Zakir was a wonderful man, and no one was less impressed by his own immensely talent and fame than Zakir---a humble, kind soul who was genuinely interested in everyone he met. His loss is profound, and my thoughts go out to his wife, his daughters, his brothers and sister, and his many, many friends around the world. We didn't just lose a great musician, we lost an incredible human being. Rest in peace, Zakir. And thank you for being the guy you always were.
Living in the San Francisco bay area, I saw Zakir perform more times then I can remember. I had the good fortune of having lunch with him in between takes of music he was recording at a venue where I worked. In me brief personal encounter, my heart was warmed, by his good natured hospitality and humility. I'm deeply saddened by his passing. He's like musical royalty along with musicians like Narada Michael Walden and Neal Schon that are a part of our local musical community. Rest in Peace Zakir Hussain.
Great tribute! I was introduced to Zakir later in my musical journey - just this year in fact. I saw him live with Dave Holland W/ CHRIS POTTER & ZAKIR HUSSAIN at SF Jazz. It was a phenomenal musical experience. RIP Zakir and thank you for that performance.
One of those musicians that I could watch for hours without getting bored, sitting in perfect awe at his skill, his artistry, his radiant spirit of joy. Hearing the first two songs of "Natural Elements" in an electronics in 1978 was one of those life-changing moments I will never forget. Like you said here, I believe that this album is John McLaughlin's finest moments as a guitarist to be captured on tape. This one hits me hard: almost as hard as the loss of Ryuichi Sakamoto hit me. Nice, Andy, to once again see how much we have in common with our "obscure" musical likes and interests.
Lovely tribute and I too have only recently heard. Truly a great artist. I remember buying Making Music on ECM when it was released and realising it to be one of the most beautiful albums I now own. His sound was unmistakably him. x
The best gig I ever went to was Jan Garbarek with Zakir Hussain in Gateshead around 15 years ago. I was sitting in the front row about 10ft away from Zakir and I could barely believe what I was hearing and seeing. Obviously his mastery of tablas was incredible but his kit playing and incorporation of varied percussion instruments was awesome too. I have always felt very privileged to have witnessed such a performance so close at hand. What an amazing and unique musician.
Zakir Hussien has been a presence running like a silver thread through the last four decades of my life. I am sad to learn of his passing but pleased that someone like you should deliver the message. Peace.
Zakir Hussain with John McLaughlin and Jean-Luc Ponty playing "Lotus Feet" is just sublime ... I've been playing it over and over since I heard the sad news.
I saw him with Shakti fall of 1976. It completely changed my experience of what music could be. He and L Shankar looked like kids with a level of virtuosity that was extraordinary. What a loss, thanks for the tribute.
OHH!!I We ran into him on the streets of Mesa AZ as we were headed for his concert with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer last year. My wife was like, 'Is that Zakir Hussain??'... We just gave him a smile and a nod. Then we went and watched his concert.
Brilliant fusion of countries. Top 3 ECM album ever. Deserves a remastering. I played it to many non jazz/indian music fans and they all became lovers of it. The track where he sings and plays the same phrases is pure cosmicness. Just beautiful. Zakir I love your joy you gave. Very sad news
Oh noooo, such heartbreaking news you are bringing. If konnakol and raga are now fairly understood and appreciated in the west is certainly thanks to people like Hussain. RIP wherever you are now Zakir. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for your dedication to music and art.
I've been blessed to have seen him since back in the day LIVE with SHAKTI, PLANET DRUM & duets with other famous & great Indian Masters. I also know friends who had studied with & were mentored by him. He performed often in a small Chapel at Occidental College in Los Angeles produced by The Music Circle, founded in 1973 by Pandit Ravi Shankar and his student, Harihar Rao. Watching Ustad Zakir perform close up was unbelievable
Very sad news indeed. I was privileged to have seen him perform many times. In fact I've seen him more than any other musician other than some local blues guys. The first time was in 1996 with one of his percussion ensembles; this one included his father Alla Rakha (towards the end of his life) as well as Vikku Vinayakram and several other notable Hindustani and Carnatic percussionists. I saw various subsequent versions of the ensemble 3 or 4 more times. I also saw him with various iterations of Shakti 3 times, with Ravi Shankar twice, with sitarist Vilayet Khan, with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, with violinist L. Shankar, and in collaboration with Dave Holland and Chris Potter. Each performance was incredible and quite memorable. His discography is immense to say the least, having recorded with virtually all the great Hindustani and many Carnatic instrumentalists and singers, as well as many jazz musicians including of course John Mclaughlin, but also Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland, Bela Fleck, John Handy etc. He and bassist/producer/synth player Bill Laswell made several records I would describe as Indian/Electronic Trance music fusion under the name "Tabla Beat Science". He collaborated with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart on his "Planet Drum" project and is on various pop or rock records by George Harrison , Earth, Wind & Fire and others. He is on a great record by the Kronos String Quartet along with singer Asha Bhosle celebrating the Bollywood film compositions of R.D. Burman. Of course he also had quite a few records under his own name as well. I don't think I've ever counted them up but I'm positive I have well in excess of 50 CDs and LPs in my collection that have Zakir Hussain on tabla and/or other percussion. But that's only the tip of the iceberg in terms of his total recordings. I just took a look at the Wikipedia discography and even though it's pretty lengthy, it's literally missing many dozens of his Indian classical recordings. I guess I must be fan. It was sometimes over-powering to watch/hear him perform and I was moved to tears more than once. RIP Maestro Hussain!
