Zakir Hussain (musician)
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Zakir Hussain with a set of Tabla |
Ustad Zakir Hussain (born
March 9,
1951), son of
tabla player
Ustad Alla Rakha, is the most famous classical tabla player in
India today. He is appreciated both in the field of
percussion and in the music world at large. Zakir has won many awards and recognitions for his contribution to the world of
music. A classical tabla virtuoso, his performances have gained him worldwide fame.
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Zakir Hussain, playing tabla in College festival |
Zakir was touring by the age of twelve. He did his schooling in St. Michael's High School in Mahim. He completed his graduation from
St Xaviers, Mumbai. Zakir went to the
United States in
1970, embarking on an international career which includes no fewer than 150 concert dates a year.
Zakir has worked with many western and Indian artists, and has produced many works for fusion, perhaps most notably with
The Beatles. In 1971 he recorded with an American psychedelic band called Shanti. He has also worked with
John McLaughlin in
Shakti in
1975, with L. Shankar in the Diga Rhythm Band, and with
Mickey Hart on his
Rolling Thunder album. Although Shakti was disbanded a few years later, it reunited under the name
Remember Shakti.
In
1987, his first solo release,
Making Music, was acclaimed as "one of the most inspired East-West fusion albums ever recorded." In
1988, he became the youngest percussionist to ever be awarded the title of
Padma Shri. In
1990, he was awarded the Indo-American Award in recognition for his cultural contribution to relations between the
United States and
India. 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
1992,
Planet Drum, an album co-created and produced by Zakir and
Mickey Hart, was awarded a
Grammy for Best World Music Album, the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best World Beat Album, and the NARM Indie Best Seller Award for World Music Recording.
Planet Drum, with Zakir as music director, toured nationally in 1996 and 1997. Zakir also continues to tour with the musicians from Shakti â€" John McLaughlin, Shankar and T.H. Vinayakram â€" in different collaborations and ensembles as well as leading various percussion ensembles of his own design. In Summer'99, Shakti re-grouped for an international tour.
In 1992, Zakir founded live concert performances by masters of the classical music of India. The label presents Zakir's own world percussion ensemble, The Rhythm Experience, both North and South Indian classical recordings, Best of Shakti, and a Masters of Percussion series. He has recorded and performed with artists as diverse as
George Harrison,
Ali Akbar Khan, Vasant Rai,
Imrat Khan,
Ravi Shankar,
Joe Henderson,
Van Morrison,
Jack Bruce,
Tito Puente,
Pharoah Sanders,
Billy Cobham, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony.
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Zakir Hussain during a performonace |
Zakir is a founding member of Bill Laswell's 'World Music Supergroup'
Tabla Beat Science.
He was a visiting professor at
Princeton University for one semester in 2006.
He starred in the
Merchant Ivory Film "
Heat and Dust," in which he also performed the score. He has composed soundtracks for several movies, most notably
In Custody and
The Mystic Masseur by
Ismail Merchant,and has played tabla on the soundtracks of
Francis Coppola's
Apocalypse Now,
Bernardo Bertolucci's
Little Buddha, and other films.
Zakir composed, performed and acted as Indian music advisor for
Vaanaprastham, which screened at the
Cannes Film Festival in
1999. He is the recipient of the 1999
National Heritage Fellowship, the United States' most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts.
Sangam (2006)
Maestro's Choice Series One - Alla Rakha & Zakir Hussain (2005)
Punjabi Dhamar (2004)
Raag Chandrakauns (2004)
And the Rhythm Experience (1998)
Essence of Rhythm (1998)
Magical Moments of Rhythm (1997)
Kirwani (1997)
Jog And Rageshri (1994)
Music of the Deserts (1993)
Flights of Improvisation (1992)
The One and Only (1992)
Tabla Duet (1988)
Making Music (1987)
Diga (1976)
Shakti (1975)
Rolling Thunder (1972)
Shanti (1971)
*Awarded the civilian honour of
Padma Shri by the Indian government in 1988
*Planet Drum (Produced by Zakir) awarded
Grammy for Best World Music album in 1992
*Awarded the title of
Padma Bhushan by the Indian government in 2002 for his contributions to the field of Indian music.
Zakir co-composed the opening music for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta,
1996, and was commissioned to compose music for
San Francisco's premiere contemporary ballet company, Lines, and to compose an original work for the San Francisco Jazz Festival, both in 1998. He has received numerous grants and awards, including participation in the Meet the Composer programs funded by the Pew Memorial Trust.
*
Drummer World*
Moment Records*
IMDb
