Watch Chicago legend Terry Callier perform classics including “What Color is Love” and “Dancing Girl.” An eternal favorite here at In Sheep’s Clothing HQ, Terry Callier aka “Jazz’s […]
5 Performances that Highlight Zakir Hussain’s Brilliance on the Tabla
From Bill Laswell to Mickey Hart to John McLaughlin, the percussion master changed the conversation.
Zakir Hussain, who died on Sunday, redefined what it meant to be a percussionist on the global stage. A tabla prodigy shaped by the legendary Ustad Allarakha — his father and teacher — Hussain began dazzling audiences as a child and became an international sensation by his teens. Renowned for his electrifying solo performances and groundbreaking collaborations, from Shakti (with guitarist John McLaughlin) to projects with Bill Laswell, Mickey Hart, and Herbie Hancock, Hussain not only elevated the tabla but also carved out a central role for Indian classical music in the global musical conversation.
How did he accomplish so much? Check this out:
His passing marks the loss of a singular force in music. To play the tabla, a musician uses fingers and palms to strike the drumheads, creating a range of tones and rhythms. The smaller drum, the dayan, is tuned to a specific pitch, while the larger bass drum, the bayan, produces a resonant, low sound manipulated by pressing the palm against its surface. Sounds easy enough, right?
Hussain was the foremost disciple of his father, Ustad Allarakha, a tabla master who played a pivotal role in popularizing the instrument globally, particularly through his collaborations with Ravi Shankar. Together, father and son performed in historic jugalbandis (duets), showcasing the tabla’s expressive depth.
In the 1980s, Hussain composed the score for Heat and Dust (1983), a Merchant Ivory film that brought his tabla and compositional skills to an international cinematic audience. He also toured extensively with Shakti, solidifying the group’s reputation as a crucial East-West fusion outfit and introducing Indian classical music to jazz audiences worldwide. Watch Hussain and McLaughlin trade solos below.
In the ‘00s, Hussain collaborated with Bill Laswell to form Tabla Beat Science, a polyglot project that fused Indian classical rhythms with electronic, jazz, and hip-hop elements, creating the essential album Tala Matrix.