Andy, thanks a lot for posting this video. I’ve been eager to know if you’ve had much interest in or study of Indian Classical Music. You are so intelligent and knowledgeable of music. As a longtime student, practitioner and now teacher of music, I was stunned to know of Zakir’s passing. I used to be a bass player (student of Glen Moore, Oregon), but got hip to Indian Classical music in the mid-late 60s via the obvious pop-culture references (Beatles, Ravi Shankar, etc). Fast forward to 1983 when I met and started to learn Indian Classical vocal music with Pandit Pran Nath in Oregon, California and India. He became Guruji to La Monte Young & Terry Riley in 1970. He eventually accepted me formally as his disciple in 1993. Im the last one. As time passed and I continued sitting with Guruji (Pran Nath) I met others in his music circle/family. One of those persons was Zakir Hussain. Pran Nath had been boyhood friends with Alla Rakha in Lahore. When Zakir was born, Alla Rakha brought Zakir to Pran Nath and requested, as Guruji was also an excellent Vedic astrologer, that he make Zakirs’s birth chart. He did. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see that? As Alla Rakha and Pran Nath were friends, Zakir was around and showed great respect to Pran Nath. When Zakir was just 15, Pran Nath asked Alla Rakha if Zakir could go on tour with him, so that he could teach Zakir that special accompaniment for the Khyal style of Raga Singing. Zakir definitely learned it. His accompaniment of Indian classical vocal is stunning. I really appreciated your video. It’s hard to find words of any kind to explain Zakir Hussain. People all over the world are mourning and grieving Zakir’s death. I appreciated what you said. We’re lucky to have been alive to witness his magic. A virtuosic genius who was also a very nice person and funny. His music, and there’s lots of it, will continue on. Thanks for your video honoring Zakir Hussain. Feelingful at the end. Lots of tears today everywhere. Michael Stirling
The Indian jam band that would become Shakti were supposed to be on Visions Of The Emerald album. In an interview with UK Guitar magazine in 1975 John McLaughlin said he asked the record company to issue a double album with the nascent Shakti material on one album and the new Mahavishnu Orchestra on the other one and suggested a reduction of royalties if CBS agreed. He didn't pursue it further when he came to feel it "would take away from the new Mahavishnu Orchestra" although he considered the Shakti material to be his best work at the time.
Just a couple of days ago I was in. A Salvation Army store and I spotted this album. By a band called Shanti. Which included john McLaughlin, L.Shankar,Fakir Hussain and T.H. Vinayakram. I didn't know about this album, whose title is A Handful of Beauty. Its condition is remarkable and I feel truly blessed to have it. And you're absolutely right. All our heroes are being called home. It puts a heavy weight on our shoulders for the next generation..
Got to see Zakir several times at Town Hall in NYC. I think with L Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, as well as the Masters of Indian Percussion. Zakir was truly incredible to see live. I never understood how he made his hands and fingers move as quickly as they did. This is a huge loss.
"I never understood how he made his hands and fingers move so quickly" .. In a word, "practice!" EDIT : - There's also technique, and of course there's having had the extraordinary privilege of growing up in a household, full of the musicians that made up the upper echelons of "the best of the best" of the musicians that would go on to make up such a "who's who" of Indian "Classical" and later, Western "avant-garde" and "crossover" musical niche'. Wow! Yeah, he was certainly born "in the right place at the right time" and it's certainly another case of having "lost yet another one of the World's best."
Thank you Any, Thank you very much. Nobody does it better than you. Your "tongue-in-cheek" vids are fantastic and very funny and entertaining, but your tribute videos and your trips into history videos are the best. I would love to see you make historic vids a regular part of your channel. You're the best. I first saw Zakir on a vid with Joe Zawinal.and I will never forget it. The collaboration between two of the greatest creative musicians that ever lived was hypnotizing. It was so evident when Zakir played that he was one with the sound and the music. It is indeed sad when you realize that, as far as we mortals know, we'll never hear that creative genius again. I felt the same way when Jeff Beck passed. Well done Andy, bravo. I have a feeling you'll being doing a more thorough retrospection of Zakir soon, but this ad-lib was great. Thanks again.
