NEW DELHI, Dec 16: Zakir Hussain, the exuberant maestro of tabla who once called the instrument his “mate, brother and friend” and embodied the universality of music in his 60-year career, died in a San Francisco hospital early Monday. He was 73.
Hussain, the globally recognised musician and one of India’s most celebrated, was suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease, his family said in a statement.
Confirmation of the death of the music legend — who cruised through genres, be it Western or Jazz, with the same ease and mastery with which he drummed out rhythm and magic from the tabla — came after hours of fevered speculation on social media.
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The tabla virtuoso had been in hospital for the last two weeks and was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after his condition deteriorated.
“He passed away peacefully after the ventilation machine was switched off. This was 4 pm San Francisco time (5.30 am Monday, IST),” Hussain’s sister Khurshid Aulia told PTI.
Regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation, Hussain is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola and their daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.
“He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come,” the family said in a statement.
Born on March 9, 1951, Hussain was the son of all-time tabla great Ustad Alla Rakha. The legacy of genius was perhaps destined.
He was just seven when he gave his first performance and started touring at the age of 12. In his early career, Hussain went on to collaborate with virtually all of India’s performers of the time, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma.
As news spread about the death of the loved musician, a distinctive figure with his broad smile, and curly locks that kept rhythm with the rapid, blurry movement of his fingers on the tabla, the tributes poured in.
Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday condoled the demise of tabla icon Zakir Hussain, describing it is an irreparable loss to the music world.
“The sound of the tabla became silent. The passing away of Ustad Zakir Hussain, decorated with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, is an irreparable loss to the music world. May God give peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti,” Acharya said in a post in Hindi on X.
Sarma said the death of Ustad Zakir Hussain has made the world of culture poorer.
“Making his fingers dance on the dayan and bayan, he took Indian Tabla to the global stage and will always be synonymous with its intricate rhythms,” he added.
The CM said Hussain was a doyen of music and a stalwart of creativity, whose works endeared him to people across generations.
“His passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill. My heartfelt condolences to his family, disciples, and countless admirers,” Sarma said.
“He was a bridge between the musical traditions of India and the West. I had the privilege of conferring the Padma Vibhushan upon him. I convey my deepest condolences to members of his family and his countless admirers,” President Droupadi Murmu said in her message.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Hussain “brought the tabla to the global stage, captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythm”.
“Through this, he seamlessly blended Indian classical traditions with global music, thus becoming an icon of cultural unity. His iconic performances and soulful compositions will contribute to inspire generations of musicians and music lovers alike. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the global music community,” the PM wrote on X.
Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the death of the table maestro is a profound loss for the world of music.
“His virtuosity on the tabla captivated audiences worldwide, transcending cultural boundaries. Ustadji’s immense contribution to the world of music will live on through his countless masterpieces,” he added.
Expressing his condolences to Hussain’s family, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called him a “cultural ambassador who bridged borders and generations with his mesmerising rhythms”.
Hussain, pivotal in moving the tabla from an accompanying instrument to centre stage, told PTI last year that music is his world.
“It is the garb I wear. Tabla is a mate, it is a brother, a friend, it’s the bed I sleep in. My father always said that each instrument has a spirit and half the battle if you are a student is to get that spirit to accept you as a mate, as a friend and once that happens then the instrument reveals how you should react to it, how you should touch it and express yourself through it,” Hussain said.
Throughout his long career, the percussionist was at the front of innovation and experimentation in fusing different sounds from different worlds. He collaborated with several renowned international and Indian artists but it was his 1973 project Shakti with English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar and percussionist T H ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram that brought together Indian classical music and elements of jazz in a hitherto-unknown fusion.
His groundbreaking work with Western musicians such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, jazz musician Charles Lloyd, banjo player Bela Fleck, bassist Edgar Meyer, percussionist Mickey Hart and The Beatles’ George Harrison brought Indian classical music to an international audience, cementing his status as a global cultural ambassador.
Hussain received four Grammy Awards in his career, including three at the 66th awards ceremony earlier this year. And, in fact, was planning a series of concerts in Mumbai early next year as part of the fusion band ‘Shakti’, for which he got one of his Grammys.
The percussionist, who was also a composer and dabbled in acting, received the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.
Microsoft chairman and CEO Satya Nadella said Hussain was a true legend who brought immense joy through his rhythmic brilliance.
“Your music transcends boundaries and will live on forever,” Nadella said in a post on LinkedIn.
Besides his work as a tabla player, Hussain also composed music for many movies, including “Mr and Mrs Iyer”.
He also acted in the Merchant Ivory film production “Heat and Dust”, “The Perfect Murder” and “Saaz”, opposite Shabana Azmi. (PTI)
