SAN FRANCISCO (CelebrityAccess) – Famed musician, composer and tabla player Zakir Hussain passed away Sunday (December 15) in San Francisco, CA. His family confirmed news of his death. His cause of death was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 73. In a statement, the family said,
“His prolific work as a teacher, mentor and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians. He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further. He leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and one of the greatest musicians of all time.”
The son of legendary tabla master Ustad Allarakha (Ravi Shankar’s longtime accompanist), Hussain was widely regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation. A child prodigy, he collaborated with virtually all of India’s iconic performers, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Shivkumar Sharma. His work with Western musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Lloyd, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Mickey Hart, George Harrison and John McLaughlin brought Indian classical music to an international audience. Moreover, his work raised his instrument to virtuoso status.
His performances and recordings include collaborations with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Yo-Yo Ma, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Airto Moreira, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Alonzo King, Mark Morris, Rennie Harris and the Kodo drummers. His extraordinary contributions to the music world were honored in April 2009 with four widely heralded, sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall’s Artist Perspective series.
Zakir Hussain was a prolific composer, creating concertos, scoring for films and collaborating with dance companies such as Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet and The Mark Morris Dance Group. Over his illustrious career, he earned numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards with Mickey Hart for Planet Drum and three more this past March: one with John McLaughlin and the band Shakti and two for his collaborations with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Rakesh Chaurasia. Zakir is the first Indian to receive three Grammy Awards in one night.
He is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola; his daughters, Anisa Qureshi (her husband, Taylor Phillips, and their daughter, Zara) and Isabella Qureshi; his brothers, Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi; and his sister, Khurshid Aulia. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come.
RIP.