It makes me think of the unique vigour and musicianship that isn't necessarily being learned by the next generation(s) of artists, for a variety of reasons. Many friends of mine knew Zakir Hussain intimately, performed with him, and I appreciated his art from afar. That is what we have now, audio recordings and the memories of life and death.
beautiful.. and yet again, you have come up with words that I find eerily common with how I feel.. one is that Zakir, even when he played a fully classical piece, he had a rock'n'roll drive!.. and the other being that he was at the very top of all rhythm players of this world, and now he is gone :(
John McLaughlin's 'Zakir' track, dedicated to, and featuring, Zakir is one of the most beautiful instrumentals I've ever heard: especially the version of the track on Duos for guitar with John and Katya Labeque. Also, I had the privilege of seeing Zakir with a reincarnation of Shakti around 20 years ago.
Great tribute Andy, love it! I do not know his fusion work, but came accross ragas he recorded with other Indian masters like Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shivkumar Sharma (hope I got these names right, these two recorded the lovely Call of Valley) during and after extensive travels in India late 1980ies and early 1990ies. Also love crossover work done by Ravi Shankar with Phillip Glass called Passages. Music like that reaches deep into you and gives a totally different meaning to the word virtuosity like we do not know in popular Western music.
May Zakir journey well in his continued excursions into finer realms of existence gifting his incredible talents of joy and love to distant shores of dimensions!!!
Saw the Shakti reunion in Boston, amazing. In a smaller theater down the street, L. Shankar was scheduled to appear just a few days later. Odd indeed. Was trying to figure why L. Shankar was not included in the reunion tour and couldn't find an answer. Zakir was of course amazing, like all the musicians present that night. I've rarely if ever, seen such a display. I feel lucky to have been in attendance.
Saw Zakir twice. Both with Remember Shakti. Incredible player. Such a shame and only 10 years older than myself. Caught me by surprise too. Thanks for sharing Andy.
Having been a Mahavishnu fan in the early '70's, the emergence of Shakti was a revelation. I recall reading a review for the first album, and going to a record store in London and buying the album. Utterly amazing record. I bought everything after that and saw them three times, including on their last tour. I was very sad to learn today that Zakir Hussain had died. He was, together with McLaughlin, the absolute heart for he band. A great loss to Indian music and fusion.
Just saw Zakir trio live in Victoria BC Canada this past April, less than eight months ago. Also saw him early 2000s in Montreal. Well, now he’s jamming with Alla Rahka and U Srinivas. RIP maestro
John said “The King in whose hands Rhythm became Magic has left us…..RIP my dearest Zakir, we will meet again” They were majic together-and meet him many times and he could not have been more gracious A master has passed
Thanks, Andy. Natural Elements is a lovely album, full of emotion. I think of life as an old train journey, with many stops and many people getting on and off the train, and many people coming in and out of your own cabin. So sad when people leave your cabin, but how wonderful to have shared the journey with them as far as they went. Sometimes you wish others would not get off the train so early before you, but they have their reasons and you have to let them go. I really like the Vienna concert (?) with John McLaughlin, Zakir and Mandolin Srinivas, which is on RUclips.
Incredible lucidity and flow of spontaneous, well presented and informed info. I'm not sure there are many people who could do this, especially over the huge range of subjects you cover. Fantastic.
So Andy, after crossing swords over The Warning almost half a day back, we meet again to honour a generational percussionist. Its a huge loss for music lovers. Its great to see your knowledge in our classical music. I grew up with Shakti & Mahavishnu. Caught Shakti live in Jan 2023 when they toured India to celebrate 50th anniversary. Of course, L. Shakar & "Vikku" Vinayakram were missing. Jack Bruce was influenced by this idea of instruments talking to each other in Indian Classical music. Have you followed the careers of Ravi Shankar's daughters - Nora Jones & Anoushka Shankar?
Thanks for your thoughts Andy. I'm still processing Zakir's passing. I wanted to mention, especially if you weren't aware of it, is an album called Diga Rhythm Band. It's a percussion album produced by Mickey Hart featuring Zakir among other great percussionists, released in 1976, the same year as the first Shakti album. In fact, when I got my first copy of Diga in the early 80's and saw Zakir was on it , I thought, "wait, isn't he the guy from Shakti?" It was. It's a wonderful album every drummer should hear at least once. Thanks again AE. Play loud!
