Last Mohican in world of classical music: Musicians condole death of Zakir Hussain

PTI, Dec 16, 2024, 9:11 AM IST

Kolkata: Leading musicians of West Bengal on Monday mourned the death of Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, describing him as a humble artist despite being the last of the Mohicans in the world of classical music.

The 73-year-old US-based musician, who has taken the tabla to the global stage, died in a hospital in San Francisco, US, his family said on Monday.

Hussain died from complications arising out of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the family said in a statement.

Santoor artist Pt Tarun Bhattacharya said, “There will not be another Zakir Hussain. He was the last Mohican in the world of classical music or one of the last Mohicans.” Hussain experimented with Tabla bol (rhythm) in different classical ragas and style, Bhattacharya said, adding that Tablas used to speak under his hand.

Bhattacharya recalled that he would touch the feet of elders on stage before any performance.

He was the one who had brought Indian tabla before the world and made Indian classical instrumental music on par with the Beatles, the Santoor player said.

Gima award winner and jury member for Grammy, Tabla artist Pradyut Mukherjee, described Hussain as a versatile player who was a great performer on stage.

“I consider him as a mentor though he was not officially my guru. I had learnt rhythms and beats from him and he was always very humble and polite never showing any high highhandedness to newcomers,” he said.

Mukherjee said Hussain was always eager to help a budding talent if he could spot any spark in his repertoire.

“Zakir ji used to visit the shop of a Tabla maker in South Kolkata and would use their instrument for his performance here and abroad,” Mukherjee said.

Sarod player Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar said Hussain had been performing at the Swara Samrat Festival, which is being held here, for nine years.

“Zakir Bhai was expected to regale the audiences with his tabla wizardry yesterday also, the third of four-day festival. We all knew he was not keeping well. But he has gone too soon. The emptiness and the sense of loss is yet to sink in,” he said.