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‘dha, dhin, dhin, dha’
These were the first words that were whispered in the ears of Ustad Zakir Hussain when he was born. None other than his father, the legendary Ustad Alla Rakha or ‘Abbaji’ whispered those words in the infant’s ears and considered it Kalma as he believed it was as sacred to him as his prayer. Actually, it is the ‘bols’ to the tritaal, the foundation of all Indian percussion starting from tabla, dhol, and many other instruments.
This is the kind of passion for music that these Ustads possess for their craft and that is how the mastery of the craft is passed on from one generation to another. Zakir Hussain not only took his father’s legacy forward but become the most recognizable icon of Indian classical music around the world. The man established himself as the synonym for the tabla. Not only his father but Pandit Ravi Shankar Ji’s guidance also put influenced this artist. However, what made Zakir Hussain one of the most dynamic rhythm artists ever is his vision to create something new. The artist successfully made a cross-over between Indian Classical Music and Western pop culture.
Sitar still remains one of the most utilized Indian musical instruments of classical music which is associated with psychedelics, Woodstock, and a fair portion of Western popular consciousness. However, people began to understand the widespread influence of tabla with the help of Ustad Zakir Hussain. This unwavering personality of Hussain was not only limited to his mastery of tabla but also to endorsement deals. In the late 80s and 90s, when sportspersons and film stars could be seen participating in many commercial advertisements and Ustad was one of them. One does not even require to drink tea but still would think of Ustad Zakir Hussain every time they hear ‘Wah Taj!’.
Hussain is also one of the most popular and sorted musicians in the Indian industry and concert circuit. As a result, every other musical prefers to work with him. Vocalists and Instrumentalists across different generations have agreed to have a great experience working with Ustad. He likes to stay true to his roots as well as to his craft and his dedication is immense. Zakir inherited from his father and made sure that tabla is never considered to be a ‘lower rank’ on the stage. A tabla does not overwhelm other instruments or overlap them, rather; it paves a way for smooth and melodic progression. Embracing its subtle yet powerful presence in different music, Hussain represented tabla on a global level.
Some amazing facts about Ustad Zakir Hussain
- Ustad Zakir Hussain was born on March 9, 1951. At the age of only 7 years, he attended his first stage performance and by the age of 11 years; he already embarked on global music tours.
- Some say that Ustad’s original family name is Qureshi and Hussain was added later.
- Zakir Hussain’s first work as an actor was in 1989, titled ‘Heat and Dust’. He did only showed his acting skills but also composed the whole soundtrack for the movie.
- Ustad Zakir Hussain is the first Indian to get invited to the White House by former US president Barack Obama to attend the All-Star Global Concert.
- Zakir Hussain got married to Italian American Kathak dancer, Antonia Minnecola. Currently, this couple has two daughters.
- Hussain won Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Padma Vibhushan in 2023. He has also received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1990.
Discography
Starting from 1970 to the ‘2000s; Hussain has worked on numerous musical projects. Whether it is working with George Harrison’s 1973 album ‘Living in the Material World’ or the ‘ Karuna Supreme’ with John Handy with Ali Akbar Khan in 1976, his creativity and innovation in fusing tabla with different musical styles widely prevailed. Who’s to Know (1980), A Handful of Beauty (1976), Making Music (1987), Saturday Night in Bombay (2001), Save Our Children (1998), and Spirit into Sound (1999), etc are some of the greatest examples of his collaborative projects that helped other artists with the musical representations.
He has worked for the soundtracks in a number of movies such as,
- In Custody (1993)
- Little Buddha (1993)
- Saaz (1998)
- Vanaprastham (1999)
- The Mystic Masseur (2001)
- and Mrs. Iyer (2002)
- One Dollar Curry (2003)
Wrapping Up
The legend of rhythm has been always remarkable in his field and never hesitated to experiment with other music even though Ustad Zakir Hussain belongs to strict classical background. This is the passion for innovation that Ustad spread among all music artists as well as the listeners and his fans.
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