I saw him a few years ago doing a gig called Celtic Connections (or some such thing), low key one of the coolest gigs I've ever seen. RIP to an actual master
Fascinating. I’ve been to Antalya. From there, I went to Myra (Demre) on Christmas. The original tomb site was there in the ruins of the original Church of St. Nicholas, but the sarcophagus and bones were not there. The whole area is worth the trip. If you ever go, make sure you check out the Lycian tombs, Oplimpos and Mt. Kimaira (Yanartas, this is from the myths of Bellerophon). One of the few temples to Hephaestus is there. I didn’t get the chance to go up there, but you can see the fires of the volcanic action from Olimpos at night. I was lucky to have a driver who let me stay that late. The whole area is fascinating. Antalya is the nearest major museum. They have a triune Hecate, among many other pieces, that make the stop worthwhile. Hecate was likely a Lycian goddess.
Thanks Andy. Hard to contemplate Zakir's extraordinary greatness as a man and musician. If you have not heard it, try the album of him with Dave Holland and Chris Potter.
This is terrible news. I went to see The Crosscurrents (Trio) four weeks ago. Zakir could not play due to illness. Eric Harland stepped in at the last minute to join Dave Holland and Chris Potter. At the same time I had been bombarded with information that reminded me of the first time I ever heard about Zakir Hussain. You can hear him playing tabla on the title track of George Harrison's "Living In The Material World". I only saw Zakir in concert once. He was playing with Charles Lloyd (Sangam). His playing was truly mesmerising.
Thank you, Andy. I'm a drummer too, and we're the similar age, have similar tastes, and found out about the various types and levels of music around similar times.
Oh no! Zakir Hussain is dead. Moving video.Random thoughts: Too bad I never got to see Shakti live, but "A Handful of Beauty" has always been one of my absolute top favorite albums since I was in High School. L Shankar was out of this world virtuosic on violin and had such a sweet sweet tone. Did see Shankar with the "One Truth Band", but it just wasn't the same. Now that he's gone I guess I should count myself lucky that I got to see Zakir Hussain live even if it was only once and about 45 years ago: I saw him in a straight Indian Classical performance with an Indian Bamboo flautist at Univ of Calif at Santa Cruz. Part of my great memories from student days. I wonder, Andy, are you being diplomatic in regards to L Shankar? A few years ago I searched online to see what he was up to and I was shocked and disappointed at what I found: something like an amateur hour attempt at Indian pop. He didn't seem mentally or physically welI and I thought, drugs? Perhaps one might say that, musically speaking, L Shankar died as well. But I think maybe he still plays Carnatic Music occasionally? I hope so.
Technically Ali Akbar Khan, who studied under the same teacher as Ravi Shankar, was the first to bring Indian Classical Music to the United States. RIP Zakir. A true genius and tabla master.
Just great, Andy. A truly loving tribute. Thank you for sharing.
Zakir was a wonderful man, and no one was less impressed by his own immensely talent and fame than Zakir---a humble, kind soul who was genuinely interested in everyone he met.
His loss is profound, and my thoughts go out to his wife, his daughters, his brothers and sister, and his many, many friends around the world.
We didn't just lose a great musician, we lost an incredible human being.
Rest in peace, Zakir. And thank you for being the guy you always were.
Well said.
Living in the San Francisco bay area, I saw Zakir perform more times then I can remember. I had the good fortune of having lunch with him in between takes of music he was recording at a venue where I worked. In me brief personal encounter, my heart was warmed, by his good natured hospitality and humility. I'm deeply saddened by his passing. He's like musical royalty along with musicians like Narada Michael Walden and Neal Schon that are a part of our local musical community. Rest in Peace Zakir Hussain.
Great tribute! I was introduced to Zakir later in my musical journey - just this year in fact. I saw him live with Dave Holland W/ CHRIS POTTER & ZAKIR HUSSAIN at SF Jazz. It was a phenomenal musical experience. RIP Zakir and thank you for that performance.
His father, Alla Raka tapped raga rhythms on his mother's belly when he was in the womb. Zakir shared this story with me.
One of those musicians that I could watch for hours without getting bored, sitting in perfect awe at his skill, his artistry, his radiant spirit of joy. Hearing the first two songs of "Natural Elements" in an electronics in 1978 was one of those life-changing moments I will never forget. Like you said here, I believe that this album is John McLaughlin's finest moments as a guitarist to be captured on tape. This one hits me hard: almost as hard as the loss of Ryuichi Sakamoto hit me.
Nice, Andy, to once again see how much we have in common with our "obscure" musical likes and interests.
Natural bloody Elements!!!! thanks. Wasnt this man a legend!
Lovely tribute and I too have only recently heard. Truly a great artist. I remember buying Making Music on ECM when it was released and realising it to be one of the most beautiful albums I now own. His sound was unmistakably him. x
The best gig I ever went to was Jan Garbarek with Zakir Hussain in Gateshead around 15 years ago. I was sitting in the front row about 10ft away from Zakir and I could barely believe what I was hearing and seeing. Obviously his mastery of tablas was incredible but his kit playing and incorporation of varied percussion instruments was awesome too. I have always felt very privileged to have witnessed such a performance so close at hand. What an amazing and unique musician.
