Gerenchair - Kilelke

Recorded: December 21st 2001

Ustad Zakir Hussain

Ustad Zakir HussainPopularly known as Tabla Maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain is the son of the renowned tabla player Ustad Allah Rakha. He was born on 9th March, 1951 and showed much interest in tabla since a very young age. This child prodigy started touring by the time he was twelve and started to perform at concerts and gain much recognition and fame. He went to in St. Michael's High School in Mahim and did his graduation from St. Xavier's Mumbai. In his twenties, he started to tour the United States frequently and performed in not less than 150 concerts per year. Read the fascinating life history of the famous musical genius in this biography of Zakhir Hussein. 

Zakir Hussain has had the opportunity to perform with many talented musicians not just in India but also all over the world. He became a famous international phenomenon. He has composed for many English movies like Apocalypse Now, In Custody, Little Buddha, The Mystic Masseur, Heat and Dust, etc. Zakir Hussain also acted in a brilliant documentary named "The Speaking Hand: Zakir Hussain and the Art of the Indian Drum" that was released in the year 2003. But it was not released on DVD due to lack of audience response. He also composed, performed and provided his valuable advice for Vanaprastham, which was screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. 

Zakhir has performed with many artists and has created brilliant works of fusion. His partnership with the famous band The Beatles truly deserves a special mention. He also recorded with the American psychedelic band called "Shanti" in the year 1971. In 1975, he worked with John McLaughlin in the band "Shakti". This band had John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram and R. Raghavan. It was disbanded by late 70's. However, the band was reunited a few years later by the name of Remember Shakti with some new members. The new band has released many albums like Saturday Night in Bombay, The Believer and 38th Montreux Jazz Festival. 

Zakhir Hussain also released his first solo album "Making Music" in the year 1987, which was proclaimed to be one of the most inspired East-West fusion albums ever. He was awarded the "Padma Shree" by the Government in the year 1988, thus making him the youngest percussionist to ever receive this award. Zakir Hussain has also received the National Heritage Fellowship (1999) which the most prestigious honor for a master in traditional arts in U.S. He has also been honored with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India in the year 1991. He was also awarded the Grammy for the album "Planet Drum" which was produced and created by Zakir Hussain and Mickey Hart. 

Zakir Hussain married an Italian-American Kathak Dancer, Antonia Minnecola. She earlier worked as his manager for some time. Zakir Hussain has two daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. Anisa Qureshi graduated from UCLA and is trying her hand in video production and film making. The other daughter, Isabella is studying as a dance major in Manhattan. Zakhir Hussain has truly made his indelible mark in the field of music and has also acquired international acclaim. A true legend, his music shall continue to enthrall us for many more years to come.


Ustad Zakir Hussain - Unreleased Tabla Solo (Chatur)

Track 1

Durbar Square Durbar is coming from Persian: دربار - darbār is a Persian term meaning the kings reunion place. A meeting point for the Persian and the indian culture, and the persian and the indian music, bringing together two of the most appreciated instruments in the ethno music as Oud and Sarod. 

There’s a long story behind oud and sarod, starting for the first one, the oud is one of the world’s most ancient musical instruments, mentioned in writings as old as the 3rd century BC. It is a pear-shaped plucked string instrument, commonly used in Arabic, Turkish, Jewish and other musical traditions. As Islam spread to Europe, so did the oud, where it was called it ‘la oud’ – which in time evolved into the lute, and later on the guitar. Oud in Arabic means “wood,” and the instrument is made completely of wood. Its sound, too, deep and dry, sends deep roots, from which ancient dreams and modern sentiments can grow. 

To understand the story of the sarod, we have to know about the rubab, known in the middle east as "the lion of instruments" created in Afghanistan around the 7th century, is the ancestor of the indian sarod. The sarod is an instrument developed in India in the IX century, being able to follow the voice, keeping the oral tradition and the feeling of the indian classical music. Is having metal strings which brings a lot of bright sound, and it’s fretless so can imitate the way of singing by sliding the metal. This project was born in Israel on September 2015, by Gad Tidhar and Jordi Prats, two musicians with more than 10 years of studies who decided to approach two cultures based in modern therms of improvised music, and also keeping the tradition by using some old compositions learned from their masters. 

Considering the meaning of Durbar square, the idea of the band is to keep oud and sarod as the cornerstones of the project, and alternate the percussionist or other musicians to bring exclusivity to each concert. A chance to hear the magic connexion between two of the most valued instruments of the middle east and India. 

Morning

Durbar

Bhiravi 7/4

'old wounds never heal,
no present, just past in new guise. I still
love the one I always have loved.'
(rakovszky - https://goo.gl/XJjkbe)

written by bakai/nagy/szabó.
bass guitar by mátyás szabó (from @terraprofonda).
jew's harp, acoustic guitar & cover art by @heim-roland.
recorder, kalimba & samples by panda.

contains loops & samples from tito la rosa, @praahmusique, @vruno-saldivar, @c2cdjs, @daisuketanabe, bbc's sfx 015.

produced, recorded & mixed by panda, @ the lost room, 16, 31.10-01.11

Track 1

Péter Bognár