Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most carried out classical musicians who defied genres and provided tabla to international audiences, died on Sunday. He modified into 73.
The Indian classical song icon died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a persistent lung disease, at a well being facility in San Francisco, his family stated in a assertion.
“His prolific work as a trainer, mentor and educator has left an indelible designate on endless musicians. He hoped to inspire the subsequent generation to plug extra. He leaves on the lend a hand of an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and one of many ideal musicians of all time,” the assertion read.
Hussain modified into basically the most recognizable exponent of tabla, a pair of hand drums that is the foremost percussion instrument in Indian classical song.
Belief-relating to the ideal tabla player of his generation, Hussain had a occupation that spanned six decades whereby he collaborated with the likes of singer-songwriter George Harrison, jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd, drummer Mickey Hart and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
The son of legendary tabla artist Ustad Alla Rakha, Hussain modified into born in 1951 in Mumbai and modified into taught the technique to play the instrument by his father on the age of 7. A diminutive one prodigy, he started performing alongside India’s classical song legends for the length of his formative years.
In 1973, Hussain fashioned the Indian jazz fusion band “Shakti” with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin. The band performed acoustic fusion song that mixed Indian song with parts of jazz, introducing a brand current sound to Western audiences.
In 2024, Hussain grew to change into the foremost musician from India to safe three Grammy awards in the identical year.
Hussain’s “Shakti” won Only Global Song Album, and his collaboration with Edgar Meyer, Béla Fleck and flutist Rakesh Chaurasia won Only Global Song Performance and Only Up-to-the-minute Instrumental Album. He had earlier won a Grammy in 2009.
In 2023, Hussain obtained the Padma Vibhushan, India’s 2nd-perfect civilian award.
Hussain is survived by his wife and two daughters.