Zakir Hussien has been a presence running like a silver thread through the last four decades of my life. I am sad to learn of his passing but pleased that someone like you should deliver the message. Peace.
Zakir Hussain with John McLaughlin and Jean-Luc Ponty playing "Lotus Feet" is just sublime ... I've been playing it over and over since I heard the sad news.
Heart broken. 😢 decades of listening to the Master “Ustad”. A huge influence in my musical life. May God receive him in love.
I saw him with Shakti fall of 1976. It completely changed my experience of what music could be. He and L Shankar looked like kids with a level of virtuosity that was extraordinary. What a loss, thanks for the tribute.
Natural Elements I love that album. Thanks Andy.
OHH!!I We ran into him on the streets of Mesa AZ as we were headed for his concert with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer last year. My wife was like, 'Is that Zakir Hussain??'... We just gave him a smile and a nod. Then we went and watched his concert.
Thanks, Andy!
LOVE Shakti... I also had the super priviledge of seeing his dad play live with Ravi Shankar in my hometown back in 1984. ASTONISHING...
That's very sad news. Making Music is an absolutely sublime album and one of my all time favourites.
Agreed. Sublime.
Brilliant fusion of countries. Top 3 ECM album ever. Deserves a remastering. I played it to many non jazz/indian music fans and they all became lovers of it. The track where he sings and plays the same phrases is pure cosmicness. Just beautiful. Zakir I love your joy you gave. Very sad news
Oh noooo, such heartbreaking news you are bringing. If konnakol and raga are now fairly understood and appreciated in the west is certainly thanks to people like Hussain. RIP wherever you are now Zakir. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for your dedication to music and art.
Sublime musician.
I've been blessed to have seen him since back in the day LIVE with SHAKTI, PLANET DRUM & duets with other famous & great Indian Masters. I also know friends who had studied with & were mentored by him. He performed often in a small Chapel at Occidental College in Los Angeles produced by The Music Circle, founded in 1973 by Pandit Ravi Shankar and his student, Harihar Rao. Watching Ustad Zakir perform close up was unbelievable
Oh that’s cool that you went to those Music Circle events. Legendary.
Thank you so much Andy.
Very sad news indeed. I was privileged to have seen him perform many times. In fact I've seen him more than any other musician other than some local blues guys. The first time was in 1996 with one of his percussion ensembles; this one included his father Alla Rakha (towards the end of his life) as well as Vikku Vinayakram and several other notable Hindustani and Carnatic percussionists. I saw various subsequent versions of the ensemble 3 or 4 more times. I also saw him with various iterations of Shakti 3 times, with Ravi Shankar twice, with sitarist Vilayet Khan, with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, with violinist L. Shankar, and in collaboration with Dave Holland and Chris Potter. Each performance was incredible and quite memorable. His discography is immense to say the least, having recorded with virtually all the great Hindustani and many Carnatic instrumentalists and singers, as well as many jazz musicians including of course John Mclaughlin, but also Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland, Bela Fleck, John Handy etc. He and bassist/producer/synth player Bill Laswell made several records I would describe as Indian/Electronic Trance music fusion under the name "Tabla Beat Science". He collaborated with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart on his "Planet Drum" project and is on various pop or rock records by George Harrison , Earth, Wind & Fire and others. He is on a great record by the Kronos String Quartet along with singer Asha Bhosle celebrating the Bollywood film compositions of R.D. Burman. Of course he also had quite a few records under his own name as well. I don't think I've ever counted them up but I'm positive I have well in excess of 50 CDs and LPs in my collection that have Zakir Hussain on tabla and/or other percussion. But that's only the tip of the iceberg in terms of his total recordings. I just took a look at the Wikipedia discography and even though it's pretty lengthy, it's literally missing many dozens of his Indian classical recordings.
I guess I must be fan. It was sometimes over-powering to watch/hear him perform and I was moved to tears more than once. RIP Maestro Hussain!
