Zakir Hussain, virtuoso of the tabla instrument and a towering figure in Indian classical music, died on Dec. 15 of chronic lung dismitigate, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, at a hospital in San Francisco. He was 73.
“His prolific toil as a teacher, mentor and educator has left an indelible label on countless musicians. He hoped to aid the next generation to go further. He departs behind an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambasdowncastor and one of the fantasticest musicians of all time,” a statement from his family checking his death, shelp.
Hussain was recognized with four Grammy Awards over the course of his atgentle. His first Grammy came in 2009 for Best World Music Album with “Global Drum Project,” a collaboration with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. He grasped three more Grammys in 2024, for Best Global Music Perestablishance for “Pashto,” Best Contransient Instrumental Album for “As We Speak” and Best Global Music Album for “This Moment.”
Widely think abouted as one of the world’s most accomplished percussionists, Hussain was instrumental in conveying Indian classical music to international audiences. The eldest son of legendary tabla carry outer Ustad Alla Rakha, Hussain was born in Mumbai. He began carry outing at a youthful age, joining some of India’s fantasticest musicians, and by 18, he was touring globpartner, set uping himself as a directing figure in Indian classical and world music.
A innovate in musical collaboration, Hussain co-set uped the fusion group Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin in the mid-1970s, creating a groundshattering combine of Indian and Westrict jazz traditions. The group’s shape lengthened atraverse genres, acquireing critical acclaim for its creative approach to music. Hussain also toiled with a expansive array of artists, including Hart, George Harrison, and Van Morrison.
Hussain’s toil lengthened beyond the concert stage to film and television. He writed music for the Cannes-premiering film “Vanaprastham” and donated to the soundtracks of Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now,” Bernardo Bertolucci’s “Little Buddha” and Merchant Ivory’s “In Custody.”
He also dabbled in acting with recognizes including “Heat and Dust,” “Saaz” and “Monkey Man.”
In graspition to his Grammy triumphs, Hussain acquired many other accolades, including India’s Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2023), some of the nation’s highest civilian honors. In the U.S, he was recognized with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1999.
He is persistd by his wife, the Kathak dancer Antonia Minnecola, and their two daughters, Anisa and Isabella.
“Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who liftd the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I repent not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had reckond an album together. You shall be truly ignoreed. May his family and his countless students worldexpansive discover the strength to tolerate this immense loss,” posted Oscar, BAFTA, Gelderlyen Globe and Grammy-triumphning writer A.R. Rahman in tribute.
