Zakir Hussain

aydee

Platinum Member
Indian Music is a horse of a different bird.

And for all those that get into it, there are as many that just don't get it.

Its rhythmic structures are extremely complex & evolved and most Indian percussionists actually find the world of the drum set rather simplistic and fundamental by comparison.

Sitting on top of this pyramid is Zakir Hussain, Tabla's version of Buddy rich, Elvin Jones, Mike Mangini, Bonham rolled into one.

At the very least, for those of us who study and are fascinated by rhythm, and its sub divisions and what all is possible between the infinite space of 2 notes, Zakir Hussain is a genius worth checking out:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As1OMMcHXFs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjjSZw4gr98



.................
 
Last edited:
Re: Zakir!!!

wow, thank you for introducing him to me, this guy is a national treasure!!!!
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Hey aydee,

That was fine!

I'd heard of this young man, but hadn't taken the time to really check him out. I first heard his work on Mickey Hart's Planet Drum.That CD quickly became one of my favorite driving CDs (I was driving over 800 miles a week back then. I heard it a lot!)

Thanks for the reintroduction. It's cool to hear and see Zakir playing his native music.


.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

That guy sure has some jazz hands.. lol.

The Speaking Hand documentary was incredible Abe. Thank you for that.

Back in the 80's there was a series of movies that carried alot of Indian music in thier soundtracks. Ghandi, A Passage To India, Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom just to name a few.. That was the first time I was exposed to Indian music and I was fascinated by it becuase it was completely alien and it truly had a sound all its own.

At that time also I was introduced to the different types of instruments used as well. When you said "Indian Music is a horse of a different bird" that is the best way to describe it.

I'm not up to date on any of the Indian musicians out there so I thank you for this.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Zakir is probably the best drummer on the planet, period.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Thatnks, Abe.

You always seem to pick a drummer just in time to remind me to pick up my tickets.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Aydee,

I studied tabla for a short time. Zakir is definitely the man. I've seen him perform as well. Fairly amazing. Unfortunately it was with the Mickey Hart group, which I am not a big fan of. Its kind of a whack-fest, but between Giovanni and Zakir, you get a lot of.... notes...

Anyway, I'm sure since you live in India, you are familiar with Bhangara music on Dhol or dholaki, and such. I've become a lot more interested in the dhol as opposed to tabla simply because of its power and ability to fit into contemporary music a little easier (volume wise as well) What do you think about Bhangara? It doesn't seem quite as surgically precise as tabla, but then again, I might be missing something.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Saw "Shakti" with Zakir,John McLaughlin and a second hand percussionist at SMU in Dallas a few years back. Blinding hand speed as well as extraordinary expression of musical nuance . Incidentally Zakir,now 57 or 58 looked like he was 40.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Zakir 's father was Alla Rakha, Ravi Shankar's brother in law, who played with Ravi Shankar at the Montery Pop Festival.
 
Last edited:
Re: Zakir!!!

Aydee,
...you are familiar with Bhangara music on Dhol or dholaki, and such. I've become a lot more interested in the dhol as opposed to tabla simply because of its power and ability to fit into contemporary music a little easier (volume wise as well) What do you think about Bhangra? It doesn't seem quite as surgically precise as tabla, but then again, I might be missing something.

Garvin, you're bang on. Bhangra is India's R&B/Hip hop.

Bhangra has folk & dance roots whereas as tabla, as a primary accompanying instrument is historically more classical in the Indian sense, but more like jazz in construct ( as in head, improvisation, head )

The Dhol, packs tremendous power & groove and some of the dhol ensembles, when they play together can very easily make you think you are in Rio, with the samba Bands playing in the disance.

Check out the Dhol Foundation for modern contemporary music applications of the Dhol.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKS20WfLG58&feature=related Their main guy ( Johnny Kalsi..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKS20WfLG58&feature=related) is hell of a player too.

For far too long to the casual observer, Indian music has meant the Classical traditions of Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussian etc..

But the street & mass music of India is Bhangra oriented with instruments like the dhol, dholak, Kanjeera, Pakhawaj, Mridangam and other assorted perc type stuff.

The guys who can really play this stuff can groove anybody's butt off this planet.


................
 
Last edited:
Re: Zakir!!!

Aydee,

I have definitely heard of the Dhol foundation. Thats good to know that I was thinking correctly about Bhangara. I never really read or learned much about it, but the stuff on youtube and my background with tabla kind of gave me an ear for it.

Another guy I've been listening to is Panjabi MC. Cool stuff, but I suspect he might be a little controversial among this contemporary genre since it seems he is like a Puff-Daddy type who samples things rather than puts together his own band... But still badass party music nonetheless.
 
Re: Zakir!!!

Another guy I've been listening to is Punjabi MC. Cool stuff, but I suspect he might be a little controversial among this contemporary genre since it seems he is like a Puff-Daddy type who samples things rather than puts together his own band... But still badass party music nonetheless.

They are all doing the sampling bit. Bhangra is really is going the way R&B went, morphing into modern day Hip Hop. All those James Brown exclamations came handy years later, didn't they ; )...

All the popular stuff is very 'produced' and pop. Then there's the stuff outside of that..but its all coming from folk music.Bhangra is technically a harvest dance where everyone is so relieved that its a heck of a party and the dancing is wild. The Dhol, with some other percussive instruments is the Boom-Box of this party : )
 
My Friends,

I agree that Zakir is genius, but I prefer Trilok Gurtu, especially his work with McClaughlin in the late 80's. I don't know any tabla players that don't regard the drum set equally with tabla. I've been playing drum set for 40 years and tabla for 20. They both have their own idiosyncrasies. Like myself, many tabla players lean towards drummers like Tony Williams, Jon Christiansen, and Bob Moses, because of their frequent use of polyrhythms, metric modulation, and other techniques that give their drumming a very organic quality.
I've also been reading a lot recently about sonic theology and the exploration of the phenomenon of sound as the ultimate reality. I think it's consideration is of extreme importance to playing any kind of music. It's a large division between musicians of the East and the West.

J
 
You have to hear Tala Matrix , with Hussain, Gurtu and others. Intesting sound mixing tabla with drum 'n bass
 
I went to go see Zakir Hussain perform live last night, and I am not understating it when I say it was life-changing. Not sure it's necessarily "changed my life" (yet) but certainly how I perceive music and rhythm. It was the most inspiring and incredible thing I've ever seen, music or otherwise.

He's currently on tour with Shivkumar Sharma, who plays the santoor (sp?) and is just as incredible on his instrument. If they are anywhere near you, (or even not so close) make the drive and buy the ticket. You will regret not going if you don't (although at the same time, I don't you'd have any idea what you're missing).

Had to share..
 
Back
Top