Andy, thanks a lot for posting this video. I’ve been eager to know if you’ve had much interest in or study of Indian Classical Music. You are so intelligent and knowledgeable of music. As a longtime student, practitioner and now teacher of music, I was stunned to know of Zakir’s passing. I used to be a bass player (student of Glen Moore, Oregon), but got hip to Indian Classical music in the mid-late 60s via the obvious pop-culture references (Beatles, Ravi Shankar, etc). Fast forward to 1983 when I met and started to learn Indian Classical vocal music with Pandit Pran Nath in Oregon, California and India. He became Guruji to La Monte Young & Terry Riley in 1970. He eventually accepted me formally as his disciple in 1993. Im the last one. As time passed and I continued sitting with Guruji (Pran Nath) I met others in his music circle/family. One of those persons was Zakir Hussain. Pran Nath had been boyhood friends with Alla Rakha in Lahore. When Zakir was born, Alla Rakha brought Zakir to Pran Nath and requested, as Guruji was also an excellent Vedic astrologer, that he make Zakirs’s birth chart. He did. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see that? As Alla Rakha and Pran Nath were friends, Zakir was around and showed great respect to Pran Nath. When Zakir was just 15, Pran Nath asked Alla Rakha if Zakir could go on tour with him, so that he could teach Zakir that special accompaniment for the Khyal style of Raga Singing. Zakir definitely learned it. His accompaniment of Indian classical vocal is stunning.
I really appreciated your video. It’s hard to find words of any kind to explain Zakir Hussain. People all over the world are mourning and grieving Zakir’s death. I appreciated what you said. We’re lucky to have been alive to witness his magic. A virtuosic genius who was also a very nice person and funny. His music, and there’s lots of it, will continue on.
Thanks for your video honoring Zakir Hussain. Feelingful at the end. Lots of tears today everywhere.
Michael Stirling
Beautiful tribute, fitting to the genius of this legend. Thank you Andy. RIP Zakir
The Indian jam band that would become Shakti were supposed to be on Visions Of The Emerald album. In an interview with UK Guitar magazine in 1975 John McLaughlin said he asked the record company to issue a double album with the nascent Shakti material on one album and the new Mahavishnu Orchestra on the other one and suggested a reduction of royalties if CBS agreed. He didn't pursue it further when he came to feel it "would take away from the new Mahavishnu Orchestra" although he considered the Shakti material to be his best work at the time.
Just a couple of days ago I was in.
A Salvation Army store and I spotted this album.
By a band called Shanti.
Which included john McLaughlin, L.Shankar,Fakir Hussain and T.H. Vinayakram.
I didn't know about this album, whose title is A Handful of Beauty. Its condition is remarkable and I feel truly blessed to have it. And you're absolutely right. All our heroes are being called home. It puts a heavy weight on our shoulders for the next generation..
I met him and his dad in 1987.At Pebble Mill.He looked a total Rock Star !
I knew Zakir. He was a great guy, really great guy. What a loss.
Thank you.
Got to see Zakir several times at Town Hall in NYC. I think with L Shankar and Anoushka Shankar, as well as the Masters of Indian Percussion. Zakir was truly incredible to see live. I never understood how he made his hands and fingers move as quickly as they did. This is a huge loss.
"I never understood how he made his hands and fingers move so quickly" ..
In a word, "practice!"
EDIT : - There's also technique, and of course there's having had the extraordinary privilege of growing up in a household, full of the musicians that made up the upper echelons of "the best of the best" of the musicians that would go on to make up such a "who's who" of Indian "Classical" and later, Western "avant-garde" and "crossover" musical niche'. Wow!
Yeah, he was certainly born "in the right place at the right time" and it's certainly another case of having "lost yet another one of the World's best."
Thank you Any, Thank you very much. Nobody does it better than you. Your "tongue-in-cheek" vids are fantastic and very funny and entertaining, but your tribute videos and your trips into history videos are the best. I would love to see you make historic vids a regular part of your channel. You're the best. I first saw Zakir on a vid with Joe Zawinal.and I will never forget it. The collaboration between two of the greatest creative musicians that ever lived was hypnotizing. It was so evident when Zakir played that he was one with the sound and the music. It is indeed sad when you realize that, as far as we mortals know, we'll never hear that creative genius again. I felt the same way when Jeff Beck passed. Well done Andy, bravo. I have a feeling you'll being doing a more thorough retrospection of Zakir soon, but this ad-lib was great. Thanks again.
Great tribute to one of the greatest musicians of all time. RIP Zakir Hussain
One of the best, much respect.
Very sad news. A great musician and a wonderful human being. So very sad.
It makes me think of the unique vigour and musicianship that isn't necessarily being learned by the next generation(s) of artists, for a variety of reasons. Many friends of mine knew Zakir Hussain intimately, performed with him, and I appreciated his art from afar. That is what we have now, audio recordings and the memories of life and death.
beautiful.. and yet again, you have come up with words that I find eerily common with how I feel.. one is that Zakir, even when he played a fully classical piece, he had a rock'n'roll drive!.. and the other being that he was at the very top of all rhythm players of this world, and now he is gone :(
RIP Zakir... One of the greatest musicians of all time. THE greatest tabla player to grace this planet...
thx to you and Zakir!
John McLaughlin's 'Zakir' track, dedicated to, and featuring, Zakir is one of the most beautiful instrumentals I've ever heard: especially the version of the track on Duos for guitar with John and Katya Labeque. Also, I had the privilege of seeing Zakir with a reincarnation of Shakti around 20 years ago.
