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Tabla master Zakir Hussain (1951–2024) had a strong connection to Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
(Photo: JL Neveu)A musical celebration of the life of tabla master Zakir Hussain will take place the evening of Feb. 28 in the sacred space of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. Hussain passed on Dec. 15 at age 73.
Organized by Zakir’s family, the concert will bring together more than two dozen of Zakir’s closest friends and musical collaborators including George Brooks, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Eric Harland, Mickey Hart, Dave Holland, Marcus Gilmore, Anantha Krishnan, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Julian Lage, Charles Lloyd, Third Coast Percussion, Chris Potter, Ganesh Rajagopalan, Joshua Redman, David Sánchez, John Santos, Marvin Sewell, Steve Smith and others. All ticket proceeds will go to the Zakir Hussain Institute of Music.
Zakir had a strong connection to Grace Cathedral. SFJAZZ presented a duo concert with Zakir and Joe Henderson in 1990 and, in 2001, Zakir performed in a duo with Charles Lloyd that led to the formation of the Sangam Trio with Eric Harland.
The preeminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Hussain was appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon and one of the world’s most esteemed and influential musicians. His brilliant accompaniment, solo performance and genre-defying collaborations elevated the status of his instrument in India as well as globally, bringing the tabla into a new dimension of renown and appreciation.
Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir’s contribution was unique, with many historic and groundbreaking collaborations including Shakti, Remember Shakti, Masters of Percussion, Planet Drum and Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland, CrossCurrents with Dave Holland and Chris Potter, and in trio with Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer. He was awarded the 2022 Kyoto Prize laureate in Arts and Philosophy by the Inamori Foundation for “those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural and spiritual betterment of mankind.” Zakir became the first musician from India to receive three Grammys at one time at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2024 for Best Global Music Album, Best Global Music Performance and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
The Zakir Hussain Institute of Music was founded to further the knowledge of classical Indian percussion music and its place in contemporary music. Drawing upon the legacy of 40 years of workshops, retreats and seminars led by Zakir, the Institute will work to instruct and inspire future generations of musicians by archiving this recorded body of work, along with Zakir’s concerts, lectures and appearances. The summer tabla workshop in the San Francisco Bay Area will continue with guest musicians, maintaining Zakir’s tradition of offering many scholarships to his classes that always ended with a free concert. DB
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