Back to resources

Zakir Hussain – The Tabla Maestro

Others | Feb 6, 1981

About five years ago, Zakir Hussain, like all other talented tabla players, was known merely as an accompanist. Being the son of a world famous artiste, Ustad Alla Rakha, he had far more exposure than those with less exalted family connections, but he did not draw crowds for himself, as he does today.

This star status, this cult that has been built around Hussain, really started, predictably enough, with news of his experimentation with jazz and classical musicians abroad. “Suddenly, when ‘Shakti’, our musical trio, with L. Shankar, violinist, and John Mclaughlin, and myself, became a success in the States, I found, on my return to India that year, that I was something of a celebrity,” Hussain admits.

View PDF

More like this

Others

Hari Can Sing - But the applause for Hariharan has got loud only after the success of Colonial Cousins

somehow, Hariharan has managed not to let his erratic choice of musical assignment corrupt his voice. He says he would still love to cut a classical record. Take a year off from everything, concentrate on riyaaz, slip into another world. View PDF
Oct 26, 1996 | Personality

Others

MAD about Madhuri - The making of a phenomenon

Ten years ago, they would never have dared to make their feelings public. Today, however, Farooq Abdullah, T.N. Seshan, Orissa’s poet laureate Sitakanta Mohapatra and, of course, M.F. Husain can get away with publicly declaring their adoration of her. After all, what’s so special about these people? Everyone is in love with Madhuri Dixit. View […]
Feb 3, 1996 | Personality

Others

Bangalore: A metropolis Slowly Crumbles

A few years ago. Bangalore was the boom city o f the South. Now the boom has gone bust. Last summer, just about a year ago, Bangaloreans were basking in the warmth of yet another addition to the string of monikers the city has acquired. Bangalore — the boom city — then seemed an awesome […]
Jun 1, 1984 | Article

Others

The old resignation routine

R. K. Hegde wins a small victory against the dissidents and pulls his favourite ‘resignation’ stunt again. If 28 March had been the day of the dissidents in Karnataka, 3 July unexpectedly belonged to the loyalists. In March, the Janata rebels had nearly spiked the elections of the party candidates to the Rajya Sabha. View […]
Jul 12, 1988 | Personality