Totally agree....he was THE tabla player!!! Who hasn't he played with......????
Natural Elements Andy!!!!
Great tribute Andy, love it! I do not know his fusion work, but came accross ragas he recorded with other Indian masters like Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shivkumar Sharma (hope I got these names right, these two recorded the lovely Call of Valley) during and after extensive travels in India late 1980ies and early 1990ies. Also love crossover work done by Ravi Shankar with Phillip Glass called Passages. Music like that reaches deep into you and gives a totally different meaning to the word virtuosity like we do not know in popular Western music.
He's an absolute marvel. Have a load of his CDs.
May Zakir journey well in his continued excursions into finer realms of existence gifting his incredible talents of joy and love to distant shores of dimensions!!!
Saw the Shakti reunion in Boston, amazing. In a smaller theater down the street, L. Shankar was scheduled to appear just a few days later. Odd indeed. Was trying to figure why L. Shankar was not included in the reunion tour and couldn't find an answer. Zakir was of course amazing, like all the musicians present that night. I've rarely if ever, seen such a display. I feel lucky to have been in attendance.
I knew you would deliver a heartfelt tribute to Zakir. Thank you. I would love to hear your thoughts on the passing of Martial Solal last week.
Oh my….horrible news…..horrible. What an incredible musician, enough cannot be stated.
Saw Zakir twice. Both with Remember Shakti. Incredible player. Such a shame and only 10 years older than myself. Caught me by surprise too. Thanks for sharing Andy.
Having been a Mahavishnu fan in the early '70's, the emergence of Shakti was a revelation. I recall reading a review for the first album, and going to a record store in London and buying the album. Utterly amazing record. I bought everything after that and saw them three times, including on their last tour. I was very sad to learn today that Zakir Hussain had died. He was, together with McLaughlin, the absolute heart for he band. A great loss to Indian music and fusion.
Just saw Zakir trio live in Victoria BC Canada this past April, less than eight months ago. Also saw him early 2000s in Montreal. Well, now he’s jamming with Alla Rahka and U Srinivas. RIP maestro
John said “The King in whose hands Rhythm became Magic has left us…..RIP my dearest Zakir, we will meet again”
They were majic together-and meet him many times and he could not have been more gracious
A master has passed
Thanks, Andy. Natural Elements is a lovely album, full of emotion. I think of life as an old train journey, with many stops and many people getting on and off the train, and many people coming in and out of your own cabin. So sad when people leave your cabin, but how wonderful to have shared the journey with them as far as they went. Sometimes you wish others would not get off the train so early before you, but they have their reasons and you have to let them go. I really like the Vienna concert (?) with John McLaughlin, Zakir and Mandolin Srinivas, which is on RUclips.
Incredible lucidity and flow of spontaneous, well presented and informed info. I'm not sure there are many people who could do this, especially over the huge range of subjects you cover. Fantastic.
Thank you for this Andy. I hadn't heard. He is one of the special ones. ❤
A moving tribute to a master's master.
Sic transit gloria mundi...
Oh no! I saw him up close and on fire in 1973 with the Sufi Choir at the Whole Earth Festival @ UC Davis. What a loss.
So Andy, after crossing swords over The Warning almost half a day back, we meet again to honour a generational percussionist. Its a huge loss for music lovers.
Its great to see your knowledge in our classical music.
I grew up with Shakti & Mahavishnu. Caught Shakti live in Jan 2023 when they toured India to celebrate 50th anniversary. Of course, L. Shakar & "Vikku" Vinayakram were missing.
Jack Bruce was influenced by this idea of instruments talking to each other in Indian Classical music.
Have you followed the careers of Ravi Shankar's daughters - Nora Jones & Anoushka Shankar?
Epic musician
Great tabla player. I'm happy I got to see him last year with Shakti.
We are lucky we shared at least part of our lifes on this nothing in the vast space with legends like this guy.
Om Shanti ❤
When I read the news this morning, my first thought was that you would have something worthwhile to say about it.
So sad so young.. so thankful to have seem him not so many years ago in an intimate setting in my neighborhood with Rahul Sharma
that was touching tribute Andy
Thanks for your thoughts Andy. I'm still processing Zakir's passing. I wanted to mention, especially if you weren't aware of it, is an album called Diga Rhythm Band. It's a percussion album produced by Mickey Hart featuring Zakir among other great percussionists, released in 1976, the same year as the first Shakti album. In fact, when I got my first copy of Diga in the early 80's and saw Zakir was on it , I thought, "wait, isn't he the guy from Shakti?" It was. It's a wonderful album every drummer should hear at least once.
Thanks again AE. Play loud!
