IF ANY READERS OF THIS BLOG ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH ZAKIR HUSSAIN’S MUSIC, STOP READING AND GO TO YOUTUBE AND LISTEN TO ANY PERFORMANCE BY ZAKIR.

I had traveled to India for the first time in 1971, at which point I was introduced to North Indian classical music and the beautiful bamboo flute, the bansuri.  I first met Zakir in 1975 when I enrolled at the Ali Akbar College of Music in Marin County, California.  He was the college’s rhythm teacher and the accompanist for visiting artists.  All students began their studies with Beginning Vocal Class taught by the founding master Ali Akbar Khan, and Rhythm (“Tal”) class taught by Zakir.

In the mid-1970’s, Zakir was playing regularly with Grateful Dead drummer, Mickey Hart.  Together, they founded the Diga Rhythm Band, consisting of drummers playing in a fusion of Indian and Western styles.  Zakir regularly accompanied sarod-maestro Ali Akbar Khan in concert, as well as my bansuri-flute teacher, G.S. Sachdev. 

For me, learning Indian music was comparable to learning a foreign language.  At first, everything seemed new and exotic.  But just as with learning a foreign verbal language, I soon began to recognize the similarities between Indian music and American jazz.  The primary similarity is that the artistry in both jazz and Indian classical music comes through the mastery of improvisation.  The music concepts of ragas and modes share many similarities.  Indian music, like European-based Western classical music, is a vast collection of cultural knowledge and tradition brought alive through contemporary performance practices.  No individual can master either art form entirely in a lifetime of study.

I’ve told my friends that studying with Ali Akbar Khan was like having classes with Beethoven.  AAK was that level of master.  Having classes with Zakir and listening to him live in many concerts over the last forty-nine years was listening to a master without precedent.  Earlier, Zakir’s father, Alla Rakha, was India’s most famous tabla player due to his being the regular accompanist for sitarist Ravi Shankar.  Zakir also accompanied Ravi Shankar at an early age, as well as accompanying every other major artist in India.

The extensive press announcements of Zakir’s passing mention his having performed with famous artists, including the Beatles’ George Harrison, singer Van Morrison, Earth Wind & Fire, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, banjoist Bela Fleck, saxophonist Charles Lloyd, and many others.  But Zakir will be best remembered as a founding member of English guitarist John Mclaughlin’s group Shakti in 1973.  Shakti toured and recorded over many years with different group members joining Mclaughlin and Zakir in different configurations.  In 2024, Shakti won the Grammy for Best Global Music Album.  He won two other Grammies in 2024 for his album with banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck: Best Global Music Performance and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.

Susan and I heard Shakti’s final tour concerts in September 2024, first in Davis, California, and the following night in San Francisco on my birthday.  We tried to go backstage to meet him, but the crowd of well-wishers was overwhelming.  The last time that I spoke to Zakir personally was to greet him in Mumbai at the Prithvi Theater last March.  Zakir traditionally sponsored a concert annually at the Prithvi Theater, followed by a free meal served to all the attendees in the theater courtyard.

I will also mention that I am very close to Zakir’s younger brother Fazal Qureshi, who is also a virtuoso tabla player.  Fazal was a member of the Swedish group Mynta (“mint” in Swedish), with whom I toured Sweden and India annually from 2005-2016.  We met Fazal once during this trip to Mumbai.  He had told us that Zakir was in the hospital, but we had no idea that his condition was acute. 

Personally, I had the opportunity to play in jam sessions with Zakir on several occasions, in California and in Mumbai.  Zakir could play timbales like a Cuban.  He could play every percussion instrument in sight, including the piano!  In the 1970’s, as I was just establishing my music career, Zakir arranged several times for me to fly to Los Angeles to record with artists who he met who were looking for a flutist or saxophonist for their album projects.  In 1982, on my first Indian music tour with Kathak dancer Chitresh Das, Zakir introduced me to Louiz Banks, the “godfather of Indian jazz.”  I continue to play with Louiz for all these years ever since.

Over the years, I shared my recordings of my original compositions with Zakir.  I have a new composition, not yet recorded, that I named Z-Bhai (“Zakir-Brother”).  He never got to hear it.  But I will think of him with love and respect for the rest of my life, especially when I play Z-Bhai. 

Many other musicians I know will have similar stories to tell about their unique friendships with Zakir.  He was truly an amazing brother to all his musical colleagues. He was open to all styles and encouraging to every musician lucky enough to meet him.  I feel fortunate to be able to have called him my friend.  Rest in peace brother Zakir.  Your musical life-force lives on through all your disciples, students, friends, and fans.