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Indian tabala maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain's musical journey was nothing short of extraordinary. His performances at the Indian Music Experience (IME) in Bangalore on July 27, 2019, were a testament to his talent. Manjunath Kiran's photograph captured that moment beautifully. However, his life came to a tragic end on Sunday in San Francisco at the age of 73. His family stated that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was the cause of death.

An Unparalleled Legacy

Hussain's career spanned over five decades, making him a national treasure in India and an admired figure worldwide. He defied genres and collaborated with an impressive array of musicians. Jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd, bluegrass artists Edgar Meyer and Béla Fleck, rockstars George Harrison and Van Morrison - he worked with them all. His versatility earned him the rare honor of performing twice on NPR's Tiny Desk, once in 2010 and again in 2023.In a 2015 NPR interview, he shared his perspective. "You come from India with the idea of representing a 3,000-year-old history and teaching the world about rhythms and drums. But then you realize you know nothing. You're just a small part in the vast canvas of music."Beyond his performances, Hussain was passionate about teaching Indian drumming. His father, Alla Rakha, a renowned tabla player, introduced him to the art form at a young age. When he was 7, his father began teaching him how to play the tabla. But his father also exposed him to music from around the world, which led him to fall in love with rock and Western music. He recalled in the 2015 NPR interview that he was the only kid on the block with a boombox, playing "Light My Fire" as loud as he could.In 1970, at 19, Hussain traveled to the US and worked with renowned musicians like George Harrison, Van Morrison, and Mickey Hart. He also played with jazz musician John Handy. In 1973, he formed the Indian jazz fusion band Shakti with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin. The band's music helped American listeners appreciate sounds and instruments beyond Western music.In 2024, Hussain made history by becoming the first musician from India to receive three Grammy awards in the same year. Shakti won Best Global Music Album, and his collaboration with Edgar Meyer and Béla Fleck featuring Rakesh Chaurasia won Best Global Music Performance and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.Throughout his career, Hussain found similarities between rhythmists around the world. In a 2015 NPR interview, he said, "We were all on the same wavelength, the same quest for perfection, which we will never find. But it's about the journey, not the goal."NPR's Felix Contreras contributed to the reporting.

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Zakir Hussain, the 73-year-old tabla maestro who transcended genres

An Unparalleled Legacy

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