That's a shock for sure. I was going to go see him next year.
I saw him a few years ago doing a gig called Celtic Connections (or some such thing), low key one of the coolest gigs I've ever seen. RIP to an actual master
Fascinating. I’ve been to Antalya. From there, I went to Myra (Demre) on Christmas. The original tomb site was there in the ruins of the original Church of St. Nicholas, but the sarcophagus and bones were not there. The whole area is worth the trip. If you ever go, make sure you check out the Lycian tombs, Oplimpos and Mt. Kimaira (Yanartas, this is from the myths of Bellerophon). One of the few temples to Hephaestus is there. I didn’t get the chance to go up there, but you can see the fires of the volcanic action from Olimpos at night. I was lucky to have a driver who let me stay that late. The whole area is fascinating. Antalya is the nearest major museum. They have a triune Hecate, among many other pieces, that make the stop worthwhile. Hecate was likely a Lycian goddess.
Thanks Andy. Hard to contemplate Zakir's extraordinary greatness as a man and musician. If you have not heard it, try the album of him with Dave Holland and Chris Potter.
Big Jim was Ritchie Blackmore's teacher and a massively underrated jazz player
I saw him playing with Shakti in New Delhi in the spring of 1984, incredible Musician
I read in Downbeat magazine once that Tabla players must train for Years & their level of playing shows this...
OMG A master! I LOVE shakti. I am really saddened by this news☹☹😪😪😪
My prayers goes to the family ❤😢😥🙏
I bought a Zakir Hussain CD in India called Selects and listened to it while i travelled around the country. May he rest in peace
He was a god for sure. The Shakti albums captivated me. They’re just as fiery as any fusion album
natural elements
❤🙏🏽
This is terrible news. I went to see The Crosscurrents (Trio) four weeks ago. Zakir could not play due to illness. Eric Harland stepped in at the last minute to join Dave Holland and Chris Potter. At the same time I had been bombarded with information that reminded me of the first time I ever heard about Zakir Hussain. You can hear him playing tabla on the title track of George Harrison's "Living In The Material World".
I only saw Zakir in concert once. He was playing with Charles Lloyd (Sangam). His playing was truly mesmerising.
...... This one hits hard.
Natural Elements
Thank you, Andy. I'm a drummer too, and we're the similar age, have similar tastes, and found out about the various types and levels of music around similar times.
RIP Zakir. I got to see him with Shakti last year in London.
Oh no! Zakir Hussain is dead. Moving video.Random thoughts: Too bad I never got to see Shakti live, but "A Handful of Beauty" has always been one of my absolute top favorite albums since I was in High School. L Shankar was out of this world virtuosic on violin and had such a sweet sweet tone. Did see Shankar with the "One Truth Band", but it just wasn't the same. Now that he's gone I guess I should count myself lucky that I got to see Zakir Hussain live even if it was only once and about 45 years ago: I saw him in a straight Indian Classical performance with an Indian Bamboo flautist at Univ of Calif at Santa Cruz. Part of my great memories from student days. I wonder, Andy, are you being diplomatic in regards to L Shankar? A few years ago I searched online to see what he was up to and I was shocked and disappointed at what I found: something like an amateur hour attempt at Indian pop. He didn't seem mentally or physically welI and I thought, drugs? Perhaps one might say that, musically speaking, L Shankar died as well. But I think maybe he still plays Carnatic Music occasionally? I hope so.
Shanti friend...
May Zakir Hussain rest in peace, and may you and all of his family and friends be healed and comforted.
Dangit! The record show was yesterday.
The hazard of living is the musical friends going away.
Technically Ali Akbar Khan, who studied under the same teacher as Ravi Shankar, was the first to bring Indian Classical Music to the United States. RIP Zakir. A true genius and tabla master.
Saw him with McLaughlin and recently with Garbarek. A real loss. Such a creative force. RIP.
Shakti?
People die just when u least expect it and there's nothing u can do but go on. . . .
My Goal's Beyond by John McLaughlin...1971. Long before Shakti. Making Music by Zakir Hussain...1986.
Diga Rhythm Band with Mickey Hart and company
He was just as vital to Shakti as John McLaughlin.
He looked like Jimmy Page.
Oh, that is sad News.
thought he was immortal...:(
a massive loss.... what a prodigy
So sad, another great one has left us. Thank you for the tribute.
Nooooooo! Crap... 😭
ruclips.net/video/OAQvjlfymf0/видео.htmlsi=wh7W6Zw72rR5redm This album is for this moment 😢
A favorite Z.H. performance with John McLaughlin in Shakti: ruclips.net/video/VnW2g6qbbrA/видео.html
Allah Rakha and Buddy Rich
ruclips.net/video/ZMipm_SlhK4/видео.html&ab_channel=diablofn
5.th comment