Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 16 : Singer Anup Jalota recalled his old days with Ustad Zakir Hussain after the demise of the tabla maestro. He called him a humble international artist.
Renowned tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 on December 15. The cause of death was confirmed to be idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease. The news was confirmed by Jon Bleicher of Prospect PR, representing the family.
'Aisi Laagi Lagan' bhajan singer, Anup Jalota said that Zakir Hussain treaded at international terms. Be it the band was from Australia, China, Japan, England, America or Africa, the tabla maestro was always considered a hero among them.
While speaking with ANI, Anup Jalota said, "Zakir Hussain was not only an India artist. He was an international artist. Whether the band was from Australia, China, Japan, England, America or Africa, he used to be heroes in every band. He became an artist of the whole world. He was an amazing man and very humble. He was two years older than me, so I used to touch his feet and as soon as I touched his feet, he used to touch my feet. It was his nature, he was a great man. I would like to say that such an artist will not come again."
He recalled his performances with Ustad Zakir Hussain in America and Canada. He said" I still remember the America tour with Zakir Hussain. We had 12 concerts and the way he elevated my performance by tabla was amazing. Great man. Such people don't come often. I ask god to bless him and I just want to say that he is alive in everyone's heart and he has gone nowhere. "
Throughout his career, Ustad Zakir Hussain collaborated with some of the most iconic names in both traditional Indian and global music scenes. He worked with legends such as Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan and was a key figure in creating international fusion bands like Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin and Planet Drum with Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart.
His collaboration on the Planet Drum album also earned him a Grammy Award.
Zakir Hussain's contributions to music were recognized by numerous prestigious awards over the years, including the Padma Shri (1988) and Padma Bhushan (2002) from the Indian government, as well as four Grammy Awards.
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