Zakir Hussain, a peerless Indian tabla participant who transcended genres and introduced classical Indian music to a worldwide viewers, died on Sunday. He was 73.
He died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a persistent lung illness, in San Francisco, the place he lived, his household stated in an announcement.
Considered a nationwide treasure in his native India, Mr. Hussain gained 4 Grammy Awards and collaborated with a variety of famous person artists that included the cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the jazz grasp Charles Lloyd, the sitarist Ravi Shankar and George Harrison of the Beatles.
He was born Zakir Allaraka Qureshi on March 9, 1951, in Bombay, now Mumbai. His father was the tabla grasp Alla Rakha Qureshi, higher generally known as Alla Rakha or generally Allarakha. Zakir’s mom, Bavi Begum, modified his surname to Hussain a couple of days after he was born, on the recommendation of a Muslim saint, he stated.
Mr. Hussain was a toddler prodigy who started performing concert events on the tabla by age 7 and was touring by age 12, in accordance with the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, which gave him a fellowship.
Both father and son got the honorific Ustad, which implies grasp. Together, they helped elevate the standing of the tabla, a pair of Indian drums performed by hand, from an accompanying instrument to at least one performed by virtuosos. In 2009, Zakir Hussain carried out 4 sold-out concert events at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Earlier this 12 months, he gained Grammy Awards for up to date instrumental album, international music album and international music efficiency. In 2009, he gained the most effective up to date world music album award.
Mr. Hussain is survived by his spouse, Antonia Minnecola; his daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi; his brothers, Taufiq Qureshi, and Fazal Qureshi, additionally tabla gamers; and his sister, Khurshid Aulia, in accordance with his household.
A whole obituary will comply with.
Alexandra E. Petri contributed reporting.
