Zakir Hussain - World Fusion Music Maestro: In Honor and Memory

My blog post last week about the passing of Irish bouzouki player and singer, Cyril O’Donoghue, reminded me of another great musician who passed away late in 2024, the incredible Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain. Tablas are traditional Indian hand drums, and when played fast, they always remind me of the fluttering of birds’ wings, with the drummer’s hands fluttering just as fast! He not only played traditional Indian music, but he also broke the mold with varied types of World Fusion. I have added to the ”Chant/Music” page a file called “Jig O’Beer & Chai” exhibiting one example of his innovative approach, incorporating bagpipes with Indian music. Another example is the work he did with the great jazz and fusion guitarist John McLaughlin in the group called Shakti. We were fortunate enough to catch a superb performance of them fairly recently. There is a delightful video link showing them up close and personal, also listed in the “Chant/Music” page. Enjoy!