To read the entire text of Masrat Nabi’s tribute, please click on the following link to the website mediaindia.eu
https://mediaindia.eu/society/tabla-maestro-zakir-hussain-passes-away/
Some of the other names which come to mind in the league of global Indian classic music maestros
• Pandit Ravi Shankar – sitarist and composer
• Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia – music director and classical flautist
• Ustad Bismillah Khan – shehnai player
• Pandit Bhimsen Joshi – vocalist in the Hindustani Classical tradition
• Pandit Shivkumar Sharma – Classical musician and santoor player
• Vishwa Mohan Bhatt – Hindustani Classical music instrumentalist on the Mohan Veena
• M. S. Subbulakshmi – Carnatic singer
• Ustad Amjad Ali Khan – Classical sarod player
• Dr. Balamurlikrishna – Classical Carnatic Music
• A.R. Rahman – music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist
