How great was Zakir Hussain? The fact that the tabla maestro has been taken from our midst at the fag end of the year in which he became the first Indian to win three Grammy Awards in one night says it all.
It stands as testimony to the enduring genius of the always smiling, always modest musical giant.
A family statement had confirmed the death of the 73-year-old musician in a San Francisco hospital at 5:12 a.m. (IST) on Monday, citing complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as the cause. He had been in hospital for the past two weeks and was shifted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Sunday after his condition had deteriorated.
The family said in its statement, "He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come."
Hussain's sister Khurshid Aulia said he passed away "very peacefully."
"He passed away very peacefully after the ventilation machine was switched off. This was 4 pm San Francisco time," she told PTI.
In a career spanning over six decades, Hussain received four Grammy Awards and seven nominations.
At the 66th Grammys, he took home awards for Best Global Music Performance (Pashto), Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (As We Speak), and Best Global Music Album (This Moment).
Born to the legendary musician Alla Rakha, Hussain was a child prodigy, giving his first concert at the age of seven and beginning to tour by the age of 12. After completing his education in Mumbai, he moved to the US in 1970, marking the beginning of his international career.
Hussain's illustrious career saw him collaborate with some of the most renowned international and Indian artists, leaving an enduring impact on global music.
He worked with nearly all of India’s iconic performers, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and Shivkumar Sharma, among others.
His collaborations with Western musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Lloyd, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Mickey Hart, George Harrison, and the pop group Earth, Wind & Fire brought tabla and Indian classical music to audiences worldwide, solidifying his reputation as a global cultural ambassador.
But it was in 1973 that Hussain achieved global recognition for his groundbreaking work with English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L. Shankar, and legendary percussionist T.H. 'Vikku' Vinayakram.
Together, they formed Shakti, a band that fused Indian classical music with jazz in a revolutionary blend of styles.
It was a music shop owner in New York's Greenwich Village who had connected Hussain and McLaughlin, with the former giving the latter lessons in Indian music. Over time, these lessons blossomed into jam sessions that led to the formation of Shakti.
“It felt like a reunion of long-lost brothers,” Hussain had said in reference to the duo's first meeting.
Shakti disbanded in 1978 after a five-year run that included three albums. However, the group reformed in 1998 with original members Hussain and McLaughlin, joined by stalwarts like the late Mandolin U. Srinivas, vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, and percussionist V. Selvaganesh (son of Vinayakram). Legendary flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia also joined for the live recording of the album Remembering Shakti.
The band continued to tour the world extensively under the Remembering Shakti, recording multiple albums and captivating audiences with their unique brand of music, that originally garnered them a global following.
In 2020, Shakti entered a new era with its current lineup of Hussain, McLaughlin, Selvaganesh, Shankar, and violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan of the Ganesh-Kumaresh duo. The group went on to win the Grammys in 2024 for the album This Moment, which marked Shakti's 50th anniversary.
Recognized as one of India’s greatest classical musicians, Hussain was honored with the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023, solidifying his legacy as a cultural icon.
In a 2018 interview, Hussain expressed his belief that the role of a percussionist is to accompany the vocalist, no matter how famous the musician may be. He explained that a tabla player must always be a "subordinate" when performing alongside a classical musician or singer.
"My job will be to help him (vocalist), accompany him, and play with him. For a tabla player to be in that situation is something very normal, not a stigma of any kind," Hussain said.
Hussain often spoke about the deep bond he shared with his tabla, which he considered more than just an instrument. "Music has brought me to the world and the world to me," he once said.
The maestro viewed his tabla as his "mate," a brother, a friend, and even the bed he slept in. He spoke of a special connection with the spirit of the instrument, saying, "I cannot imagine that I can exist without it. It motivates me to get up in the morning and say, 'hello.'"
Eight years ago, Hussain had narrated how his father Alla Rakha had welcomed him into this world by putting the musical instrument's rhythms into his ears when asked to recite prayers.
Hussain spoke of his father holding him in his arms for the first time.
“I was brought home and handed over to my dad in his arms. The tradition was that the father is supposed to recite a prayer in the baby's ear, welcoming the baby and putting some good words. So he takes me in his arms, puts his lips to my ear and recites the tabla rhythms into my ears. My mother was livid. She said, what are you doing? You're supposed to say, you know, prayers, not rhythms," Zakir Hussain said
“And he said, but these are my prayers. This is how I pray. He said, I am the worshipper of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh. This was a devout Muslim talking. He said this is the knowledge he got from his teachers and wanted to pass it on to his son,” the legendary musician continued.
Born on March 9, 1951 in Mumbai, Zakir had his early education from St. Michael's School in Mahim and did his graduation from St Xavier's College.
During his early days, he used to travel by train and if he could not find a seat, he would spread newspapers on the floor and sleep. During such journeys, so that no one's feet touched his tabla, he used to sleep with the musical instruments in his lap.
In another interview, Zakir Hussain had recalled an incident when he was 12 years old. He had gone to a concert with his father. Music stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Bismillah Khan, Pandit Shanta Prasad and Pandit Kishan Maharaj were also present at that concert.
Zakir Hussain went on stage with his father and got five rupees for the performance. “I have earned a lot of money in my life, but those five rupees were the most valuable,” the tabla maestro had said.