Zakir Hussain, one of the world’s greatest tabla players, has died at the age of 73.
The Indian classical music icon died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said in a statement.
The tabla – a pair of drums used in Indian classical music – was historically viewed as an accompaniment to the main performance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “a true genius who revolutionised the world of Indian classical music”.
But in the last 20 years, he had stopped accompanying the big names, instead playing mostly with younger musicians, music writer Shailaja Khanna told the BBC.
One of the best tabla players in the world, Zakir Hussain, passed away at the age of 73.
According to a statement from his family, the legendary figure in Indian classical music passed away in a San Francisco hospital from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung condition.
Hussain has won four Grammys and been honored with India’s second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan.
Through his performances, he made the tabla the main attraction and a widely adored solo instrument.
In Indian classical music, the tabla, a pair of drums, was traditionally considered an accompaniment to the main act.
A tribute to the man who became the international face of Indian music.
Tributes to Hussain have been coming in since word of his passing spread.
Playing the sitar and tabla, Nayan Ghosh described the news as “devastating” and stated that he had been associated with Hussain since they were young, 60 years ago.
“He was a trailblazer, a pioneer, and a legend who elevated tabla and Indian music to a global level by surpassing genre boundaries and motivating countless artists,” he told the BBC.
Hussain was referred to as “the King, in whose hands, rhythm became magic” by English guitarist John McLaughlin, who played with him in the band Shakti. He was hailed as “one of the greatest musicians and personalities India has ever produced” by Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej.
His reputation as “a true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music” was affirmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The US embassy in India declared Hussain to be a “true maestro” who would live on “forever in our hearts,” while Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress party, called his passing “a great loss for the music world.”.
Hussain, who was born in 1951 in Mumbai, started learning from his father, Ustad Allarakha Khan, who was also a tabla master.
Hussain spoke of growing up in a “musical atmosphere all day, every day.”. By the age of seven, he was joining his father on stage.
“I sat onstage with Abba when he performed with so many greats starting when I was seven years old. For me, it was a lived experience that helped me assimilate everything I had heard over the years,” he said in 2018 to his biographer Nasreen Munni Kabir.
The renowned Indian sitarist and composer Pandit Ravi Shankar gave him a chance to perform when he was a teenager. By the age of 19, he was performing in over 150 Indian and foreign concerts annually.
In addition to performing solo and working with artists on a global scale, he contributed to the soundtracks of multiple movies as his influence grew.
With drummer Mickey Hart, his 1992 album Planet Drum took home a Grammy in the first-ever “Best World Music Album” category. Additionally, he performed with such renowned musicians as Van Morrison, Yo-Yo Ma, and George Harrison of the Beatles.
Hussain later received four Grammy awards out of seven nominations.
“This is music’s appeal, not mine,” he said in a 2016 interview with the BBC about his widespread popularity. As a music worshipper, I perform music in front of others. “..”.
He became “one of the most sought-after accompanists to the very best of Hindustani classical musicians and dancers” in his declining years, according to biographer Nasreen Munni Kabir.
According to music writer Shailaja Khanna, he has stopped playing with the big names in the past 20 years and has primarily performed with up-and-coming artists, as she told the BBC.
She claimed that he promoted up-and-coming Indian musicians to the international scene by using his celebrity status.
Younger people were willing to pay 2,000 to 3,000 rupees ($23.59 to $35.38; £18.62 to £27.93) for a ticket because of him, which is highly unusual for classical presentations. “,”.
Hussain had previously discussed his own “good fortune” in the music industry.
“I am among the musicians who arrived at the nexus of a significant shift in the music industry and I was swept along with it,” he clarified.
“I was fortunate to develop a very relaxed relationship with music, and the wave also carried me to new heights. “..”.
